5 speed ecotec manual box

[Robbo VS3]

Is the T5 or Getrag better guys? By reading what you guys have written, mine must be getrag as it is a S3 VS

 

[theSeekerr]

I believe that the getrag is technically a better box, but the stock shifter fitted to them was godawful - take a look around the site, you'll find some pics comparing it to the Billet shifter.

That said, I've never driven with a Billet shifter, so all I can say is that the T5 feels better stock.

 

[VKCOMMO]

i'd be putting a short shifter on it anyway, which is easier to put on??

 

[sweefu]

getrag is all round a harder box to work on than the t5, becuase of dual mass flywheel hydraulic clutch etc.

 

[Blown355cca]

Let me throw my 2 cents worth in, might be helpful might not......

I've been driving manual commies for awhile now, even converted a few for mates & I've been running the billet products short shifter for a couple of years as well.

Start with the easy one, what ever box you decide on put a shifter on it!!! It is by far one of the best things I've ever done & now have numerious mates using them based just on the performace see in my cars.

I belive the T5 is a better box, but that's because I've only used them in my cars. As for ease of use, the T5 & gertrag are about the same, but the T5 is a bit easier to remove by yourself as you can split the box from the bell housing while it's still in the car. You can use a solid fly wheel with either box.

If using a T5 I would deffently recommend using the V8 version over the V6 one as it is a bit stronger, the case is the same & will bolt up to either engine with the right bell housing. Again they are the same from VN-VS1 & I would highly recommend using a brand new fly wheel when doing the conversion, along with a brand new clutch set up (Might sound simple, but Ive seen people skip this step & pay for it later)

Guessing by the buy-in price I'm gonna assume that this is for a VS??? if this is the case, you will need the following items to carry out the conversion:
Gearbox & bell housing
Manual tail shaft
Gearbox mount
fly wheel
clutch kit
pedel box
cable/master & slave cylinder (depending on which way you go)
Manual computer (as the VS uses the computer to control full operation of the auto & will try and find the signal if not changed, there might be a patch for this but I'm not 100%)
The inhibitor switch will need to be by-passed
All other assc. mounting hardware.

I think I've remembered everything & I hope this will help you.

Keep us posted on your progress.

 

[_R_J_K_]

thats VN-VR, ecotec is VS

but thanks

Regardless. The process for conversion will still be the same. You will still need the same parts listed on that page.

If using a T5 I would deffently recommend using the V8 version over the V6 one as it is a bit stronger, the case is the same & will bolt up to either engine with the right bell housing. . Again they are the same from VN-VS1 & I would highly recommend using a brand new fly wheel when doing the conversion, along with a brand new clutch set up (Might sound simple, but Ive seen people skip this step & pay for it later)

The V8 and V6 boxes are not interchangable, as the 6 has a longer input shaft than the 8 - http://forums.justcommodores.com.au/general-discussion/62400-t5-gear-box.html
Also, where do you get new T5 flywheels?

As mentioned, the T5 also has a machinable flywheel and a cable clutch setup, as opposed to the dual mass flywheel and hydraulic setup that the Getrag use. For these reasons, fixing things like clutches on the Getrags gets expensive.

 

[Blown355cca]

You can get a brand spanking new flywheels from the same companys I get them from for my race cars & I'm about to pick up a V6 manual VN for another car so I can race in 2 different classes, so I'll be chasing down a new clutch & flywheel set up fot that soon too. Exedy is one that comes to mind, I use textralia for my V8's & I also get my clutches off them too. You can also get solid replacement flywheels for the gertrag box in any model from VS - VY (not 100% on VZ - VE as I have not had to do a clutch on a 3.6ltr yet). A quick search of the REPCO parts lits shows a couple of different companys that manfacture flywheels for both boxes & I know there is others around on the net that do them as well. I say get a new fly wheel as I have see alot of them in both V6 & V8 crack around the crank bolt holes, if you want I can post up some photos of a car that was brought into my shop with a failed flywheel..........Makes a really big mess, in this case the vehicle was a total write off.....

Either box can be converted to hydraulic or cable from memory, again I've seen some companys on the net doing the conversion kit to go either way.