Borgy 5 speed (not T5)

[XFute-1JZsoarer 140]

Lol, my civic had 393000 when I got it, and it had a snapped timing belt, blown clutch, shot UCA bushes, and that was just so I could drive it the 1st time.

Thanks Ando, I'm gonna go have another look tomorrow.

So far, so good though.

I turned the motor over by hand today, no binding, grinding or anything really...

I pulled the plugs and had a look down to the piston tops, and they look alright, minimal carbon build up, oil is bang on the right level, and looks/smells fine, could use a change (which shall happen soon).

The plugs look alright, but it looks like 2 different plugs were used 3 are longer at the electrode and 3 about 1mm shorter...

Dunno what they were thinking there! Lol

[gerg 10,871]

(when my budget gets better) get a AU gas motor and build that up for a big turbo setup later down the track.

Thom is quite the E-series guru on here and if you search for threads on mixing and matching bits on E-series engines you'll find a wealth of information, mostly from him. I think the absolute optimum combo using factory bits is AU bottom end, EF head/manifold and EA cam.

[XFute-1JZsoarer 140]

Yeah ive been reading a bit of Thoms stuff over the last week, he certainly knows his stuff.

And to be honest, i could use a bit of help with this one.

And i heard that about the EA cams slight bigger lobes. This site is great for that stuff!

Theres a couple of things that i need to sort on the motor, like putting the dizzy back in, as they sold the original, and the idle control motor off the top of the throttle body is missing (it might be in one of the tubs of bits and pieces) looks the same as the one off my EB 3.9 motor, so if its gone...

For now, im just trying to get info on whether it needs a mod plate to be legal, and how im gonna get the motor and box off the back of my ute without a engine crane or block & tackle...

[XFute-1JZsoarer 140]

Tried to find what ratio my diff is, is it a sticker on top of the axle tube?

Cause that's the only thing I can find (other than the LSD tag

[Ando81 2,949]

This is on an ef sedan diff but utes are in much the same spot. Shame it's been painted over mate. I guess you will have to do the old rotation test to find the ratio.

[XFute-1JZsoarer 140]

Yeah mate, that's definetly it then.

Might just drain the oil in it and pop the hat off to check what ratio is stamped on the crown wheel instead, gotta be tricky picking a 3.23 and 3.45 by counting the turns...

Plus I can check it's condition while it's open.

Just outta curiosity, what is the approved lubricant they say to use, and is there a better lube that will work better than the 1 they recommend?

[Ando81 2,949]

There has been plenty of discussion in a thread on this forum about diff oil to use but I can't remember where to find it. Lots of recommendations to use an additive as well. I'm just using Nulon 85/140 oil in mine without additive and it seems fine so far.

[Mr Polson 10,214]

Approve lubricant = LSD diff oil. Just ask the shop what's recommended for a XG LSD diff.

[XFute-1JZsoarer 140]

I know it's LSD diff oil bud, just want to know what my fellow enthusiasts use in theirs.

I'd much rather ask here than some snot nose kid that doesn't know an oil filter from a air filter if you get my drift.

I buy it from them, I'd never ask them about it.

[XFute-1JZsoarer 140]

Have you been using that Nulon 85/140 very long Ando81?

[XFute-1JZsoarer 140]

What's a fair price for a T5 bellhousing? I been offered one (when it gets pulled out of the car it's in) and the fella just wants me to make an offer.

But it's gotta come from Victoria, so I don't wanna be forking out heaps for a bellhousing I'm only goin to use temporarily, till the 4 litre has been freshened up (starting that job this weekend).

Then the XF will have already been converted to manual, one less thing to deal with when I do the engine swap.

I was also offered a XC 3 speed top loader bellhousing for $30, not sure if I should just grab the XC bell and modify, or wait for the other one and pay a fair bit more (I'm guessing)...

Decisions decisions.

[Ando81 2,949]

I've only had the Nulon in for about a month. Have seen belhousings for $50 at swap meets before.

[gerg 10,871]

If the XC one is a definite fit, I'd take that one (provided you can do the work yourself). Gotta ask though, is it a 3-speed or a top loader bell housing? They are different boxes. If it works, you could sell it on later and get more than your money back on it.

[XFute-1JZsoarer 140]

I was under the impression that the 3 speed is a top loader gearbox with 4th gear not installed.

And yes, I would be doing it myself, other than drilling the hole/s, (as I don't own a drill press).

I was thinking the same thing about selling it afterwards.

I haven't seen a local swap meet here in the year and a bit I've been livin here, looks like I'm gonna need to do the occasional weekend road trip I guess.

[gerg 10,871]

The 3-speed was a Borgie unit that predates the single rail. It was a low-cost base model box that had no synchro on 1st, and like the single rail, had a top cover that the internals were loaded into. Technically you could call them top loaders but the one everyone refers to when using that terminology is the Ford unit. It was called that because when it was first introduced it was unique in having the top removable versus most of the other manufacturers using side covers. Having this top loader design makes it stronger because the sides of the case can be made solid with whatever ribbing/gussetting they need. This is what made the Ford Top Loader a legendary gearbox for strength.

[XFute-1JZsoarer 140]

Thanks for the lesson gerg, very handy mate.

Cheers eh!

[gerg 10,871]

Still the undisputed king of useless information

[Mr Polson 10,214]

The 3 speeds did get synchro on 1st (at least in XF). Not sure on earlier models.

 

I use Penrite diff oil btw, whatever the book/computer says is what I went with.

[Thom 6,650]

Still the undisputed king of useless information

I dispute this

[XFute-1JZsoarer 140]

Thanks Mr Polson, you been running it with that oil for long, no issues with it I'm guessing?

 

It's a fine line between useful and useless info bud, I found it useful

[XFute-1JZsoarer 140]

Think I might just focus on the swap instead, I'll chuck the crossy up for sale instead of tryin to destroy a 180000km engine just for shits and giggles.

Would have been fun though. Lol.

[gerg 10,871]

The 3 speeds did get synchro on 1st (at least in XF). Not sure on earlier models.

 

yep you're right on that Mr Polson, I think they got syncros in the early 70's, as Chargers also used them. Why the fuck they even bothered I don't know. Jap cars were coming out with five speeds back then. we were so backward... We didnt get decent 5-speed boxes until the EA

[Mr Polson 10,214]

Since I got my ute about 2 years ago.

The diff is no longer a proper LSD (only spins both sometimes) but I've been told that's just what happens when they wear out internally.

 

They still needed a base model column manual apparently gerg

In hindsight it was pretty cool having a 3sp manual, for starters it was relatively anti-theft as no-one knew how to drive, and it confused so many people.

[XFute-1JZsoarer 140]

XE had a 5 speed, although a rather weak one at that (I actually have 1 for sale. Lol), and the XF came out with a T5

Which incidentally is the bellhousing I've been lookin for (for weeks now) with no such luck, so I'm just going to focus on the entire driveline swap instead I think.

Don't want to put too much money into it, as I already have a full XG driveline.

[Mr Polson 10,214]

Only 3.3 XE got that five speed.

And I thought T5 was only in very late XF (then the commercials post 87).