Need help choosing a transmission.

[Shelbydaytona91]

Well I've decided since my automatic transmission is starting to get really iffy and I don't feel like rebuilding it, I've decided to switch to manual. What transmissions are good and which are bad? I know the A-555 and the A-568 were used in the high performance TD's, but I also here a lot of people using A-520's. I tried looking it up on Russ Knize's site but it just confused me more. This is going a daily driver, and my funds are limited so cheapest plus good performance/strength is what I'm looking for. Thanks for the help.

[Vigo]

honestly, ANY 520, 523, 555, or 568 would be fine. 525 isnt worth the swap/extra work.

imo the 523 is a huge upgrade over the 520 just in the shifter area.. but i have both and would still swap with either one over stinky 3spd

[Shelbydaytona91]

Is there any special modifcations any of the transmissions need to work with a 2.5 T1 Daytona?

[2.216VTurbo]

+1 on the 523. excellent shift quality, less gear noise than the 555/568, 3.50 and 3.77 FD to choose from (is there a 3.85 523, dont know) plenty strong and an OBX will bolt right in when you get the $$ for one

Only downside I can think of is that the seviceable items inside are more $$ than 520/555 componants

[Vigo]

yes there is a 3.85 523. if you have a chance go for 3.50!!!

as for mods to the tranny.. none.

mods to the car? pedals, shifter, clutch cable, and a few holes associated with those things. its in depth but its something you'll be glad you did in driving satisfaction imo. plus swapping back to auto is pretty much easy as pie if you ever feel the need.

[cordes]

If you get a latter model 523 it is almost as strong as a 568 and they are easy to find.

[GLHNSLHT2]

dumped the 555 and went to a 523 in my 2.5 turbo tona. I will never go back! The 1-4 gears are slightly shorter overall than the 555 so you get a nicer pull through those gears. Then 5th is a nice 3-400 rpm drop over the 555 so you can just cruise on the freeway. Awesome tranny.

[Vigo]

if you get a 3.85 523 overall ratio isnt really different. if you get ANY 3.5 fd trans over a 3.85 only 555, you get a big difference. i went from 3.5 to 3.85 due to one trans needing work and i hated it the whole time. 3.5 FD FTW

[cordes]

If you look at the actual gear sizes in relation to the FD you will see that they are about identical except for 5th which spins at a couple hundred less RPM on the freeway.

The only way to really take advantage of the 3.50FD it to build an actual hybrid trans.

[minigts]

honestly, ANY 520, 523, 555, or 568 would be fine. 525 isnt worth the swap/extra work.

imo the 523 is a huge upgrade over the 520 just in the shifter area.. but i have both and would still swap with either one over stinky 3spd

+ 1,000,000 I have the factory 525 in mine and I can't wait to get that thing out of my car. Just spent the money to upgrade the rod shifter linkage on it, but I have an IROC R/T Daytona with a 568 and I cannot wait to get the extra one I have into my Charger. The ratios are different and it just seems to shift better. Haven't done the conversion yet so I don't know for a fact, but go with something like a 555 or 568.

[Bubba]

I just picked up an 87k 94' A523 for $65. There is a 3.85 FD A523, this is what I had installed into my old Shadow. It came from a 91' Shadow.

[Vigo]

sweet

If you look at the actual gear sizes in relation to the FD you will see that they are about identical except for 5th which spins at a couple hundred less RPM on the freeway.

yeh but 5th is where you notice the difference in the FD anyway. even tho 555 and 520 gears are spaced differently from each other, the only difference i noticed was in 5th because thats where i spend 95% of my time. acceleration and upshift mph points didnt change noticeably to me.

[cordes]

sweet



yeh but 5th is where you notice the difference in the FD anyway. even tho 555 and 520 gears are spaced differently from each other, the only difference i noticed was in 5th because thats where i spend 95% of my time. acceleration and upshift mph points didnt change noticeably to me.

There are many of us who would notice the difference in gears other than 5th.

I just like to chime in when guys are talking about the different FDs like it makes a huge difference in all the gears. The only way to get that is a hybrid trans.

[Shelbydaytona91]

That 523 seems like a deal. What exactly is the Final Drive gear? What does it do?

[cordes]

The FD is like the rear end of a rear wheel drive vehicle if you will. Same principal.

[Shelbydaytona91]

Ah ok. Also, on gear ratios, higher numbers are taller gears and smaller numbers are short gears, correct?

Also, when gather parts to convert, what parts do I need specificly from a Daytona and what parts can I get from any 523 car (shifter, cables, ect.)?

[cordes]

Numerically higher FD #s such as the 3.85 will be a shorter gear than the numerically lower numbers such as the 3.50.

However, the actual gears themselves play into this also. If you have a larger 1st gear it would offset the numerically lower FD which is exactly how our trannies are. That is why there is only a difference in 5th of a couple hundred RPMs at freeway speeds.

[Shelbydaytona91]

So a 3.50 FD would have slower engine crusing speed than a 3.85 FD at 5th? Or do I have that backwards?

[cordes]

So a 3.50 FD would have slower engine crusing speed than a 3.85 FD at 5th? Or do I have that backwards?

You are correct.

[Shelbydaytona91]

haha, awesome I reread some of the posts and I'm a little confused though. Does the 523 have a 3.77 FD available too?