Regarding the 87/88 Fiero 5 speed transaxle, aka Muncie/Getrag 282 MG2. The common shortcomings that always come up when mating this transmission to the 3800 is, it was never designed to take the amount of torque the 3800 is capable of producing. (repeated off the line dumping the clutch) The alternatives usually recommended are either the Fiero Getrag 4 speed, the F-23, or the F-40. While the latter two are excellent trannie's, they involve a lot more money than the application of a little common sense and keeping the 282 5 speed.
I found these figures on gears ratios for Muncie/Getrag Fiero 5 speed transaxles.
Manual Transmission Gear Ratios
Year ____Style __Code
Axle 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th rev.
1988 4cyl 5 speed MT2
3.35 3.73 2.04 1.45 1.03 0.74 3.50
1988 V6 5 speed MG2
3.61 3.50 2.05 1.38 0.94 0.72 3.41
OK, this may either sound like a dumb question or, a too good to be true question. The question is, are the final drive gear sets interchangeable? Upping the final drive ratio from 3.61 to 3.35 in the MG2 Tranny would result in approx 9% taller final drive ratio. If this is possible, why has no one done it? Like said, sounds too good to be true. For a 3800SC swap having more than enough low end torque, it would not only offer lower rpms at highway speeds, but lessen the stresses fed back thru the drive train in the lower gears.
And, if this
IS possible, since I am facing a rebuild of my 282 anyway, should anyone have that 3.35 final drive gear set laying around gathering dust, I sure would be interested in taking it off your hands.
Please PM me with any offers.
[This message has been edited by Monstertone (edited 02-19-2020).]
