Here we go with another knowledge post. This time: Transmission. I collected A LOT of information about transmissions over the past few months and put them all together into one single post. Much information is floating around the internet but it’s tricky to puzzle it all together if you’re new to the topic, keep the overview and sort out the wrong information. Especially if you don’t have all the official documents on hand to double check it. Picture below shows F4W71A Transmission, Picture from the 1970 FSM: The purpose of this post is to cover the – not so commonly – available information for the European 5-speed Manual transmission, used in the Datsun 240Z, but i will also cover Japanese and American Market 4-speed versions, automatic transmissions and optional / racing Transmissions & gearsets. But it may not be complete. I tried my best to get the information right and have as much information as possible from original documents and manuals by Nissan but even the original documentation sometimes contradicts itself. UPDATE 2020: I’ve added a lot of new information which i’ve gained since the original post, ironed out a few details that were wrong in the initial post and reworked some sections. Picture shows different JDM transmissions, scan from the Motorfan S30 special book: 1. Transmission type identification 1.1 Transmission type code The transmission Model or type code is key to understand what transmission you have, and what is inside. They’re also mentioned in the Manuals and other documentation. The Type-Code is NOT visible on the manual transmission anywhere! I’ve already posted this in the past, but decided to make a better graphic for easy overview. The chart does not include Automatic transmissions. Update October 2023: On the automatic transmission, you can find the type code cast into the housing, as shown in the 3N71B transmission in the following picture: 1.2 Transmission Serial Numbers and model stamps. The 1976 S30 Chassis & Body supplement 1 manual shows you where to find the serialnumber-stamp on the transmission (bell)housing: Update January 2022: The 1981 Swiss Datsun warranty service instruction manual also shows how to write down the JATCO Automatic transmission model and 7-digit serial number on the warranty label in case of warranty repairs: 2. Factory transmissions: 2.1. Overview: Depending on the country and year, there were different Factory Transmission options. But there are two main groups used in the S30 chassis: Early “A-type” (1970 to late 1971, varying a bit, depending on country and transmission type, see details below) Later “B-Type” (1972 to 1974, also used in later Generation Z’s and other cars, see details below) The “Type-Letter” is refering to the last Letter in the transmission model code. Early type for example is FS5C71A, later type FS5C71B, and so on, see code chart above. Within each of these two main Groups, there are similar three subgroups: Nissan 4-Speed Manual, Nissan 5-speed Manual and JATCO 3-speed Auto. I made an overview Including the Type-code for easier understanding (click for full size): 2.2. Transmissions according to Markets: Which transmission was available in your market? Well – you can find this information in your FSM (Factory Service Manual) but here’s an overview: USA & Canada (LHD): 4-speed Manual and 3-speed Auto* Europe (LHD): 5-Speed Manual (3-speed auto, in some markets) UK (Europe RHD): 5-Speed Manual (, 3-speed auto, in some markets) Australia & Oceania (RHD): 5-Speed Manual, 3-speed Auto Japan (RHD): 5-Speed Manual, 3-speed Auto (4-speed Manual only with L20)* *Optional and competition transmissions are not included in this chart Here is an Example of the 1974 FSM listing all B-type transmissions according to the dedicated market-model (first row). For earlier model years, just replace all “B” with “A” in the transmission type code 🙂 In the sales brochure of your country you’ll also find the gearing / acceleration charts for your market. Like the one from the swiss sales brochure shown here: In the Japanese 1971 “S30 introduction” Bulletin book (which was released before the introduction of the L24 version was released in Japan, so it’s not included): You can see that the S30S (with L20) engine got the 4-speed m/t S30 and S30S F (With L20 engine) got the 5-speed m/t PS30 (Z432 with S20 Engine) got the 5-speed m/t as well The same bulletin also includes (aside from a lot of gearing charts) also this nice shematic view of the two manual transmissinos that were available in the beginning in the Japanese market: 3. Optional transmissions and Gearing In Europe and Japan there were optional competition and racing Gearsets and complete gearboxes available for the Z’s. Here for example shown in the japanese 1979 “Nissan Sports options” catalogue: The Japanese sports transmission manual shows following gearing options including the Rallye Options listed for the FS5C71B type transmission used from 1972 upwards. According to the same book, the FS5C71A type transmission was used until end of 1971. The early japanese Race & Rallye preparation manual shows following options available for the japanese S30 Variations also in comparison with other cars like the PGC10 skyline and SR311 Fairlady. Im not sure if a later version of this manual exists, which includes the B-type Manual transmissions. In USA it was a different story, since they never got the 5-speed Manual Box: – They offered Retrofit-Kits to install the Roadster 2000 (SR311) FS5C71A Transmission to the 240Z (See further below) – From 1977-1983 the 280Z FS5C71B Gearbox got available with optional competition Gearsets (and as a complete gearbox assembly), which was also used as competition or racing part in the 240Z’s (with optional shifter-kit if used in an 1970-1971 car!) Here’s a Pic of the 1978 USA Datsun 240Z Sports Option catalogue for example: See complete list of Factory and optional transmissions / gearsets a bit further down and also next chapter for racing gears. 4. Racing gears I do not want to include a lot of information about racing cars. There were too many different setups used in the factory and private racing cars over the years. but since i just happen to have this picture on hand i thought i’d put it here as well. The 1970 RAC Rallye car gear setup (at least the speeds). By Autocar Magazine: Here are the S20 engined Z432-R option gear sets from the september 1970 japanese sports option parts catalogue (including standard gears in the last row) 5. Automatic Transmission The Automatic transmission is most commonly seen in the American market. In the most other markets, the manual transmission equipped cars where the primary sold units. According to the Nissan official information, you see here on this site, the 3-speed A/T was officially available for Europe, but most european import companies, like for e.g. in Switzerland, never imported and sold the Automatic transmission version 240Z. I still yet have to see an A/T version 240Z, which was officially imported and sold in a european country. According to Hitoshi Uemuras “240Z engineering development” book, originally the transmission tunnel space was designed to provide space for the BorgWarner BW35 transmission (the only automatic transmission available at the time), but then later the Yoshiwara Plant (later known as Jatco) produced compact automatic transmission was installed and the extra space provided for the BW transmission was never fully used. I found this interesting Text by the Australian “Road and Track” Magazine, when they reviewed the 240Z Automtatic car: From the same 1970 Road and Track magazine, there’s this acceleration chart for the 3-speed Auto transmission: Here’s a picture of the JATCO (Japanese Automatic Transmission Co.) Plant, with a 3N71B Transmission below, along some JATCO company data. Scanned from the Nissan 1964-1973 Chronicles book. Jatco was a joint-venture between Nissan Motor Co., Toyo-kogyo (Mazda) and Ford. Founded 1970 in Fuji City (Shizuoka Prefecture) I’m not sure if this information is correct, but this picture from the nov/dec. 1994 Issue of the Z-car magazine (taken at the 1994 National Z-car convention in USA), shows Mr. K’s special yellow G-Nose 240Z, with a sign that says, it was the first automatic transmission Z imported to the US, in January 1972: Update January 2022: In this 1979 swiss Datsun mechanic training course manual, it is shown that the Automatic transmissions had an additional type-code (“X and a four-digit code”) depending on the internals. On the right side you can see the details of a specific model. Allthough the S30 cars are not listed, because the Auto transmission was never sold in the 240Z in switzerland. But just as an example. 5.1 A-type Automatic It took me a while to figure out that the 3N71A unit was actually installed in the Z. Most european part lists and Manuals only mention the B-type automatic. However there is evidence that an A-type transmission existed and was installed. And once you start to dig deeper, you find more information. See also chapter “Date of Changes” I found this Picture of a 240Z A-type Auto transmissiom manual Online: And it’s also listed in the 1979 Australian RHD FSM, even if you don’t find it in the Australian Parts-microfiches list from the same year, strangely. For comparison. The european LHD FSM (picture taken from my own 1979 microfiche set) does not even mention the A-type Auto-transmission: 6. Differences between A- short tail, A- long tail and B-type(s) First a bit of history. The early 5-Speed “A-Type” Transmission was not developed for the 240Z, but carried over from the Datsun roadster 2000 (SLR311) and probably also used in other older Datsun models. To fit the L-series motor and the 240Z Specs, the 240Z-Transmission was fitted with a different clutch bell housing, Gears, longer mainshaft, tail Extension casing and one of the shift rods is different too. That’s why the Roadster Gearbox is often refered to as “short tail” and the Z-Gearbox as “Long tail” Fs5C71A Transmission. The US market got 4-speed non-overdrive gearing, but im not sure if there was an A-type 4-speed maybe used previously in other datsun’s as well.. Here’s a picture of a FS5C71A “short tail” from a Datsun Roadster (From the Roadster FSM) While here is a view of the FS5C71A “Long tail” from the Datsun 240Z (Picture from the Nissan Motorsports schematic Catalogue). Also see the following pic, which is the FS5C71A Factory European Spec 5-speed that came with my two early 1972 240Z’s. Then there is the B-Type from the 1972+ 240Z which is a complete redesign of the “A-type” transmissions. – The biggest difference is the two-piece Bellhousing of the A, while later B-type has a single piece bellhousing. – Another visual difference are the Cast-fins on the outside of the housings as seen in the pictures above and here: Here is a comparison between the A- and B-type from the S30 from the japanese G-works Fairlady Z S30 Magazine vol. 2: – The gear ratios were different on both A- and B-types (both in 4- and 5-speeds) – Due to the redesign the Shifter stick position is moved stlightly to the front in the “B-type” (See below). – There were also other changes, so be careful when swapping transmissions! – Note that the B-type Transmission was used over a Long time and in several cars after the 240Z, so it got various design-changes in later models which will or will not fit the 240Z. In this post i will not cover that topic! Here’s a Comparison between the 240Z transmissions, Left to right: FS5C71A “Long tail” 5speed from the 1970-1971 240Z (non-US) FS5C71B 5speed from the 1972+ 240Z (non-US) FS5W71C from Later Datsun / Nissan model cars 3N71B Spline Type 3-speed Automatic (1972+ non-Euro 240Z) According to the swiss technical Service Bulletin Nr. 101 from 30.11.1972 (About the change of the 5-speed transmission from A-type to B-type in the 240Z) – The transmissions can NOT be swapped 1:1 from A to B (or opposite) without any additional changes – The inside gearing is different (see information on this site) – The Clutch-Bellhousing has changed from a two-piece to single-piece design – The rear transmission extension was shortened by 12.5mm, to compensate...