Switchable Gerabox. Easy as moving the lever?

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milkandoj

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Ive got an 87 j-spec that means a switchable AWD/FWD gearbox, (C50PH if i remember correctly)

Is it as simple as switching that lever over. And can i run flat out on the dyno without stressing anything. Anything that could break?


I was thinking it could be a good indication of the drive train losses with AWD vs FWD. Just for the last run.

I plan on throwing it on the dyno to check my wideband reads correct and get them to watch for knock while i log as well and wind the boost up to say 20psi. To see what she spits out.
 
Do you have a factory setup,are they electric switches?I put a switchable gearbox in my Eterna zr4 but didn't get th switchable transfer case to go with it.My setup only has the bracket that bolts on the gearbox to hold the plunger/lever in awd position,the proper transfer case has the same switch.so without the freewheeling option of the switcable transfer case mine will do directlock 4wd if i switch the box over to frontwheel drive mode
 
Just remember that when in FWD mode it places a lot of stress on the spider gears in the centre diff and if you're going to be silly in FWD on the street basically doing FWD burnouts and wheel hopping everywhere you'll break them in no time. On a smooth dyno run I cant see why it would break unless you're making some big power so just bare that in mind. If you do plan to have some fun in FWD mode then you have to beef up the centre diff (4 spider conversion or aftermarket centre) :)
PS: Let us all know the difference when you get the dyno runs done :)
 
turbovr4 said:
Do you have a factory setup,are they electric switches?I put a switchable gearbox in my Eterna zr4 but didn't get th switchable transfer case to go with it.My setup only has the bracket that bolts on the gearbox to hold the plunger/lever in awd position,the proper transfer case has the same switch.so without the freewheeling option of the switcable transfer case mine will do directlock 4wd if i switch the box over to frontwheel drive mode
Click to expand...

I've got a switchable transfer case. 22 spline.
I have to check how many I've got to confirm it's a spare but if not, maybe swap if you like.
 
You need the transfer case to match. My silver vr4 had these, you have to flick the levers in both which just requires a 12 mm ratchet and about 10 minutes work. 5 minutes if you have some ramps so you can get under the car faster than jacking it up.
 
When would you change to FWD Lorrie?
I understand what Gerard is trying to say, but I'm not sure in general what the point is of switching it to FWD....sounds like going backwards.
 
Well having a switchable case in theory would allow you to save a small amount of fuel
(by only having to turn 2 wheels rather than 4) This would have been one of their selling points when it was released.
These days, mainly for ***** and giggles, or if a AWD dyno isn't accessible to you, but even then once you switch to awd the engine loading will be different, so the tune won't be perfect. Beggers can't be chooseres though. Also as said above the spiders will give out quickly, so no real point to keep it in 2wd for too long.
 
Before I got the Eterna i used to have an old school 88 Magna elite which i fitted a standard jpec Vr4 motor in,used a magna manual gearbox ,so it was front wheel drive.did 14.5 @160kph at willowbank,lots of wheelspin,even mid gear second at night.and got 10.5l/100km.but the eterna had a blown motor so i put my same vr4 motor and ecu and airflowmeter in it .feels slower and wont get better than 12.5 l/100km.magna was 1340kg weight i think eterna 1450kg.so i think awd uses more fuel
 
The only time I ever switched mine to FWD apart from Lols was when I sheared a rear driveshaft. It was a nice thing to have considering I was like 3 hrs from home at the time. One and only time I ever broke one too :/
 
I just had a look at the transfer case, cant see any levers but can see a small plate with 3 10mm bolts holding it on, i'm thinking its behind that?

Yeah i just want to see the difference between FWD and AWD, wont be like next week but ill do it eventually.
FWD burnouts aren't fun i wont bother with that ****.

Entaran said:
The only time I ever switched mine to FWD apart from Lols was when I sheared a rear driveshaft. It was a nice thing to have considering I was like 3 hrs from home at the time. One and only time I ever broke one too :/
Click to expand...
I thought the idea was to get the rally boys to the next stage if they snapper a rear drive shaft. They should have just made them stronger to start with. Isn't ti the 4 bolt ones are 1-2mm thicker and that makes all the difference!?!
 
Hmm i don't have a switchable transfer case. That ruins my fun!
Did they make some cars with the switchable gearbox but not the transfer case. Or like only give the rally cars both?
Or it was broken in the past and replaced?

Mines an '87 model and its roughly the 880th one produced. So pretty early on.

I wanted make a comparison to FWD and AWD so we would know a better comparison of power compared to say a rear wheel drive 200sx.
 
Why did u think u had a switchable transfer case??

C5OPH - Switchable 2WD/4WD, JDM Galant
C5JPF - Switchable 2WD/4WD, JDM Galant Evo
C51PH - Switchable 2WD/4WD, JDM Galant RS
 
Switchable gearbox i have. I can see the lever.

I cant remember the code exctly. But its got the lever.
I just searched and found "A" code for "A" switchable gearbox, i though there was only one code, may not be my particular one.

Ill have a better look tomorrow and get the code. GF wants me in bed haha!
 
Just means your car's shat a transfer at some point and it's been replaced with an aspec item. The Prefacelift and aspec are the same (minus switch mech), the facelift jspec is different.
 
C5OPH - Switchable 2WD/4WD, JDM Galant
That's mine. Must be the case it was swapped with an aus spec. Car look like it lead a real sedate life before i got it (well im pretty good to it really) but could have just been wear and tear.
Well that kind of ruins the idea of a FWD/ AWD comparison:unsure: I could buy another transfer case later on but i have other things to do first.
 

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