Vixen 5 speed gearbox conversion

Vixen 5 speed gearbox conversion

Author
Discussion

Dollyman1850

6,316 posts

249 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
quotequote all
Adrian@ said:
I wonder what I will do....re-engineer the gear box OR...
http://s169.photobucket.com/user/neilgriff400/medi...
Adrian@
You should give me a bell Adrian. if you keep breaking those 2000E boxes I may have a spare one for you smile

Here's a current pic wink

Its only a little 4 speeder this one…OE as well but don't tell anyone biggrin




N.

RCK974X

2,521 posts

148 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
quotequote all
Yeah 174 BHP but 'track' type driving is what I meant.....

What I know about type 9....(but it might be wrong..)

Yes, the gearset with higher first was fitted into 2.8 engines, the 4 cyls and 2.3V6 had the lower first.
The input shaft was longer on the Cologne engines. So this means that both ratio sets are definitely available for Cologne block. I understand that the input shafts have 18 or 19 teeth.
So unless there is a short shaft with 19 teeth, a taller gear ratio for 4 cyl would be a 'special' input shaft.
I guess type 9 must have appeared elsewhere too, so there might be one.

I have built a 6 cyl Cologne compatible from a 4 cyl by swopping input shaft for a 2.3 one, and using a 4 speed bellhousing from a 4 speed type 'E' box. It works just fine.

Later gboxes had a modified front layshaft bearing, that's what failed, even on standard 2.8i engines. I guess you should be able to get one of these modded boxes with a speedo cable outlet. I think you can mod an older box for later bearing type? Ford went to MT75 box after that...


Adrian@

4,289 posts

281 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
quotequote all
Later gboxes had a modified front layshaft bearing, that's what failed, even on standard 2.8i engines. I guess you should be able to get one of these modded boxes with a speedo cable outlet. I think you can mod an older box for later bearing type? Ford went to MT75 box after that...

But the extension on the later 2.9 Type 9 sticks out into the bell housing face, so requiring the bell housing to be converted or bought to suit, with the price of ANY second hand type 9 being so high here, you need to get it right, I can see a time that this conversion is too much money to make it viable in any form.
Adrian@

Edited by Adrian@ on Wednesday 26th November 19:04

Dollyman1850

6,316 posts

249 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
quotequote all
I remember my old fellas 2.8 4x4 box which failed with 5th gear shearing off the end of the main cluster.
I was probably one of the first anywhere to fit a 2.9 MT75 into a 2.8 4x4 ghia estate..Talk about getting your leg half in the water!!!

Loved the car.


RCK974X

2,521 posts

148 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
quotequote all
Adrian@ said:
.....But the extension on the later 2.9 Type 9 sticks out into the bell housing face, so requiring the bell housing to be converted or bought to suit.....
Ah, right. I wasn't aware of that. I guess you can't just drill an extra hole in the bellhousing without careful checking.

I know there were 'long' rollers available for the original layshaft, but apparently they only help a little bit...

this is all interesting stuff for me to learn.

Edited by RCK974X on Wednesday 26th November 19:48

RCK974X

2,521 posts

148 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
quotequote all
Dollyman1850 said:
I remember my old fellas 2.8 4x4 box which failed with 5th gear shearing off the end of the main cluster.
Yeah, I had heard that was a 4x4 specific issue to do with the transfer box, and didn't happen to standard RWD boxes ??

missingbadly999

Original Poster:

348 posts

114 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
quotequote all
Sonus said:
With what tire size wink

I'm running 205/65/15 at the rear, but might change to 205/60/15 or even 195/60/15

Looks like pinion and ring gear from a Dana44 might be able to give me a higher than 3.54:1 diff ratio(?)
As above earlier....keep yer hair on!!

missingbadly999

Original Poster:

348 posts

114 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
quotequote all
So putting aside various exotic alternatives on engine, gearbox and shafts -
Are there issues with the speedo, what have people with conversions done about this?

Dollyman1850

6,316 posts

249 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
quotequote all
missingbadly999 said:
So putting aside various exotic alternatives on engine, gearbox and shafts -
Are there issues with the speedo, what have people with conversions done about this?
A GPS odometer and speedo can be had for as little as £80 these days.. Not sure about a fake OEM one though??
Their will be a solution out there.
N.

phillpot

17,105 posts

182 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
quotequote all
Adrian@ said:
Later gboxes had a modified front layshaft bearing
Like this ?


It has two stub shafts with caged needle roller bearings rather than a full length layshaft with individual rollers, as common in so many older gearbox's.

missingbadly999

Original Poster:

348 posts

114 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
quotequote all
So no one has a Mk2 Cortina speedo when running a 5 speed?

Dollyman1850

6,316 posts

249 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
quotequote all
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Electronic-Speedo-Adapto...

Having not really spent much time looking at the various solutions I am reasonably confident that many will exist. 5 speed type 9's have been being transplanted for getting on for 30 years now…Scary how old we are getting??

N.

Adrian@

4,289 posts

281 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
quotequote all
missingbadly999 said:
So no one has a Mk2 Cortina speedo when running a 5 speed?
My bad, in that I am confusing things a little...the later 2.9 version of the type 9 comes with a electronic sensor, and although it is the stronger box the speedo issue needs addressing (see the above post and these days you can get a GPS speedo), but for the 1600 it is my understanding that the correct boxes all have standard cable drives.
Adrian@

missingbadly999

Original Poster:

348 posts

114 months

Wednesday 26th November 2014
quotequote all
Thanks Adrian looks like we are back on course again then. Any other depth charges I should be aware of?

RCK974X

2,521 posts

148 months

Thursday 27th November 2014
quotequote all
Nice Photo - not seen that before - I see it's a BIG difference to the bellhousing.


Can I throw in just a little bomb, which is the speedo calibration (cable speedos) ??

There are/were different speedo drive sets too, to cater for a wide range of diff ratios - all Ford speedos are calibrated to 1000 turns per mile, as far as I know...

So a 2 litre Sierra box may well have different calibration to a 1.8 Granada ...


timelord

316 posts

282 months

Thursday 27th November 2014
quotequote all
Got two cables to the 5-speed in my Vixen, one speedo and one clutch. Clutch pedal looks the same as my 1600M but without a cover when I bought the car, now has an ally cover to keep my feet dry-ish. Geoff

missingbadly999

Original Poster:

348 posts

114 months

Thursday 27th November 2014
quotequote all
tobsam said:
The S2 Vixen 1600 that I have just sold (the one that you bid for on my recent ebay auction and then retracted your bid wink ) has had the 5 speed gearbox conversion carried out on it.

In the history file, that is with the car, a previous owner made a very documented written record of everything that he did to the car during his ownership which included the 5 speed conversion and a full list of all of the parts used with the part numbers as well. I am sure that most if not all of these parts are still available these days.

I could always photocopy the relevant pages of the conversion for you before the new owner of the Vixen comes to collect it.
Hi I have sent you a couple of PM'S - have you got them and can you send on the details of the conversion?

Many thanks

tobsam

149 posts

130 months

Thursday 27th November 2014
quotequote all
missingbadly999 said:
Hi I have sent you a couple of PM'S - have you got them and can you send on the details of the conversion?

Many thanks
Hi. Sorry what with work and the limited time I have had recently I forgot all about taking a copy of the gearbox conversion and part numbers etc that were in the history file and unfortunately the car has now gone to its new home.

Sorry.


missingbadly999

Original Poster:

348 posts

114 months

Thursday 27th November 2014
quotequote all
tobsam said:
Hi. Sorry what with work and the limited time I have had recently I forgot all about taking a copy of the gearbox conversion and part numbers etc that were in the history file and unfortunately the car has now gone to its new home.

Sorry.
I thought that may be the case as I hadnt had a response to the pm's. Thanks anyway.

missingbadly999

Original Poster:

348 posts

114 months

Friday 28th November 2014
quotequote all
Is it the straight type of quick shift gear lever that is needed?
Thanks