Mantaboy83 Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 Worst case scenario here but I believe my gearbox is dieing Seeing that 1.8 Getrag gearboxes are as rare as rocking horse doo doo, are there any alternatives from other RWD vauxhalls that just bolt into place (Like from a Carlton)? Or what alternatives (any other make of car?) only need minor work to make fit? I'm considering getting my 'box reconditioned but fear it'll cost a small fortune. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lamchop77 Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 Worst case scenario here but I believe my gearbox is dieing Seeing that 1.8 Getrag gearboxes are as rare as rocking horse doo doo, are there any alternatives from other RWD vauxhalls that just bolt into place (Like from a Carlton)? Or what alternatives (any other make of car?) only need minor work to make fit? I'm considering getting my 'box reconditioned but fear it'll cost a small fortune. Get a good 2.0 CIH box take it and the 1.8 to a gearbox man and ask him to swap it all over for you and change the bearings.May not be cheap but you will have a good box with a guarentee on it. HTH Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantaboy83 Posted July 29, 2009 Author Share Posted July 29, 2009 Get a good 2.0 CIH box take it and the 1.8 to a gearbox man and ask him to swap it all over for you and change the bearings.May not be cheap but you will have a good box with a guarentee on it. HTH Chris Ah b*gger I recently scrapped my old gold Manta 2.0, gearbox included Though I think it used to crunch into 2nd or 3rd... How much would reconning my 1.8 'box cost? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lamchop77 Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 Ah b*gger I recently scrapped my old gold Manta 2.0, gearbox included Though I think it used to crunch into 2nd or 3rd... How much would reconning my 1.8 'box cost? Don't really know now. Last time i enquired i was told that Getrag boxes were very good BUT that meant parts weren't cheap. To strip check rebuild with new bearings and seals was about £225 butthat was a while ago. Baulk rings and gears were available, baulk rings were 35 quid a piece so it probably won'be cheap. Your alternative is a 5 speed type 9 ford unit with a bellhousing to fit the XE (they are available). The type 9's tend only to be good for about 150 horse though so you need a quaife kit. Even these are only rated to 220 so used above that there are no guarentees. Bell housings will prob be 250-300 quid and a quaife kit for you to fit 750 ish, expensive either way i think. quaife don't do kits for the 240 getrag so i'm afraid its look around and see what you can afford.# You can use the capri 4 and 5 speed boxes , i think SBD had a 4 speed in a Westfield. These can take loads of power, the 4 speed being stronger than the 5. HTH Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantaboy83 Posted July 29, 2009 Author Share Posted July 29, 2009 Thanks Chris, very informative. I've only got a tight budget for my Manta so that rules out the £750 Quaife set-up! What's the maximum power a 1.8 Getrag can take? My 'box is really confusing me as I thought the rattling, vibrating & whining noises eminating from it while driving were being caused by the gearbox running dry of oil due to the gearbox - prop seal leaking (which was caused by the old gearbox mount being fooked, allowing the 'box and prop to bounce around). I checked the oil level last night and it only needed a little top-up. The noises are most noticeable on long motorway drives, and I can feel the vibration and heat coming through the gearstick gaitor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lamchop77 Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 Thanks Chris, very informative. I've only got a tight budget for my Manta so that rules out the £750 Quaife set-up! What's the maximum power a 1.8 Getrag can take? My 'box is really confusing me as I thought the rattling, vibrating & whining noises eminating from it while driving were being caused by the gearbox running dry of oil due to the gearbox - prop seal leaking (which was caused by the old gearbox mount being fooked, allowing the 'box and prop to bounce around). I checked the oil level last night and it only needed a little top-up. The noises are most noticeable on long motorway drives, and I can feel the vibration and heat coming through the gearstick gaitor. The rattling is probably the input shaft bearing and rear bearing. if you have run low on oil the cages that hold the ball bearings in place fail (happened to me on a type 9 ford) so you end up with the ball bearings rattling round and round which can give a tinkling sound as well. Don't want to spook you but if this has happened the bearing could eventually collapse and seize/weld up solid so just be aware.Sounds like it is absolutely knacked!!!! Power output is not the box killer, its torque that does that. The std manta box is a Getrag 240 so will handle 240ft/lbs torque through it, enough to run a well tuned 2.5 CIH through. if you look into haveing the components frozen in a special technoque you can probably put another 25% on top of that so you could get it up to around the 276ft/lbs mark which would likely be a 300 bhp engine. HTH Chris Thanks Chris, very informative. I've only got a tight budget for my Manta so that rules out the £750 Quaife set-up! What's the maximum power a 1.8 Getrag can take? My 'box is really confusing me as I thought the rattling, vibrating & whining noises eminating from it while driving were being caused by the gearbox running dry of oil due to the gearbox - prop seal leaking (which was caused by the old gearbox mount being fooked, allowing the 'box and prop to bounce around). I checked the oil level last night and it only needed a little top-up. The noises are most noticeable on long motorway drives, and I can feel the vibration and heat coming through the gearstick gaitor. Just read your other post, the movement that your getting at the rear output shaft could be due to knackered bearings inside the box. Think i'll be seeing a good gearbox post in the wanted section in the near future HTH Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantaboy83 Posted July 29, 2009 Author Share Posted July 29, 2009 You've confirmed my suspicions that it's the bearing that have gone. They're needle roller bearings arent they? Ok if they're liable to collapse and weld solid I should avoid driving long distances in her till I get them fixed, yes? I was meant to be driving to Santa Pod this weekend - no way am I with a dangerous gearbox! 240lb/ft torque is a good figure and gives me an idea on what I can achieve with a possible engine transplant I've already posted an ad in the wanted section! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantaboy83 Posted July 29, 2009 Author Share Posted July 29, 2009 Is this the same gearbox as mine, or a specific BMW item? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Getrag-240-4cyclinder-petrol_W0QQitemZ300333572488QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item45ed46a188&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A7%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick-Manta Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 Would you consider an autobox? There's a few 1.8S' with them but mostly carlton 1.8 (1982-1988 models) seemed to favor automatics, I'd imagine you'd need the shorter auto propshaft and a couple of cooling pipes.. As you seem to querie the performance I guess not! If I were you I'd just bite the bullet and save a few quid up to buy the next manta 1.8 gearbox that comes up on ebay. You shouldn't have to pay much more than £150 unless it's a clean low mileage top job. I've even seen one sell last year on this 'ere site for £50 (which I missed and it were a shame he was after too much for the sump and other bits!) You may even find you could flog your bellhousing for it to recoup some of the dosh or possibly the whole broken box as someone may have rebuild knowledge for it. Trying to use other boxes is usually a faff and you'll find it being an actual conversion instead of swap (propshaft lengths, hybrid clutches, etc) so it ends up costing as much as a standard box. If it were that easy folk would be doing that instead of taking out second mortages to buy the useful 1.8 manta spares. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lamchop77 Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 Is this the same gearbox as mine, or a specific BMW item? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Getrag-240-4cyclinder-petrol_W0QQitemZ300333572488QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item45ed46a188&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A7%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50 Internals should be similar, IIRC from what my gearbox guru told me. Getrag internals are all the same with a few exceptions, the gear ratios all seem to point to that, its the external housings that differ. The bearings are a roller type bearing for the input and output shafts and can be needle rollers on the layshaft. I've not had a getrag in pieces as i've never had any problems with them so without looking at the manual i couldn't say for defo if the layshaft is on needle rollers. Personally i wouldn't drive it anywhere, but thats me. HTH Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rutts Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 if you are local to lancashire. k+n transmittions in preston do a rebuild for £300 new bearings and guarantee 12 months. give fuzznag rally spares a ring for type 9 conversions they had a couple of bellhousings for £50 each Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantaboy83 Posted July 30, 2009 Author Share Posted July 30, 2009 I called a transmission specialist yesterday and spoke to a very helpful man who said he could recon my gearbox for around £500 - if I took the car to him to do, or about £300 if i just took the gearbox. He then dropped the bombshell that only recently he got rid of a Manta Getrag 240 'box in a clear-out for new stock! Sod's law eh?! I may just delve deep into my wallet and get my 'box reconned as it'll be good peace of mind for years to come. And i'll be confident it'll handle extra power if I upgrade my engine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith1200 Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 I wouldn't use the car 'if it was me' have you ever been in a car when the box packs-in??? Memories of auld Hillman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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