When did gearboxes start being more expensive than an engine???

Thought just popped in, why are these v160/161 gearboxes so bloody expensive.....a used engine can be had for less!

Is it as simple as availability?

It's due to the strength and reliability of them. A gearbox that will take 1000+hp doesn't come cheap. The boxes do come up fairly regularly for sale on here but they have always been 2.5 to 3k.

Its just the accepted market value dude, plus if you were to buy one new its nearly 9 grand.

Jeez, 9k.....I didn't realise they could handle 1000bhp.....shame there's no in-between .......400bhpish w58 to 1000bhp v160/161....

Jeez, 9k.....I didn't realise they could handle 1000bhp.....shame there's no in-between .......400bhpish w58 to 1000bhp v160/161....

There is the r154 outa the mkiii turbo

Gearboxes are torque rated

And gearbox life can preserved by sympathetic shifting. IMO the W58 isn't really an option for turbocharged Supras, As they won't even really cope with BPU. R154s are good for 500ft/lb+, V16*s have been proven at 900ft/lbs plus, though the official Getrag specification is much lower.

The R154's are supposed to be a bit 'rustic' though aren't they?

And I'd def prefer a 6th gear for motorway driving....

The R154's are supposed to be a bit 'rustic' though aren't they?

 

And I'd def prefer a 6th gear for motorway driving....

The shift in generally acknowledged to be nicer on the R154 than the 6 speed, though the smoothness of the 6 speed gear shift varies massively in my experience.

The 6 speed is roughly 2-3 times more expensive than the R154, but as the 6 speed is usually 'fit and forget' at any level of tuning, it is certainly the preferable choice.

The 6 speeds are described as agricultural in operation out of 4 I have used they all had a different feel but that could be down to oil used, clutch type fitted,general wear and tear ultimately the 6 speed in either forms power handling in uncontested

And doesn't the r154 shifter in an akward position due to the strange extension angles?

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The 6 speeds are described as agricultural in operation

Thats surprises me.....think I need to find a dealer with one for a test drive.....then complete a gearbox swop within an hour! :D

Are you auto?

The 6 speeds are described as agricultural in operation

Some are, some are lovely. The one on my old single turbo car was perfect.

A proper R154 taken from the correct donor car will come with the right gearstick cradle for use in the MKIV Supra. Mine was sourced from a Toyota JZX90 Chaser, the only thing I needed to modify was the front prop section supplied with the box as, being from a four door car, it was too long for the Supra. A box taken from the JZX100 Chaser would be the same.

An R154 from a late model Soarer is a direct replacement.

The gear change on mine is anything but difficult, there is an in car clip of mine at Mondello in the media section, take a look at it & see if I'm struggling for gears. First seems to elude me sometimes when moving from neutral but a quick lift of my clutch foot sees the gearstick slot right in.

Also, you mention a 6 speed would be preferable for motorway driving but unless the diff is changed to suit a 6 speed you will see no difference in road speed versus engine speed when comparing either of the 5 speed boxes with the 6 speed. The top gear ratios of all the boxes are practically identical, the 6 speed simply has an extra gear/ratio between first & top (between first & fourth to be exact), making it a closer ratio'd box than either of the 5 speeds & it is the taller final gear ratio in a diff geared to run behind a 6 speed box that makes up for this and effectively lengthens the ratios in the 6 speed box again.

Are you auto?

I was Matt, had the w58 done a month ago.....I'm hating the stage 4 clutch..... ....It cost me £2.5k in total (labour and parts) and a part of me regrets it.....perhaps if the clutch was smoother......?

A proper R154 taken from the correct donor car will come with the right gearstick cradle for use in the MKIV Supra. Mine was sourced from a Toyota JZX90 Chaser, the only thing I needed to modify was the front prop section supplied with the box as, being from a four door car, it was too long for the Supra. A box taken from the JZX100 Chaser would be the same.

 

An R154 from a late model Soarer is a direct replacement.

 

The gear change on mine is anything but difficult, there is an in car clip of mine at Mondello in the media section, take a look at it & see if I'm struggling for gears. First seems to elude me sometimes when moving from neutral but a quick lift of my clutch foot sees the gearstick slot right in.

 

Also, you mention a 6 speed would be preferable for motorway driving but unless the diff is changed to suit a 6 speed you will see no difference in road speed versus engine speed when comparing either of the 5 speed boxes with the 6 speed. The top gear ratios of all the boxes are practically identical, the 6 speed simply has an extra gear/ratio between first & top (between first & fourth to be exact), making it a closer ratio'd box than either of the 5 speeds & it is the taller final gear ratio in a diff geared to run behind a 6 speed box that makes up for this and effectively lengthens the ratios in the 6 speed box again.

Goo to know Pedro, thanks......I was guessing the diff would also need to be changed. I've still got the auto TT diff right now and it seems OK, perhaps a little too short i.e the gears could be longer.....could I fit a 6sp diff now?

And doesn't the r154 shifter in an akward position due to the strange extension angles?

 

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Thats surprises me.....think I need to find a dealer with one for a test drive.....then complete a gearbox swop within an hour! :D

When I first drove a 6 speed, I thought it was broken. Expected gearbox nirvana given the hype, got a clanking, heavy duty nightmare lol.

It just because they are hard to get, in 2006 I bought 2 x v160 for £600 each, wish I bought ten now.

Hindsight eh mate? I bought an R154 for 250 quid about 10 years ago. Supply and demand isn't it?

Goo to know Pedro, thanks......I was guessing the diff would also need to be changed. I've still got the auto TT diff right now and it seems OK, perhaps a little too short i.e the gears could be longer.....could I fit a 6sp diff now?

You could fit a 6 speed diff now yes, and if you think the gearing with the W58 & the TT auto diff is too short its really the only thing you can do to increase the gear ratios further.

But the gearing you have now is actually longer than it would be in a car fitted with a W58 from the factory, are you sure you ain't suffering from auto withdrawal??

some of those bmw lads run big singles on the stock getrag and having a browse through bmw forums seems to hold just fine also a supra owner in the US has welded a 2jz bell housing to a bmw box and used it a custom prop and some fabrication would be needed but you can pick up the bmw boxes cheap £500-600 quid and there's not shortage on eBay.

bmw 6spd getrag box

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800x600q90/850/ssdl.jpg

turbo m3 646whp/ 549wtq

[video=youtube;hr-kdrfcO8Q]

It's just common supply / demand.. 2JZ engines were in Aristos as well as automatic Supras. 6spd Getrags were only in 6spd Supras which make them rare.. Rare and highly desirable = high price.

6spd Getrags were only in 6spd Supras which make them rare.. Rare and highly desirable = high price.

They're also found in the R34-GTR

They're also found in the R34-GTR

They hold good money those r34 boxes , that bmw getrag 6speed they fitted it to these bm's

1996-1999 BMW E36 M3 (Euro)

2001-2006 BMW E46 M3

1988-1995 BMW E34 540i and M5

1996-2004 BMW E39 540i and M5

1995–2001 BMW E38 7 Series

1989–1999 BMW E31 8 series

2000–2003 BMW E52 Z8

The BMW Getrags are not all the same model.

The cost of an R154 swap is more than some NA's these days. Poor little NA's!