Since I was In NY for a couple of days I snapped some pictures of the differences in early and late model getrags to demonstrate why I say that the later ones are FAR stronger then the early ones, and can take significantly greater torque loads before failure.

First pic is of the two assemblies, the early one is on the right and the newer one is on the left. Note the differences in the construction of the carrier assembly, the one on the left is far superior.

These pictures shows the differences in the size of the axle spider gears


This picture shows the difference in the size of the pin that is inside the differential, it is actually smaller in the later models, and lacks the lube grooves. It is also black and made of a MUCH harder material. The spiders on the pin are actually thicker and stronger with the smaller pin. I've never seen the one on the left break, but have seen the one on the right get chewed right through. Not on my transmission anyway!

This picture shows the early model getrag gear actually starting to gall off, the hardened surface has actually split off the gear, Im extreemly lucky the teeth didn't shear off.

This picture is also of the early differential spider gear with the case hardening actually starting to crack off. I think if I had anything bigger then my 3.4 in the car, It would have blown the teeth clean off.

Now, the "early" differential I refer to was out of my 88 GT. So you can bet that ALL Fiero's have this same differential. The "newer" or "later" differential Im referring to is out of a 91 beretta Quad 4's getrag. So, I highly reccomend scavenging the differentials from these later getrags for our Fiero's. The only thing to worry about is the speedo gear, and the shimming of the diff carrier bearings.
Thanks for watching and reading, have fun!

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Bump for the morning crew

terrifyingly cool.

So you are saying that I could go rape any beretta from 91-on for the diff? And it would drop right in? Because that would RULE.

Is this a 282 vs 284 or is this just different versions of the 282?

In OT I had posted a '93 Olds Calais with a 282 for sale for ~$250... If anyone is seriously interested, email me directly. It may have already gone to the boneyard. It was an aquaintance's.

[This message has been edited by lou_dias (edited 06-13-2005).]

they are 282's

I don't know what year got the upgraded differentials, but what's cool is if you find something like a V6 (3.1) grand prix with a manual, its practically a heavy duty drop in, just needs rodneys FWD adapter kit.

The differentials are a drop in replacment, but you do have to re shim the carrier bearings, to -.004" and change the metal speedo toothed wheel for the plastic gear, witch costs a few dollars.

Sweet, this is great information. What year was the last year the getrag 282 was offered?

They still make them today, however, I am not sure how much of it is compatible anymore. They still come with the sunfire's and cavaliers. To the best of my knowlege, the getrag as we know it was made up till 94. Most of them used in Fiero's and cars with Quad 4's. The Fiero ones are MUCH harder to find though. There is a small number of them used in FWD V6 cars. They are almost completly compatible, just needing shift linkage parts. I also scavenged the 3rd and 4th gear parts to change my 4th gear ratio to something slightly shorter. It's AWESOME on the highway when you drop it into fourth and gun it. It runs out of gear at 85-90, then you have to shift to fifth. It would be perfect for the 3.4 DOHC. I did use the first and second gear from the Quad 4 trans, but I don't reccomend it. They are too fricken short.

So up till 94 its the same +Rodney's linkage kit. What changed after that? My brother has a 1998 cavalier with a transmission I suspect is very similar. When he gets rid of his car (junks it) is the tranny something I should save?

I don't know what changed after 94. Pehaps some parts are useable and or stronger then ours, but untill someone splits one and compares... we won't know. I do however know that all getrags that came from quad 4 equipt vehicles have a quad 4 specific bellhousing that is practically useless with our engines, unless you have a quad 4. That's why I decided to scavenge some parts from one to make a good one for my 88 GT witch will have a 3.4 DOHC, as of right now it has a 3.4 PR. I broke the brackets off of the transmission breaking the case in a few places, it didn't leak and it still drove good with the transmission flopping about behind me. The outer case was what had broken, and the quad 4 getrag has the same outer case, the other half only was usefull as a tool for re setting the trees (input and output shafts) when I was re-assembling the transmission. If you are looking for a nearly bolt in getrag, your only choice is from a GM with a V6, the 3.4 DOHC uses a different Getrag though. Here's the only info I have on the latest Getrag

Getrag F23 (M86/MG3)
M86 | MG3
Type: transverse front wheel drive, five-speed manual transaxle
Engine range: 2.2L - 2.4L DOHC (M86/MG3)
Maximum engine torque: 155 lb-ft (210 Nm)
Maximum gearbox torque: 170 lb-ft (230 Nm)
Gear ratios: M86 MG3
First: 3.58 3.58
Second: 2.02 2.02
Third: 1.35 1.35
Fourth: 0.98 0.98
Fifth: 0.69 0.81
Reverse: 3.31 3.31
Maximum validated gross vehicle weight: M86: 4094 lb (1857 kg)
MG3: 4475 lb (2030 kg)
Case material: aluminum
Center distance: 75 mm
Fluid type: Dexron III
Transmission weight: 46.3 kg (102 lb)
Fluid capacity (approximate): M86: 1.7L / 1.8 qt (dry)
MG3: 1.8L / 1.9 qt (dry)
Power take off: no
Applications: Chevrolet Cavalier (M86)
Pontiac Sunfire (M86)
Pontiac Grand Am (M86)
Saturn Vue (MG3)

As you can probably see, it won't fit our engines, but looks strikingly like our old 282's but beefed up a whole lot! I don't see much promise of interchangeability with this unit, but it is whats left of the 282's design.

Thanks, great information; + for you. Next <94 getrag car I see for cheap I may just take the tranny out of as a spare.

What trans does a 95 Saturn SL have? Getrag?? Saw 2 with nice feeling 5 spds at the boneyard. One had 170K but the other was 82K.

BUMP ! !

Apple doesn't fall far from the tree. The F23 looks like the 282 because they were both designed by Getrag...

Good info... I should have enough P/N's to figure out exactly when the change happened.

quote Originally posted by Will: Good info... I should have enough P/N's to figure out exactly when the change happened.

If you have more information on when the changes occurred, please share. I would like to have a spare for if I ever get around to doing an engine swap.

quote Originally posted by Fierobsessed: I don't know what changed after 94. Pehaps some parts are useable and or stronger then ours, but untill someone splits one and compares... we won't know. I do however know that all getrags that came from quad 4 equipt vehicles have a quad 4 specific bellhousing that is practically useless with our engines, unless you have a quad 4..

It seems that after '94 anything other than gutless got an auto, and everything else went with Isuzu until they starting bringing back Getrags in the j-bodys in the late 90's/early 00's

if i have a tranny from a 91 beretta gt then do i have the later stronger diff carrier?

was attatched to a 3.1, btw, not a quad...

On the Cavaliers - specifically the 3rd generation ones (95+)
From 95-99 they used an Isuzu trans, they switched back to a getrag designed trans in 2000. Didn't matter which motor (2.2 OHV or Quad4)

Could the early getrags be retro fitted with the newer carrier, spider gears etc?

good question! haha

So, let's see.

91-94 Beretta Quad 4 (and 3.1?)
91-94 Grand Prix 3.1
91-94 Olds Quad 4 (and others?)
others?

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FierOmar

quote Originally posted by FierOmar: So, let's see. 91-94 Beretta Quad 4 (and 3.1?) 91-94 Grand Prix 3.1 91-94 Olds Quad 4 (and others?) others?

From my junkyard scavenging experience the most likely place to find a Quad 4 Getrag is a 88-94 Pontiac Grand Am