Transaxles?

I need a longitudinal transaxle that will hold about 300 whp and 300 torques.  2wd drive only!

I'm presuming that means VW/Audi since you have to modify the Subie transaxles to make them only 2wd and from stories on the internet they seem to disintegrate at around 300 hp and any good amount of torque.

So please someone point me in a direction to definitively tell me gear ratios and that it is an LSD model.

My searches turn up gear ratios for the Subie, but not if it has limited slip.  But I get nothing for the VW/Audi and I know that information exists.

5 speed is quite adequate as for this car I don't need double overdrives and possibly the 5 speed will be slightly smaller and lighter.

I thought corvettes have transaxles as well? 

Are you going to launch it?  We have a EZ30 in front of a plain Jane Subie box in the back of our Chevette race car (a lot to take in...) and thus far: we've lunched 1 transmission.  I suspect the failure was due to wheel hop at the top of second gear coming out of a turn.  The later transmissions are supposedly more reliable - we haven't broken one yet.  I don't think any of the Subaru (non-STI) boxes come stock with limted slip.  Unfortunately, the STI transmissions fetch decent coin, and aren't as easy to convert to mid-engine confi.

VAG 5 speed.  The Passat/Boxster tranmission allegedly shares a differential with the rear differential of an early Audi V8.  Wild Goose Chase?

Another other options: Porsche 944 turbo.  Adapter plate as required.  These are probably getting pricey as well.

At the end of the day, a Quaife (or OBX/equiv) in a Boxster trans might be the cheapest.

If cost isn't much of an object quaife can get you into a 5speed h pattern or 6 speed sequential that will handle 450hp for around 13k. Hewland is about the same but Quaife offers non straight cut options.  Sadev in France is around the same cost if not a touch more but only does straight cut.  

Next obvious is Porsche. Not too bad on the used market. 

A odd choice but shockingly affordable is the Renault PRV from a Delorean available for under 4k.

Audi and Passat 2wd boxes aren't particularly easy to find. Peloquin can make them LSD easily.

The comes Subie and then you can go down the list of exotics like Ferrari and Lamborghini. 

I've been looking hard for an appropriate small 200hp capable rear engine transaxle lately

Porsche Boxster transaxles are Audi 01Es.  So are 968 transaxles but their input is designed to take a driveshaft, not a clutch.

I don't know what a "torque" is, but 034 Motorsport put a very turbocharged Audi V6 in front of a Boxster transmission, on a 911 subframe, in the back of a Golf, and it lived.  AWD 01Es are generally stronger than the axle shafts, people don't really break them too much until you start to get over 600-700awhp.

I'm pretty sure aftermarket front LSD units are available for the subaru transmissions.

In reply to yupididit :

Yes, but they are huge.

Looks like the 968 trans would be a good choice then.  I want a driveshaft input.

I'm betting it has the Porsche tax tho.

Remember you are on GRM so price most definitely is a consideration and I'd rather have an OEM limited slip rather than an aftermarket.

Once I start adding aftermarket LSDs then I might as well buy a Qauife so trying to keep it simple.

Anyone have a link to the 968 gear ratios?

I won't be launching it drag strip hard, it is for autocross and track days.  I'm not looking to fit in any particular class, but it just might show up in the Optima Run What You Brung autocrosses since one is coming near me.

I don't want a first gear in the 4's, I'd prefer in the 3's like the Subie uses and I'd like a longer 2nd gear.

It will be a divorced transmission so if it already came driveshaft ready that would be a huge plus.

Porsche diffs are almost as expensive as aftermarket, sadly.  Not all cars came with them.

got this info from this link

https://californiamotorsports.net/pages/porsche-968-transaxle-specification 

PORSCHE 968 TRANSAXLE SPECIFICATIONS

• Type: G44/00 (01E)
• Original equipment for: Porsche 968 1992-1995
• Description: H pattern, synchromesh, 6 speed manual transaxle
• Limited Slip Differential: 40% ZF LSD or Torsen was optional equipment
• Weight (approx): 175lbs
• Recommended gear lube: API classification GL5 75/90
• Speedometer: None
• Transmission controls: Shift linkage
• Clutch: Hydraulically assisted pull style clutch
• 1st gear 3.182
• 2nd gear 2.00
• 3rd gear 1.435
• 4th gear 1.111
• 5th gear 0.912
• 6th gear 0.778
• Final drive 3.770

Sounds like a fun project

Acura had one in the legend or vigor(?) but I don't remember if a manual was available. Audi 5000 did, but not a lot of manuals in the us.

Toronado and LHS autos will both handle the power, and I think the turbo 400 manual valve body will work in the one and the other can be wired up to shift manually as well in lieu of using a computer.

V Drive? like stubby bob from roadkill?

In reply to oldopelguy :

Audi 5000 front wheel drive manual trans was a variant of the 016, which was also used in 924s and 944s with a driveshaft spline instead of a clutch input.  The 01E is a development of the 016.  016s are not as strong, they tend to come apart when put behind V8s in kit cars, so I didn't think to recommend them to the OP.  (Front drive 4000s used 013s, which are much weaker.  An 013 might live up to 300hp but not terribly long.  The AWD version of the 013, the 01A, can reliably break at 600hp from hitting a bump under power)

The Acura transmissions are... weird. They definitely were available with manual trans, but the weird part is that it doesn't have a differential, just a forward facing output.  There is a separate differential that bolts under the engine.  In this way is a Honda similar to a Toronado

yupididit said:

I thought corvettes have transaxles as well? 

they do have a transaxle but the outputs are toward the back of the trans vs. toward the front by the bellhousing like most transaxles. its basically just a diff jammed onto the back of a transmission

Jumper K Balls said:

Subie and then you can go down the list of exotics like Ferrari and Lamborghini. 

I've been looking hard for an appropriate small 200hp capable rear engine transaxle lately

I know it is much maligned as the G50 is the "better" transmission, but the 915 sounds like exactly what you are looking for. They can be had for a LOT cheaper than the G50 and the 86 Carerra had the exact HP and torque specs you are asking about.

mad_machine said:

Jumper K Balls said:

Subie and then you can go down the list of exotics like Ferrari and Lamborghini. 

I've been looking hard for an appropriate small 200hp capable rear engine transaxle lately

I know it is much maligned as the G50 is the "better" transmission, but the 915 sounds like exactly what you are looking for. They can be had for a LOT cheaper than the G50 and the 86 Carerra had the exact HP and torque specs you are asking about.

 

The issue is width and the input shaft location. Since Porsches don't have traditional oil pans they mount their engines a bit lower than I need to fit into vintage Fiats 

I'm really hoping Sadev gets back to Ransom with a slightly taller gearing option for the SL82

It is perfect in so many ways. I'd prefer helical cut gears but at this point we will take what we can get

In reply to Jumper K Balls :

Flip it upside down. Porsche did that themselves to lower their engines for racing

So which transaxle is this one and does it have a driveshaft connector on it? 

Don't forget Alfettas.

Let me sum up what I think I now know.

Some transaxles have a drive shaft input.  I didn't know that.

The 924/944 are MIA, but while some say they would work, others say they won't hold the torque.  They apparently have the driveshaft input.

Audi 01Es from an 968 is 944 replacement and uses driveshaft input.  It is 2wd & has a 40% ZF LSD or Torsen, but the picture someone posted shows it has a huge bell housing which would be a problem to make work. 

The Corvette trans axle would definitely work, but the trans sits in front of the diff instead of behind so that would make one hell of a transmission tunnel (or a really long wheel base) plus it's heavy.

I still have no idea what the transaxle Jumper K Balls posted is, but I like the form factor.

"A odd choice but shockingly affordable is the Renault PRV from a Delorean available for under 4k."  I haven't found any info on it nor any way to get one over here.

I still don't know how to tell if a Subie transmission has an LSD, but the STI trans for some reason somehow doesn't make for a good rear mount.

I'll have better luck finding an LSD in the VAG trans.

While I haven't confirmed it, apparently the VAG trans is physically bigger than the Subie.

Have I missed anything?

Drive shaft input = IDEAL since then I only have to make one bell housing on the engine end instead of one for the diff too.

IIRC the 944 had some sort of way to move the driveshaft back so that the clutch could be replaced without removing the engine.  Does anyone know what that is?

PRV is the engine, the transmission is just some Renault thing.  I did a trans in a DeLorean once.

If you're considering Subaru transmissions, also consider that the weakest longitudinal Audi transmission is at least as strong as a Subaru STi transmission.  So basically:  Don't consider Subaru transmissions, they suck.

The 924/944/968 transmissions ARE front wheel drive longitudinal transmissions case-wise.  They bolt right up to anything with an Audi five/six/eight cylinder engine (924/944) or a VW four/Audi five/six/eight due to dual bolt pattern (968).  They just have entirely the wrong input shaft for that.  (One of my pet ideas is to hack up an all wheel drive 016 bellhousing so that a bevel drive mates up to it, so you could mount a transverse engine in front of it.  Various WRCcars used a longituidinal trans behind a transverse engine like this, as it gives you room for a beefy trans while also moving the drivetrain's center of mass rearward and making servicing a lot easier)

"Takes a driveshaft" means it takes the driveshaft from a torque tube.  It's just some splines with a clampy thing on it.

carguy123 said:

Let me sum up what I think I now know.

Some transaxles have a drive shaft input.  I didn't know that.

The 924/944 are MIA, but while some say they would work, others say they won't hold the torque.  They apparently have the driveshaft input.

Audi 01Es from an 968 is 944 replacement and uses driveshaft input.  It is 2wd & has a 40% ZF LSD or Torsen, but the picture someone posted shows it has a huge bell housing which would be a problem to make work. 

The Corvette trans axle would definitely work, but the trans sits in front of the diff instead of behind so that would make one hell of a transmission tunnel (or a really long wheel base) plus it's heavy.

I still have no idea what the transaxle Jumper K Balls posted is, but I like the form factor.

"A odd choice but shockingly affordable is the Renault PRV from a Delorean available for under 4k."  I haven't found any info on it nor any way to get one over here.

I still don't know how to tell if a Subie transmission has an LSD, but the STI trans for some reason somehow doesn't make for a good rear mount.

I'll have better luck finding an LSD in the VAG trans.

While I haven't confirmed it, apparently the VAG trans is physically bigger than the Subie.

Have I missed anything?

Drive shaft input = IDEAL since then I only have to make one bell housing on the engine end instead of one for the diff too.

IIRC the 944 had some sort of way to move the driveshaft back so that the clutch could be replaced without removing the engine.  Does anyone know what that is?

Um, the 924 Turbo and 944 transaxle will handle the power, they are quite literally Audi FWD transaxles.  People say they won't because they abuse the crap out of them with drag launches with a V8 and sticky tires on 20+ year old hardware.

The same basic units are used in GT40 and Lamborghini replicas with V8's, V10's and V12's.  There are some things that can be done to improve their longevity and withstand abuse.

Rebuilding them with proper tolerances, a limited slip and 944 Turbo parts will help.  There's a tailshaft brace you can make and install to help reduce 3rd breakage.

The trick will be the input shaft is splined like a normal input shaft, but it doesn't have a pot for a pilot bearing and there's no clutch mechanism mounting parts, plus there's a hole where the shiftlinkage passes through.  Its possible as the case for the 2wd and the AWD 016 is the same, aside from the extra machine work on the 924/944 versions.

This link might help: http://flussigmagazine.com/der-houmlhepunkt/g31-transaxles-016083-transaxles-and-01e-supplement

As for moving the driveshaft back to change the clutch?  That's simply removing the mounts for the transaxle in the rear, removing the bellhousing bolts at the back of the engine and sliding the entire apparatus backwards.  Think of the the torque tube as just a really long bellhousing and input shaft.  Most pull the transaxle since you can move the TT back further to get better access to the clutch or they pull the engine and inspect it, etc.  The Porsche techs who had to replace the rubber center clutch discs at book rate, figured out the slide it back trick since they had to move quickly.

I think we missed one. What of the trans in the Vanagon? I think that was the last of the rear engined VWs sold in the US?

Delorean transaxle

From Delorean themselves $3655

The one in the picture is a Sadev

Sadev racing

They are 12-15k depending on options