I am fitting a Vauxhall XE 2.0 to a Luego, and want to know whether it is worth getting a close ration Type 9 Box?

Any help appreciated.

Cheers Ben

Nice if you can get one for the right price, but not really needed with 2ltr car engine as loads of grunt all through the rev range.

Get the car ont the road first, then fanny about buying CR boxes, big brakes etc etc.

Donor Spares will do a recon unit for £385 delivered with a 12mnth warranty.

Is it worth getting a recon unit? If not a may just get a standard box.

Is it better to get long or short shaft input?

The long/short input shaft is to fit it to the v6/4 pot Ford engine (the v6s need a the longer shaft and a different bellhousing). Don't know how that related to Vx engines. Ned probably knows - I think that's the same engine that he is using.

As for the CR box - I'd agree with the 'get it working first' comment. If you think you might upgrade later just get a tidy low mileage one from a scrappy rather than bothering with a recon.

Chris

As CHrisw says, the v6 box has a longer input shaft. The v6 box also has a slightly stronger input shaft bearing I believe and has a longer first gear. For a true close ratio box expect to pay £600+ for a second hand quaife box or look at tranx as an alternative.

There are 4 bellhousing available for the vauxhall to type 9. 2 can be discounted as they are for the engine on the wee at 7 degrees as in production cars. Yopu want the upright bellhousing, either the short version for a type 9 from a 4 cylinder car ie pinto sierra or a long bellhousing if youy're using a type 9 from a v6 engined car. Obviously you'll need a spigot bearing, suitable clutch fork and to use a sierra friction plate in the vauxhal clutch cover which ever route you take.

Ned.

Which is best then? Long or short for a Vauxhall XE?

Does it make any difference to the length of the box, and how far back the lever is?

Re. ratios

The major advantage with close-ratio gear sets as sold by Quaife is the higher first gear.

Theoretically the standard 1st gear is good for 23mph in my car, but this is extended to 45 mph or more with Quaife gears. Originally this was to allow a lardy Sierra to haul 5 people and a caravan up Porlock Hill, but is not a lot of use in a 2-seater 100bhp 650kg car like mine! I believe that many people start off in 2nd because of this.

rgds,

David

In theory the longer input shaft version would mean you could have the gear lever slightly further back assuming hte engine was in the same place and the gearbox fitted further back in the transmission tunnel ok, though I have a standard type 9 with shorter type input shaft and I haven't found it a problem, though haven't driven the car yet.

With an xe I wouldn't expect a standard type 9 to last too long, especially if you're planning on tuning the engine at all. a quaife or tranx kit will be required if you want the gearbox to last imho
Ned.

[Edited on 10/6/04 by ned]