6 Speed Fiero

[RandomTask]

A while ago, while browsing through google I came across some people that had converted a 5 Speed tranny (pretty sure it was a getrag) into a 6 speed on a fiero. Has anyone heard/stumbled across this as well? Thanks in advanced...

[fierangero]

why bother? extra weight and shifting, not to mention the work involved

[Black Lotus]

http://www.westcoastfiero.com/transm...nsmission.html
Pricey 'tho.

[gsxrbobby]

Originally Posted by RandomTask

A while ago, while browsing through google I came across some people that had converted a 5 Speed tranny (pretty sure it was a getrag) into a 6 speed on a fiero. Has anyone heard/stumbled across this as well? Thanks in advanced...

Why bother? Have you not drove a man. Fiero? The first gear is got to be the shiftest gears out there and the final gear is way to low. A 6th gear would allow you to drive at 80 so MPH at a lot lower RPM. WHich means better gas mileage and a faster car!

[Old Lar]

Fith gear in a Fiero is 0.72 : 1. My GT runs 2300 rpm at 70 mph in fifth gear. It doesn't appear that the WCF transmission is doing much for economy driving, but is making a more close ratio transmission for six gears. Sixth gear was 0.77 : 1.

Now my Fiero with a 3.4L and a T440 automatic was, on a dyno run, running 142 @ 5500 rpm in Third gear.

It all is relative. Lots of shifting to get to a high speed or let an automatic do it for you. I never had the five speed on a dyno machine, but I did have it to 120+ on the road at 4500 rpm. It didn't seem like there were many more horses left to go any faster and I was running out of road.

[fierangero]

IMO, not anywhere near worth it...

[series8217]

The advantage of that 6-speed is its durability. Its out of an NSX. There's a buildup thread on fiero.nl, if you want to check it out.
Fiero trannys are notorious for being unreliable once you get beyond the 250hp mark. With the NSX 6-speed (or 5-speed if you prefer, which they also install), you wont have to be swapping out trannys every weekend with your ZZ4 or turbo N* Fiero.

[FierceGT]

Originally Posted by series8217

Fiero trannys are notorious for being unreliable once you get beyond the 250hp mark.

What do you mean??? Are you calling V8 Archie a liar?
This is what his site says:

Q. What kind of transaxle do I use?

A. Our kits use the stock Fiero transaxles, Automatic or Stick shift. The Stick shift transmissions require no modifications to handle a Chevy V-8 engine. On automatic transmission equipped cars using a mild V-8 engine (< 300 H.P.) with a good condition Fiero automatic transmission will work just fine, however for using high output V-8 engines or for hard duty applications we recommend that you "beef-up" the stock Fiero Automatic transmission. Again the stick shift transmissions require no further modifications.

The 4 speed muncie and the 5 speed getrag trannies are about the best there are for holding up to power in these cars....granted there are better but these will hold some serious power reliably.

It sounds like you are advertising for something.....what is it? What are you trying to sell us?

[series8217]

Originally Posted by FierceGT

What do you mean??? Are you calling V8 Archie a liar?
This is what his site says:

[/left]

The 4 speed muncie and the 5 speed getrag trannies are about the best there are for holding up to power in these cars....granted there are better but these will hold some serious power reliably.

It sounds like you are advertising for something.....what is it? What are you trying to sell us?

FierceGT, I simply meant to explain that gearing is not the only, nor the main reason for switching to one of those trannies WCF sells. Nobody in this thread had mentioned anything about that yet.
I have absolutely nothing to do with WCF or any other Fiero parts vendor for that matter.

As far as what Archie says about the trannys...
I repeated my transaxle research tonight and noticed that there were in reality a lot less examples of failure behind high-output engines than I recalled seeing. The most standout example in my mind was Tina's issues with the 5spd, but it turns out that was with the Isuzu, not the Getrag. She has since switched to the Getrag transmission, and I have not yet heard of any failures with hers. I also didn't realize that California Kid's problems all had to do with CV joints and axles. I thought I heard about a lot more failures having to do with [i] tranny[/i[ strength but that was just my bad memory. Oops. So I take back the 250hp figure. It seems that its actually somewhere around 400 ft-lbs. The failures that I have heard about were from people abusing the tranny; constant burnouts, lots of high-rpm clutch drops, etc.
However, there were in the past no options a tranny that'll hold up to any of the super ridiculous engines out there reliably.. like John Tinay's supercharged intercooled turbocharged 3800. I think he is using a Getrag for now but has plans for the 5spd or 6spd WCF tranny. I wonder how the getrag will hold up. That thing was up to 600hp on the dyno before they had to stop revving it higher because of a gasket failure causing an oil leak. I guess that'll be the ultimate test for the 282! I haven't heard anything new about the car but I'll ask him next time I see him.

-Steven

[fierangero]

those WCF trannies look good, but very pricey, and requires you to cut into the frame