Could this work in a teener? So many $$$ ideas to replace 901, what to you think?

nah............

Not bad if you don't mind push-starting the car everywhere... (no provision for starter)

sm

Use a stock GM starter (it bolts to the block.)

Howard, several GT40 kit car manufacturers use a 944/924Turbo/Audi box. They are not much stronger than a 901.


B

"O". Do the ring teeth mesh ok, or do you do something different to the starter gear or the ring gear?

sm

They sell a smaller diameter flexplate that the flywheel mounts too. They then use a starter that is offset to match the smaller flexplate. Works pretty slick.


B

Brad,
Does this mean that you could put the automatic in the teener?
Ed

Brad, we have to solve this transmission thing in order to produce sbc 914's in any volume. The 901 seems strong enough to handle a stock 350, but final drive ratio is way off too.

C'mon genius, what's the answer? Think cheap and strong.

When you put more HP through the 901 tranny, what parts fail?

Is it possible to re-engineer the weak links in the 901 box to make a more reliable tranny?

I have never found a clear answer to what exactly breaks???

Rich

of course !

and when you do this exercise - you will have re-engineered - the 915 !

Porsche already went down this path 30 years ago...

you can re-invent that path if you like, or you can take advantage of someone else's engineering and fast-forward to what's being used in cars that develop that kind of torque now.

what fails? the overhung 1st, R&P, bearings, intermediate plate...

Porsche abandoned the 901 with the 2,4-liter engine producing about 150 lbs-ft of torque.

Otto does 901 modifications (new intermediate plate/gearing/blah blah) to handle 300hp. He quoted me $3500ish, a bit rich for my intention here. Otto?

The 901 doesnt last (EVER) I dont care who builds it. I'll argue it face to face with "John"

Unless you make a new R+P and increase the size of the pinion bearing and input shaft bearings (on both ends) all you have is a time bomb waiting to happen.

The 930 box works because the R+P is the same size as a FORD 9 inch rear end (which is used all over the world in drag racing). The synchros and gear sets in the 930 are the same physical size as a Muncie 4 speed "Rock Crusher".

Our answer is the G50 with it's larger bearings, super thick R+P and "Borg Warner" style sychro's. The problem is: it is physically larger than the 930 box which barely fits length wise.

I wish I had a magic wand that I could sweep over every 901 and make it strong.. not gonna happen.

Their are plenty of mid-engine boxes that will work.. people just wont spend 10k to solve the issue (think Mindeola or Wiseman)


B

Oh.. people where asking what fails:

The pinion teeth leave the building. It is physically too small to handle the torque of a V8. The ring gear normally hangs in there.

I have been blowing up 901's behind V8's for 10+ years. I didnt just slap another one in without figuring out what was failing.

Oh.. the 901 cases are becoming junk. The main pinion bearing race is loose in over 75% of them.


B

Shit, Brad, don't start an argument with John. I only have one 'Asshole' hat

It's the only argument I have with John. He actually told me that we where not warming them up correctly... WTF ?? People with daily driver V8 cars dont wamr anything up EVER.

Most of us think one dimensional... what about the guy who downshifts without "blip throttle" ?? The second easiest way to blow up a 914 box.. downshift and let out the clutch on a V8 car with 914 box.


B

I don't know squat, but here's what I think needs to be done:

1) Use a G50. Upside down.
2) Design a new trunk floor with a hump to accomodate an upside-down G50.
3) Put together a shift-linkage and parts for moving the tranny case vent.
4) Oh, and a tranny mount. Tony could fab that for you in short order. Like the nice mount you see on some of the 914's running 915 tranny's with the standard (not 916-style) rear cover.

There. It's done. Nothing is going to break. Cost is around $3-4k per project (if you don't re-gear), and NOTHING is ever going to break whether you run 300hp or 700hp. Oh, and it will shift good. And the synchro's won't wear out.

Bottom line is pay $300 for a 901 that's going to break, or pay $3k for a G50 that's not. I don't see many other options that will really work well and hold up to huge power without requiring huge R&D.

-Ben M.