3.8L SC with F23 build - Input Shaft question (possibly other questions) (Page 1/1)
cprokop25 JAN 26, 03:18 PM
Hi all,

I have an 88 GT with a 3.8L SC swap that had been done on the car a while ago, but the old Getrag 282 failed on it so I went out and bought two F23 trans (one 2001 off of a 2200 engine, one 2009 off of a Cobalt with the 3.63 gearing), had it built with the right bellhousing and gear combination, and had a guy at a transmission shop try and place it on the engine. I go over and he says t doesn't fit and it's due to the input shaft. Down below are photos of the Getrag 282 and F23 with their differing input shafts.

The guy at the shop is saying the F23's teeth won't go all the way into the engine when test fitting - only partially - and he's concerned about the nub that's found on the Getrag's shaft but not found on the F23's shaft; he's afraid that if he installs the F23 without that nub that the shaft will be too wobbly when engaged and will get damaged from the engine.

The F23:

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The Getrag 282:

This images is larger than 153600 bytes. Click to view.

I'm not too technical in transmission to engine installations but I believe I did my research in building this F23 for the 3.8L SC. I would like some help to solve this issue so I can get this car out of their shop and out on the road again. All thoughts and feedback are much appreciated.

Thank you,
Chris

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1988 GT, 3.8L SC 5-Speed, Blue, in process of getting back onto road w/ new transmission.
1988 Formula, 2.8L 5-Speed T-Top, Bright Red repaint.
1988 GT, 2.8L 5-Speed, Burgandy (needs a repaint)
1987 GT, 2.8L Auto, Monza Red with White racing stripe down the middle
1985 GT, 2.8L Auto, BMW White
Long live the original '84 SE...

ericjon262 JAN 26, 06:07 PM
the 3.63 F23 has a longer input shaft than the cavalier transmission, it needs to be swapped or cut down prior to putting the engine and trans together.

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"I am not what you so glibly call to be a civilized man. I have broken with society for reasons which I alone am able to appreciate. I am therefore not subject to it's stupid laws, and I ask you to never allude to them in my presence again."

cognita semper

Will JAN 27, 08:32 AM

quote
Originally posted by cprokop25:
I'm not too technical in transmission to engine installations but I believe I did my research in building this F23 for the 3.8L SC. I would like some help to solve this issue so I can get this car out of their shop and out on the road again. All thoughts and feedback are much appreciated.

Thank you,
Chris





quote
Originally posted by ericjon262:

the 3.63 F23 has a longer input shaft than the cavalier transmission, it needs to be swapped or cut down prior to putting the engine and trans together.




The Ecotec bellhousing is 10mm deeper than the "metric" bellhousing that the 3800 and 2200 share. The Ecotec input shaft is longer to match. This is seldom covered in the write-ups on using this transmission. The "right" way to do it would be to swap the input cluster from the 2200 transmission over to the 3.63 transmission along with the bellhousing.

However, since you already put the transmission back together, it can also be handled this way: http://www.fiero.nl/forum/F...ML/121743-2.html#p43


quote
Originally posted by Justinbart:

I took a drill and spun the intermediate shaft while in gear and it spun the input shaft.(the allen bolt that needs to be removed to split the case) I took my 6" metabo with a grinding wheel held it up to the input shaft while it was spinning until it was turned down to spec. I turned it down to .750" (same as 282 getrag) and .350" deep. The hole inside the 3800 crank is .800"






Will JAN 27, 08:33 AM

quote
Originally posted by cprokop25:

The guy at the shop is saying the F23's teeth won't go all the way into the engine when test fitting - only partially - and he's concerned about the nub that's found on the Getrag's shaft but not found on the F23's shaft; he's afraid that if he installs the F23 without that nub that the shaft will be too wobbly when engaged and will get damaged from the engine.



This is a misunderstanding from dealing with longitudinal drivetrains. Transverse transmissions do not use a pilot bushing in the crankshaft. There are two bearings inside the transmission supporting the input shaft, so there is no pilot bearing. There should not be any contact between the crankshaft and the input shaft.

[This message has been edited by Will (edited 01-27-2021).]