engine and drivetrain Getrag 242 front case onto 245 difficulty?

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After looking unsuccessfully for a 245 with a M10 front case i have the opportunity to buy a 245 with an M20 front case. I think after reading the FAQ it seems that i can swap the front case of my 242 4 speed with the M20 front section to give me a 5 speed with a M10 bell? My questions are

 

Is the conversion possible and if so how hard is it to do, ie are special tools required?

 

BTW i'm in NZ where there are comparitively more 5 speed M20 E21s around than M10 versions.

[kbmb02]

PM sent.

[TobyB]

Can I just say that this is an opportunity for an M20 conversion SCREAMING at you with both lungs?

 

I'd say that the conversion is approximately as hard as swapping the cases, and comes with extra pistons for good measure.

 

t

[kbmb02]

T: It's actually fairly easy. -KB

 

[edit: I mis-read the OP regarding which gearboxes were involved ... I don't know if what "scanner" wants can be done (and heck, would defer to Toby until I actually made the swap. Or didn't).

Edited August 31, 2015 by kbmb02

[Simeon]

Interesting . Does that keep the same throw-out lever and clutch slave arrangement?

 

Same shortage of M10 / 245 boxes here in Adelaide. 

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Toby - although not original atm my 2002 is matching frame and engine numbers , so i want to retain the option down the line of taking it back to factory spec. Im starting to think there may be more to this gearbox mix and match than i originally thought, if it was a fairly simple bolt on exercise I'm sure there would be more threads about it? Has anyone done this conversion?

[TobyB]

No, I haven't.  But I have taken a 242 apart, and it's not an easy process to reverse.  Certainly POSSIBLE,

and there are lots of threads on it, but getting it back together is pretty tricky...

 

The best resource is going to be the E21 factory manual- it's very thorough, and has 

a good description of what it takes to strip and reassemble a 245.

 

It was available online some years ago, but I do not remember where...

 

t

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I was hoping it would just be a case of swapping the front housings over, removal of which seems fairly straight forward looking at the workshop manual, and not have to take apart any of the gear sets ect which are in the intermediate/rear housing. I am starting to suspect it may not be so straight forward!

[Henning]

It is no bolt-on. The throwout sleeve has three bolts to the boxe's front housing in the 242, the 245 sleeve has got six of them and an oil return hole. You'll have to drill add'l threads.

The front bearing of the 245 has got a slightly different shape than the 242 bearing. So the sleeves are different, the 245 sleeve has got a surrounding border that's going into the housing. The 242 housing has to be machined to fit to the 245 sleeve.

245 transmissions have got a lock bolt for the selector shaft, passenger side directly behind the bell, that 242 don't have. E21 4-speed housings have this lock, so I always preferred to use those ones to converse M20 trannys for M10 engines.

It is possible to use the 242 housing if you are willing to pass on the lock. A transmission shop here has done this many times without complaints.

So it can be done- but requires some effort.

 

Hen

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Bugger - thought it was too good to be true! Thank you Henning for the run down of work required, unfortunately beyond my meagre skills. Back on the lookout for a M10 245!