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GL-10 3at swap to.....


sasquatch86
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I just pick up a sweet '87 GL-10 wagon.  It was for sell in southern Utah for 2000$.  The seller agreed to meet me half way to Salt Lake City.  He pulled off the freeway to meet me and it would no longer go into third gear.  The ATF was bone dry.  The frustrated sell then dropped the price to 1000$.  I knew before I wanted to pick it up I'd prefer the 5speed d/r.

But now am trying to weigh out my options.

Do the Manual swap(pedals,drive shaft, diff,etc)?

Fix existing transmission? 

or find a 4at or 5 at that will bolt in?

 

my main function of this GL-10 is to keep my vanaru as my camping rig only and something to drive while i finish my 83 ej swap

 

I would like to keep it front wheel drive with the 4wd option.  I love the d/r but not required on this rig for me.  

 

also the air ride works but really really slow anyway to bump up the speed? and should i replace the struts with stock or is there a better option?

 

 

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Existing transmission might not need much of a fix.  Was there an obvious leak?  If so, deal with it.  Either way, then refill with ATF and see how it works. 

 

Unobvious (non-external) leak is often the vacuum modulator (not what the parts books call it, BTW) having ruptured its diaphragm, allowing ATF to get sucked into the intake.  Diagnosis is to remove vacuum hose off the modulator and see if the inside of the hose is wet with ATF.  Modulator is located on the right side (US passenger-side) of the tranny, just above the tranny-to-pan joint.

 

Grossgary seems to be the best source for air-suspension info.  Search for his write-ups/posts.  I would guess that the O-rings are likely leaky.  Does the suspension settle downwards overnight?  If so, I think that points to the struts themselves.

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Governor Gear apple cored.

 

37 dollars for replacement from subaru......they sometimes say not available but I know they got em still.

 

Or get one from a junkyard.

 

Or 5spd swap.  I'd go AWD or S/R unless you are planning on wheeling it.  Solid input shaft is stronger, less to go wrong.

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I checked the vacuum line and it was dry.  I filled it up and drove it around in first and second.  The motor runs strong.  When i let off the gas there is a whizzing noise and i could see how it could be from a gear apple coring.  And when I put it in third it feels like neutral. 

I'm taking it so my buddies shop to have the motor resealed to fix all the little leaks.  We will see whats up with the trans then. But i still want to do the 5speed d/r.  i know myself and this car will end up places i shouldnt take it.

I think I will just wait till i find a good donor car.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

I'm exactly the same boat, but just happen to have a 5-speed push button loyale around. I just dove in to the transmission swap with out a ton of research, and I'm about half way done. my only concern right now is the speedo cable appears to be different. Otherwise, it seems pretty plug and play.

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It will be plug and play, but best source a donor car as you will need to swap the following as a set:

 

5mt

flywheel and flywheel bolts

trans xmember and longer bolts to body

driveshaft, at least the front half

rear diff to match 3.9 gear, unless sourcing a turbo 5mt, in which case you will need 25 spline axles up front

pedal box assembly with a 4wd clutch cable.

 

an ea82 4eat will require a section of harness that contains the tcu and the plugs to tie it into the rest of the car, best sourced from a donor car for the whole set

 

Your existing 3at turbo axles will fit on a n/a 5mt, being 25 splines, but the added bonus of larger diameter than standard axles.

 

The air ride can be replaced with conventional suspension. Likely, the o-rings at all the air lines need to be wiggled, greased with silicone lube, or replaced. These junctions are at the top of each strut, and on the compressor itself inside the driver side fender.

Edited by MilesFox
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Sorry to threadjack here, but I'm to the point now in my manual swap where all the mechanical bits are in and everything went smoothly, but now it looks like there are some electrical things that will nee some attention. The 4x4 engage button on the 5MT shifter doesn't plug in to any of the connectors near the shifter and it looks like the vacuum solenoids that controlled the 4x4 engage aren't on the turbo. 

 

Any idea of how much of a re-wire is needed? Is there some unused portion of the harness tucked away that I can just plug in to?

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I forgot to mention that for the starter you will have to jumo t he pins in the shifter harness, or install a pushbutton. You will have to hack in the reverse with varipus harness bits or splice.

 

The solenoids you will have to mount, and just make a dpdt switch for it to operate them. The on-demand 4wd system between AT and MT, are different in operation. The AT is just an on-off switch to the TCU, whereas the pusbutton 5mt is a DP/DT switch and an alternate ganged pair of solenoids, where one is open, one is closed, alternately, to move the diaphragm for the 4wd. The 4wd can be engaged or disengaged activated by physically moving the actuator cable. A lever or vacuum is preferred, as the engagement is easiest whenthe wheels are rolling, and steered straight.

Edited by MilesFox
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