282 with an Opel bellhousing... or is it?

[GtpKo]

I know I don't post often, but I'm at an unusual impasse here and I thought I might throw this out there among people who might know.

Story begins this past Monday. I went to my local junkyard looking for... stuff y'know, and I find this 1989 Sunbird with a 5-speed! What luck! I can't resist something this rare. The cars the next row over are already being dragged to the crusher, I may not have another chance.

I spent the next 7 hours pulling the trans along with everything else(shifter, pedal, master & slave cylinders, e-brake). All the while, the idea of possibility 5-speed swapping my 2002 Grand Prix keep going through my mind, getting sweeter and sweeter. Thinking can I actually do it this time? I get home and examine the bellhousing a bit more closely and... wait.. what the heck? Is that an Opel bellhousing? Sure is. Damn. Now what. [EDIT: Turns out it's an Isuzu. Weaker than a 282, no application possible with a w-body.]

 

 

 

Question is now: Should I try and find a 60degv6/3800 bellhousing, adapter plate, screw it and dump it on Craigslist? Fourth option? 

 

 

 

Edited August 23, 2021 by GtpKo
pic, update

[Schurkey]

What engine was in that Sunbird?  Most got a crappy four-popper, but some got 3.1s.

I thought Sunbirds were smaller, much-less-powerful vehicles than W-bodies.  It's essentially a Pontiac Cavalier.  Is that trans strong enough?

Edited August 11, 2021 by Schurkey

[GtpKo]

The engine was the OHC 2.0 which had maybe ~90HP. Slow, even in a J-body. They had turbo 2.0s until 1990 and the 3.1 came in in 91. I assumed that the bellhousing was the same as long as it wasn't a Quad 4. I guess that's not the case.

As far as the strength is concerned, taking into consideration my driving style, no power adders, no strip racing, etc. I'm confident it would be just fine for driving around town 2-3 times a week. Besides all used transmissions from a junkyard are always suspect until proven otherwise.

Not sure what I'm going to do with this thing. I had to save it as it would probably be part of a car burrito by now.

[Bake82]

5 hours ago, GtpKo said:

The engine was the OHC 2.0 which had maybe ~90HP. Slow, even in a J-body. They had turbo 2.0s until 1990 and the 3.1 came in in 91. I assumed that the bellhousing was the same as long as it wasn't a Quad 4. I guess that's not the case.

As far as the strength is concerned, taking into consideration my driving style, no power adders, no strip racing, etc. I'm confident it would be just fine for driving around town 2-3 times a week. Besides all used transmissions from a junkyard are always suspect until proven otherwise.

Not sure what I'm going to do with this thing. I had to save it as it would probably be part of a car burrito by now.

I'm not sure if the bellhousings are interchangeable (they probably are).  Finding a w-body 282, 284 or a cavalier/sunfire 00-02 with 2.2 OHV engine would make the swap easier for you in the long run, as they have all been done before on w-bodies.  I would not want to use an adapter plate.  It will mess with your clutch/flywheel options and just overally be way more expensive than finding a proper donor car.  

 

If you haven't already seen this thread on GPF, it's a good read to see what you're into.  https://www.grandprixforums.com/1991-1994-5-speed-manual-getrag-284-282-/101980-goldgps-5-speed-swap.html

If you do end up with a w-body getrag 282 be aware the buick Reatta OFA does not fit around the intermediate shaft.  You'll need to custom make the OFA like in the thread I posted, or remove the intermediate shaft, install a axle seal, and then get a long custom axle made to fit.  

 

[GtpKo]

Thanks for the replies, and the tip on the Reatta OFA not fitting. I was looking into that.

I manually tried each gear(turning input shaft by hand) and they all seem to be working OK. All gears are there and can be shifted into. They turn at increasing rate as expected, reverse is reverse. No idea if synchros are worn or anything like that. Here is the setup I used to try it out though. I must really miss having a manual as it was fun just to row through the gears in this...LOL I'm pathetic.

 

I may hang on to this one for spare parts as long as there are not any metal pieces in the bottom of the case.

 

 

[55trucker]

Hmmmmmmm.....what you've got there sure looks a lot like the Isuzu MFD-5M 5 Speed Trans. it was used in the 80's Isuzu 1.5 liter I-Mark, it was also used in the small 80's 4cyl GM cars as well, Skylark, Grand-Am, Buick Somerset, Pontiac Tempest, Cavalier, Olds Calais. Back then GM & Isuzu were in bed together.

You do NOT want to try putting that behind a V6 ...1. look at the bell housing......the starter opening is on the wrong side of the housing for a *6*, 2. they were a low horsepower/low torque trans intended for use behind just the n/a 4 cyls.

Edited August 12, 2021 by 55trucker

[GtpKo]

Isuzu? Interesting. Would the exact gear ratios be a way to tell? 

[55trucker]

Tell what?

[GtpKo]

16 hours ago, 55trucker said:

Tell what?

Tell what kind of transmission it is internally by the gear ratio.

I think you're 100% right though. I've done some digging. Looks like it is one of the later Isuzus before switching to Getrag. The gear ratios are weird though. They don't match with an HM282 or a Fiero Isuzu.

Here's exactly what I was able to measure by hand:

1st: 3.89
2nd: 2.14
3rd: 1.42
4th: 1.04
5th: 0.75
R: 3.53
Final: 3.45

 

And for comparison, here's the ratios for an '89 Grand Prix 282

1st: 3.5
2nd: 2.05
3rd: 1.38
4th: 0.94
5th: 0.72
R: 3.41
Final: 3.61

 

 

[55trucker]

Don't need to open it up to know what it isn't....

 

it isn't a Getrag/Muncie...neither the 282 & most definitely not the 284, as I said this trans was relegated to the small 4 cyl cars, if you've got your heart set on a manual to go behind a series II or III 3800 a 282 will do as long as you don't beat on the trans. They will not hold up well to a load of bottom end torque, the casing will grenade around the differential gears. An F23 or even an F40 would do you better.

[White93z34]

You can adapt things all day long but that starter cutout is 180* out from where it needs to be.

As for what it is, I'd guess an Isuzu built or a NVG, I'm just guessing though.

[GtpKo]

You gentlemen are correct. Definitely not useable in any way in a W-body. Interesting to find out about the complicated history with regard to GM and their 5-speeds. 

I'll hang on to the other stuff, like the shifter, e-brake, and the pedal has an interesting self-contained mount. I'll clean up the tranny as best I can and see if someone in an older j-body might want it.