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Best trans swap for high HP 240

studmuffed

Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2017
Location
Va
Hey all,

I know there are a lot of threads about trans swaps for 240s, but I was hoping to get a bit more specific information. I eventually want about 400-500 hp with my 240, so a trans swap is definitely needed. The main options I've heard about are the T5, CD009, and BMW Getrag. I've heard that the T5's are super easy and relatively cheap, but not that strong. The CD009 on the other hand is super strong but pretty involved and expensive. I want to keep the project cheap but at the same time I don't want to have to upgrade my trans twice. Simplicity is always nice, but strength and price are much more important to me than how easy it is to install.

My questions:

Can a T5 be upgraded to be strong enough to hold high HP?
How much more would a CD009 be?
What's the deal with the Getrag transmissions?
 
The deal is finding one of the getrag 265 transmissions that works in the volvo. The old ones with the removable bellhousing is what you need.

Like this one.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-E3-E9-...112175?hash=item289138d2ef:g:OJsAAOSwdNlegUni

THen you gotta buy the volvo adapter from STS machine. You gotta use the BMW throw out bearing. You gotta fab up a shifter bracket and shift rod and decide what shifter to use. Then you gotta get custom driveline made using Guibo output out of tranny. Bmw guibo same as volvo guibo so use modified front driveline from m47 240 or turbo m46 740.

Gotta decide what flywheel and clutch disc and pressure plate to use. Gotta figure out how to make your 240 hydraulic clutch pedal or use cable. Getrag swap uses volvo m46 or 7 bellhousing so you can go either way cable or hydro. Install 3.31 ratio rear end with G80 or LSD.


I used bmw shift bracket put volvo shifter holder welded it into bmw bracket in correct spot for 740 install.
shifty9.jpg



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JohnV billet steel flywheel with saab areo 9000 pressure plate and bmw z3 240mm or 9.5 inches disc and plate.

saab240.jpg


Finally take it to track see how quick you can shift it!
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wut.jpg
 
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I like the idea of the getrag a lot, but they seem pretty pricey. I've found some CD009's for about half the price of the one in that ebay ad and they are known to be super strong. Are there any other Getrags that are cheaper and still strong?

About the TKO600, did these come factory in anything? I'm only seeing them on ford performance websites.
 
Tko600 all the way. Cd009 are huge and heavy...and don’t fit all that well in a 240 tunnel.
 
Those TKO transmissions look nice, but I'm still pretty concerned about price. Looks like 1500 for the trans alone would become 3 grand+ swap while I could probably figure out a CD09 setup for around 1500 if I wait for a good deal. Just looked up the weight of both too, CD009 is about 135 lbs while TKO is about 105. Yeah, it's lighter, but I'm not about to spend an extra 1500 on 30 lbs. Operating on college student budget here lol.
 
Those TKO transmissions look nice, but I'm still pretty concerned about price. Looks like 1500 for the trans alone would become 3 grand+ swap while I could probably figure out a CD09 setup for around 1500 if I wait for a good deal. Just looked up the weight of both too, CD009 is about 135 lbs while TKO is about 105. Yeah, it's lighter, but I'm not about to spend an extra 1500 on 30 lbs. Operating on college student budget here lol.

no offense, then you aren't really going to make 500hp on a redblock, either.

Slam a T5 in it for $1200 all in on kaplhenke's adapter, make 350whp on a stock shortblock, and then bolt up a tko when you build a better motor. The kaplhenke adapter is setup for both T5 and TKO.
 
None taken, I know 500 is hard to hit with a redblock, but I figured it's better to install a setup that will allow me to hit high numbers and be a little overkill rather than upgrading the trans twice. That's a good point about getting a t5 now. I didn't know that the adapter was the same.

Do you know if the driveshaft will transfer over too?
 
Tko600 all the way. Cd009 are huge and heavy...and don?t fit all that well in a 240 tunnel.

I was curious, since I used a CD009 (JK40C, w/evs) and didn't think it was all that heavy.

Looked up this video where they weigh a couple of them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sp7ISC2D3Ig

And lo and behold, it really is 136 lbs?

Then I noticed that on the first one they weigh, they had the crossmember still attached. Then they weigh one without the crossmember. I had a crossmember on mine, and that thing is CHUNKY. Probably 10 lbs? Ish? But when they weight the trans (an earlier version, but still) without the crossmember, it only dropped 1 lb.
 
I lifted by hand the CD009 and Getrag many times and the CD009 isn't that much heavier even though is has an extra gear. With the CD009 in a 240 you'll need a top mount shifter adapter. Is the Yoshifab one available now? Cause the one JohnMC bought from CBF was both expensive and not very well designed I think. You'll also need to cut off the CD009 bellhousing and buy/install the DeeWorks adapter kit.
 
no offense, then you aren't really going to make 500hp on a redblock, either.

Slam a T5 in it for $1200 all in on kaplhenke's adapter, make 350whp on a stock shortblock, and then bolt up a tko when you build a better motor. The kaplhenke adapter is setup for both T5 and TKO.

seconded.

Will add that my car is around that 350whp mark as it sits; I'm running a t5z which is an upgraded t5, which then has a few aftermarket upgrades as well for additional strength. No complaints at all and I highly doubt I'm going to hurt the transmission.

Tate is probably going to be ready to sell his TKO600 pretty soon?

I've been in a Getrag swapped car and the gear ratios were terrible. I feel the same way about the CD009 on paper at least. And for that matter the T5's with the short 1st and .63 5th are also a poor spread for a turbo 4 cylinder car. I think some people really overlook how getting the ratios right changes the car.
 
I lifted by hand the CD009 and Getrag many times and the CD009 isn't that much heavier even though is has an extra gear. With the CD009 in a 240 you'll need a top mount shifter adapter. Is the Yoshifab one available now? Cause the one JohnMC bought from CBF was both expensive and not very well designed I think. You'll also need to cut off the CD009 bellhousing and buy/install the DeeWorks adapter kit.

I don't know if Josh was working on a top mount shifter. I do know he has made some tail mount shifters for myself and at least one other car. Tail mount is too far back for a 240.
 
The top mount I got from CBF was a bit too far forward (in my setup - which was behind an LS motor, which was moved forward a bit as well, vs. the normal STS position). Not to mention it's not as tight and precise as I'd like it to be with that many gears crammed into a small area. And it tends to slip out of 5th. Not pop out - like there's something wrong with the trans - it just sort of gently slips out of 5th because there's not enough detent holding it in.

This one looks like it might work a little better in a 240: https://autosportsengineering.com/p...neering-cd009-shifter-relocation-front-mount/

But again, I'd probably wait until the trans was in the car and see where the shifter should be - hooked onto a redblock in its normal position, the trans might be further forward or back compared to what I have.

Also - it takes some hammering to the tunnel to make it fit in a 240. It's bulky further back where the 240 trans tunnel starts to narrow.

And... FWIW, anecdotally - it's too many gears. I'm, going to put a much taller rear axle in at some point (Ford 8.8) and that might help things - but as is - it's just busy work using all 6. The turbo LS motor doesn't need lots of gears. I don't think it would have worked well on the 16V either - coming off boost to shift over and over and over.
 
With all that in mind, I think I'll go the T5 route after all. With all of the aftermarket support and the abundance of local T5's it seems stupid not to. Thanks for your input everyone
 
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