What transmissions will work with a 2.8

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CorvetteBeretta
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What transmissions will work with a 2.8

Post by CorvetteBeretta »

What other vehicles can I pull a trans out of besides a Beretta/Cavalier? can I use one from a cobalt or something newer.


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ifixalot
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Re: What transmissions will work with a 2.8

Post by ifixalot »

Are you asking about auto trans?
You can't use anything much later because GM went to electronic controls
in later years if you have a th125c/3t40 trans.


CorvetteBeretta
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Re: What transmissions will work with a 2.8

Post by CorvetteBeretta »

Sorry I should of been more specific I ment to say 5 spd


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Rettax3
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Re: What transmissions will work with a 2.8

Post by Rettax3 »

Cobalt=Ecotec=no. You need 'GM Metric' bolt-pattern, so even the later Cavaliers ('95+) won't work because they are all four-cylinder cars with Ecotecs (their own bolt-pattern) or the 2.3 Quad/2.4 Twin Cam engine family (also their own pattern, designed by the now gone Oldsmobile), unless you find a base-model with a 2.2 OHV. The 2.0 and 2.2 OHV transmissions will bolt-up though. NONE of the FWD 3.3s or 3.8s came with a stick, so those are out so far as donors. Grand Prixs had an optional 5-speed before '94, so you could find one of those rare ones, same with the Olds Cutlass Supremes. BUT, be careful if you find a Muncie 284 in one of those W-Body cars (the only five-speed paired with the 3.4 DOHC 24-valve engine, and aside from the Chrysler TC those cars and those engines were the only recipients of the 284), because the clutch is a very, very different animal, and very expensive and hard to find. You also cannot have them rebuilt at a regular shop because of the incredible pressures needed to install some of the bearings -the one I have has luckily already been rebuilt by GM -about a $2500 service as I recall. Even the 2.8 and 3.1 W-Body cars that had the Muncie 282 tranny you want had a different case than the Berettas. Pontiac Fieros also had the 282 in the last couple of years, but they were a little different as well because the cables came in from the other side. Basically, you want a five-speed from any FWD V-6 GM car -that is almost certain to be the 282.


1989 SuperCharged 3800 Srs-II (First)Six-Speed GTU
1990 Turbo 3.4 5-Speed T-Type
1990 4.0L 4-Cam 32-Valve V-8 5-Speed Indy GTi (Project)
1990 Stock(!) 3.1 MPFI Auto Indy
1995 LA1/L82 4T60E Z-26
1995 3.4 DOHC Turbo 5-Speed Z-26
Cliff8928
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Re: What transmissions will work with a 2.8

Post by Cliff8928 »

Actually, the Ecotec wasn't introduced until mid 2002 in the cavalier.


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Rettax3
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Re: What transmissions will work with a 2.8

Post by Rettax3 »

Cliff8928 wrote:Actually, the Ecotec wasn't introduced until mid 2002 in the cavalier.
Right, but '95 was given the 2.3 Quad, '96 up to Ecotec era had the 2.4 Twin Cam (same bolt-pattern as the 2.3 Quad, which is unique to those two engines so far as I know...). So, as I said, unless he is getting a 2.2 OHV engine's transmission, a '95+ Cavvy won't work as a donor...
Rettax3 wrote:even the later Cavaliers ('95+) won't work because they are all four-cylinder cars with Ecotecs (their own bolt-pattern) or the 2.3 Quad/2.4 Twin Cam engine family


1989 SuperCharged 3800 Srs-II (First)Six-Speed GTU
1990 Turbo 3.4 5-Speed T-Type
1990 4.0L 4-Cam 32-Valve V-8 5-Speed Indy GTi (Project)
1990 Stock(!) 3.1 MPFI Auto Indy
1995 LA1/L82 4T60E Z-26
1995 3.4 DOHC Turbo 5-Speed Z-26
CorvetteBeretta
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Re: What transmissions will work with a 2.8

Post by CorvetteBeretta »

Thanks for the info guys


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Cliff8928
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Re: What transmissions will work with a 2.8

Post by Cliff8928 »

Rettax3 wrote:Right, but '95 was given the 2.3 Quad, '96 up to Ecotec era had the 2.4 Twin Cam (same bolt-pattern as the 2.3 Quad, which is unique to those two engines so far as I know...). So, as I said, unless he is getting a 2.2 OHV engine's transmission, a '95+ Cavvy won't work as a donor...
It wouldn't be unreasonable to use a F23 from the 2.2. OHV with the 2.8. That's the newest 5-speed that would bolt up to it.


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Rettax3
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Re: What transmissions will work with a 2.8

Post by Rettax3 »

Cliff8928 wrote:It wouldn't be unreasonable to use a F23 from the 2.2. OHV with the 2.8. That's the newest 5-speed that would bolt up to it.
Agreed. There is a lot of criticism here for anyone using a five-speed that isn't the Muncie/Getrag 282 (or its' successor, of course). But, I have run up to 12 psi of boost through the Isuzu 5-speed in my '97 Z-24, and I have had zero tranny issues with it, for years of use. I doubt anything close to a stock 2.8 or 3.1 would hurt that transmission at all, so something like that would be a good option. Not sure how the gearing is though, considering that it is designed for the four-cylinders...


1989 SuperCharged 3800 Srs-II (First)Six-Speed GTU
1990 Turbo 3.4 5-Speed T-Type
1990 4.0L 4-Cam 32-Valve V-8 5-Speed Indy GTi (Project)
1990 Stock(!) 3.1 MPFI Auto Indy
1995 LA1/L82 4T60E Z-26
1995 3.4 DOHC Turbo 5-Speed Z-26
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