This has probably been discussed before, but I couldn't find what I needed when I ran a search. I was wondering if you guys could tell me what is needed to beef up the GT stock tranny, so it'll handle the 2nd gen 3sgte better. Orrr......do I really need to beef it up at all??

you dont need to do anything to the tranny. it handles the power of the 3sgte just fine.

if anything, try not to abuse your tranny in the meantime, refill it will fresh oil, and just take car of it.

-jgreening+Aug 18, 2004 - 2:48 PM

Hands down, if you plan on just swaping a 3sgte and that's it. Then you CAN use a GT tranny. It will hold up, but you cant boost higher than 8psi. If that's all the power you're going for, then OK.

But if you're Power Crazy like me and the power you have is never enough, then DON'T get the GT tranny. It will die on you. I have trashed 2 GT tranny's, and now i'm going with the E-series.

Shid, I do have a Boost Controller (APEXi) and most of the time, I have it set at 12psi. I rarely have it at 8psi. But like I said, i'm power crazy. And hopefully by the end of the year, a Ball Bearing GT3040 turbo will be installed, and I sure as hell will not be able to play with that bad boy with a GT tranny.

Simple swap and nothing else = GT tranny will be OK.
Swap with future upgrades = GT tranny will not do so well.

You could add a LSD to the tranny, (i think TRD is the only one who makes one for the s54) but that will cost you arround $800- $900 and i'm not sure how well it will still hold up.

This post has been edited by sphinx: Aug 18, 2004 - 10:43 AM

I dont like the GT tranny because of its short gearing (although ideal for quick acceleration) its not good for top end and the tranny runs outta room to go forward pretty quickly.

Not to mention you cant go hard on the tranny, i'm constantly worrying about it, it just takes away from the enjoyment of driving the 3s.

And once you get the feel of power you want more, i'm pushing 10-12psi regularly which idk could be around 250 at the crank on the JDM ecu.

You can get by with the transmission, DEFINATELY get at least a stage 1, stage 2 would be better on the 5s disc. If you have the money, look for at least a E153 MR2 tranny and if u luck out and find an LSD version, it will be more expensive but the LSD helps.

There is a JDM mr2 Turbo tranny for sale on Ebay right now.

TOYOTA MR2 3SGTE Turbo Manual Transmission JDM MR-2

hmm...a lot of these tranny problems could be do to the fact that some of you guys have over 100,000miles on those trannys. no one knows how often the oil was changed or how the car was drivin from day one.

for my swap, i used my 5sfe tranny, becasue it barely had 50,000 miles on it. id rather have that, then some junk yard trans with unknown milage or history.

my future plans are, more power at about about 14psi of boost. i am confident that it will hold. ive seen quite a few people running the gt trans with no problems at those boost levels. (calyton to name one)

Well, I don't want to be an ass, but if and WHEN your tranny goes out on you, I'll be the first to say "I told you so"

but either way, i hope it works out good for you. >>

This post has been edited by sphinx: Aug 18, 2004 - 8:51 PM

Lagos, thats things gonna crap out before 14 psi of boost... a brand new GT tranny would. I mean, Sphinx ran through 2 of them at 12 psi.

who knows, it might also be that I run my motor hard. I run it hard enought to enjoy it. But if you are easy on the peddle, then it might work.

I mean, who really knows, right?

It works for some, and it does'nt for others. >>

-sphinx+Aug 19, 2004 - 1:57 AM

I once saw a thread on some MR2 forums where some guy was pushing around 450 whp in his 3S-GTE-swapped sixth gen. Celica with his stock 5S-FE tranny, and he said it was holding up fine. Maybe you've just got bad luck like me sphinx. >>

I remeber that thread coomer, and if i'm not mistaken, he had a TRD LSD installed. >>

-sphinx+Aug 18, 2004 - 7:48 PM

yeah....honestly...if you beat on it,t will die...even the mr2 tranny.

-sphinx+Aug 18, 2004 - 6:48 PM

wow you don't live on the dangerous side at all >> I love going faster than 100 (where it is safe to and out of the way of course) But I agree with the statement about LSD its just more wear and tear on a Tranny that wasn't designed originally to handle all of that power and distribute it a different way. That just makes for bad things.... I've got a freind who put an integra LSD into his prelude tranny (he paid a lot for the custom work on that) and I will see how that works out for him. I will base my decisions of getting an LSD off of that.

-Anub1s+Aug 19, 2004 - 7:42 AM