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I'm pretty sure the F23 is way more friendly to being DIY than the F35
That's what I've heard/seen as well.
Originally Posted by tomss
Buy a trans from Jason and be done with it.
Is he the guy in Nebraska(?) that I've seen mentioned on Facebook, but haven't seen a link for?
I just did some light googling and found a "B3Design" on Facebook. $2850 starting price though for the "budget build". It's been a while since he posted anything for the F35 though; I'm guessing the supply of new transmissions dried up. Also, just not that interested in dropping that kind of money on something that I don't know solves anything.
Is he the guy in Nebraska(?) that I've seen mentioned on Facebook, but haven't seen a link for?
I just did some light googling and found a "B3Design" on Facebook. $2850 starting price though for the "budget build". It's been a while since he posted anything for the F35 though; I'm guessing the supply of new transmissions dried up. Also, just not that interested in dropping that kind of money on something that I don't know solves anything.
Yes - Lot's of good info about his transmissions. I guess 3K can be though of as a bunch of $. Considering I just sold a new 4.05 LSJ trans for $1500, a worked trans for $3 is not really all that bad
You can also reach out to "63 Nova SS". he will put a good word in for him as well.
If this was a decade ago - I wouldn't have thought twice about paying for a "built" transmission. I'm just not interested in doing that at this point anymore. Not for an F35.
If this was a decade ago - I wouldn't have thought twice about paying for a "built" transmission. I'm just not interested in doing that at this point anymore. Not for an F35.
understandable. How can I argue, I bailed and sold mine.
I'll keep that in mind - what do you want for it? I'm going to try tearing into my spare F35 to replace the second gear synchro and swap in the LSD. If that works, I'll stick that F35 back in the car.
There's also a 60k mile HHR F23 for $250 about 5 miles away from where I work though - hard to pass up on low miles and cheap. I think some of the earlier Ions had different mounts than the Cobalts; I'd need to drill and tap for upgraded mounts - not too big of a problem though.
Last edited by USMCFieldMP; Feb 2, 2021 at 10:09 AM.
f23 is the way to go, better 1st gear for racing imo, and cheap as hell to replace. pretty much a direct swap in, just a little grinding on the case to clear the thermostat housing, regular cobalt axles, and the shifter cables. oh front mount and driver side mount, rest is ss parts
f23 is the way to go, better 1st gear for racing imo, and cheap as hell to replace. pretty much a direct swap in, just a little grinding on the case to clear the thermostat housing, regular cobalt axles, and the shifter cables. oh front mount and driver side mount, rest is ss parts
I should probably just do that and not even mess around with the F35. I have an LNF thermo housing in my garage, so I shouldn't need to grind anything - but that complicates the heater hoses, as they're different diameters and locations between the two cars, iirc.
I was thinking we'd need to change hubs too, but I just looked on NAPA and it looks like the spline count is the same (33)... is the shaft diameter the same - so direct swap? If so, that would really simply the swap and kind of make up my mind.
Chit. Id jump on the 60k trans for 250.
mines from a junk yard. Lmao
But yea, 03 and 04s had a similar front mount, but mounted to the trana differently. Learned that after I bought the Ottp front rotated mount.
and axles fit the lsj hubs. My 04 base model is 5 lug/rear disc swapped. Napa f23 axles with lsj hubs
Now that I think about it, I think I was talking to someone with an LNF about the swap... THEY have to swap hubs.
Hot damn. That simplifies things.
I think I'm going to take a half day and go to the Pick-n-Pull this afternoon. They have a G5 listed as being manual - I'll pull everything I need from that and then order some NAPA axles.
Now that I think about it, I think I was talking to someone with an LNF about the swap... THEY have to swap hubs.
Hot damn. That simplifies things.
I think I'm going to take a half day and go to the Pick-n-Pull this afternoon. They have a G5 listed as being manual - I'll pull everything I need from that and then order some NAPA axles.
Yeah, I'm not looking forward to the day my transmission bites the dust. If the car has life left it will get the F23 unless I manage to find a steal on the F35.
Good luck at the pick-n-pull, I'm about 50% on the pick-n-pull having what I need
Yeah, I'm not looking forward to the day my transmission bites the dust. If the car has life left it will get the F23 unless I manage to find a steal on the F35.
Good luck at the pick-n-pull, I'm about 50% on the pick-n-pull having what I need
I have generally had decent luck... but there have certainly been times when it feels like a giant waste of time and money. And it does worry me that this is the only Cobalt/G5 that is specifically listed as being manual. There are a few Cobalts listed as 4A/5M... so it's a toss up. Which again, is aggravating when you're paying an admission fee.
When I was in Arkansas, there was no admission fee and I lived a literal mile and a half away, so it wasn't as big of a deal. Different story when they close at 5 and I have to drive 15 minutes to get there.
I have generally had decent luck... but there have certainly been times when it feels like a giant waste of time and money. And it does worry me that this is the only Cobalt/G5 that is specifically listed as being manual. There are a few Cobalts listed as 4A/5M... so it's a toss up. Which again, is aggravating when you're paying an admission fee.
When I was in Arkansas, there was no admission fee and I lived a literal mile and a half away, so it wasn't as big of a deal. Different story when they close at 5 and I have to drive 15 minutes to get there.
I usually get my admissions fee in body bolts and retainers from around the headlights or fuses. There are a number within a 30-45min drive for me, but again it's the admissions fee to see if they have the parts, they usually list them properly as far as trim and transmission
Axles and slave cylinder ordered from NAPA. Top and Front transmission mounts ordered from OTTP, along with a SS Braided Clutch line. Just looking at it the positioning, I thought that I could probably make my stock clutch line work, but didn't want to to get everything together, only for it not to work, and then have to twiddle my thumbs for a handful of days waiting on the order to come in.
Two things that I realized I am missing from the transmission... the shift linkage bracket and rear transmission mount bracket. Crossing my fingers that the G5 at the nearby Pick-N-Pull will still have the transmission and all of it's mounted components.
After dropping my transmission off at my house yesterday, I grabbed some tools and headed for the Pick-N-Pull. Seemingly everyone drove 5 under the speed limit and I arrived at 4.32 PM.
"We don't allow admission to the yard after 4.30."
😐😐😐😐😐
Originally Posted by ECaulk
Anytime a company says safety is our number 1 priority, it's usually about number 5 in reality.
Did they add the red on all the bolts?
Yes, they marked all over it. I really laughed when they added a core charge of $25.
Yep. Really sucks when you're getting off work at 4 too. Essentially no time to do anything. I might just head home at lunch today, and work from home in the afternoon, and then head that way around 3.30. The reality is that I can just wait for the weekend, because my NAPA order won't be here until Monday, so I'm not going to be able to get the car on the road this weekend.
I did check my head for flatness yesterday and it tested out fine. So I will try to have the engine fully assembled and ready this weekend. If I wasn't waiting on a Slave Cylinder, I'd just grab junk yard axles too, and try to the the car moving this weekend.
I can't remember what fuel pump I put in the car, and ZZP updated their website in 2015 and none of the previous orders are on there anymore. 😐 I think I put the E85 AEM in there. I need to pull the tank anyway to drain it, so I guess I'll just have to open it up and look.
I should probably just do that and not even mess around with the F35. I have an LNF thermo housing in my garage, so I shouldn't need to grind anything - but that complicates the heater hoses, as they're different diameters and locations between the two cars, iirc.
I was thinking we'd need to change hubs too, but I just looked on NAPA and it looks like the spline count is the same (33)... is the shaft diameter the same - so direct swap? If so, that would really simply the swap and kind of make up my mind.
uses lsj hubs, I've done at least 4 swaps on these already for people.
pretty easy
Left work early and went to the Fort Worth Pick-n-Pull, which claimed to have a Pontiac G5 with a manual transmission. It was an automatic. 😐 As was all of the other 13 Cobalts, 4 HHR's, and 3 Ions.
Looking at it now, I should have known something was wrong, since the yard has it listed as a G5 GT... and it is obvious in the picture that it is not a GT.
The Dallas Pick-N-Pull has 34 Cobalts, 6 HHR's, 2 G5's, and 13 Ions... and at least 6 of them listed as manual, so I'm going to try them on Saturday. If I can't find what I need, then the South Dallas Pick-N-Pull has 22 Cobalts, 9 HHR's, 2 G5's, and 5 Ions.
Fingers crossed... because eBay and FB Groups haven't been a help yet.
NAPA with the quick shipping... UPS updated the delivery from Monday to tomorrow (Saturday)... so I will be tearing up the yards trying to get everything that I need so I can potentially have the car moving this weekend.
That looks like the fitting, I bought mine from Radium Engineering, they list it as "10AN ORB" but it appears to be the exact same thing as what you linked
I have an LNF thermo housing in my garage, so I shouldn't need to grind anything - but that complicates the heater hoses, as they're different diameters and locations between the two cars, iirc.
