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Automatic transmission VG vs VQ. Same RE4R01A?


deltaR50
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  • 2 weeks later...

I have never cracked an RE4R01A open, much less rebuilt one. But I've seen enough questions about what's different between them that I figured it was about time I went down a service manual rabbit hole on this topic.

 

The short version: VG and VQ RE4R01As are not the same. Even within each group, there are multiple variants shown. I have no idea which variant(s) the rebuild kits are meant to cover, but I would start by working out how many clutches yours has, and how many clutches the rebuild kit includes.

 

The long version:

 

The number of drive/driven clutches in each pack is laid out in the SDS at the end of the AT section of the service manual, so I looked at a few of those to compare them. Each manual shows multiple "codes" of transmission. The code is the last five digits of the part number for the transmission assembly. Go to NissanPartsDeal, punch in your VIN (or year/model/options), look up an automatic transmission assembly, and check the last five digits of its PN against the codes below. If it's not there, check the SDS in the '96 manual specifically, or see if the listing shows a superseded part number, and check the code for that one.

 

I expected the first five digits to be the same for each part. They are not. Looking up which vehicle each code fits is therefore more difficult than it has any right to be, which is why I only bothered for the first four.

 

'95 W/D21, codes 49X02 (31020-49X02, 2WD), 49X03 (31020-49X03, also 2WD), 45X60 (31020-45X60, VG/2WD), 45X72 (31000-45X72, VG/4WD)

Reverse: 2 drive, 2 driven

High: 4 drive and 4 driven for the first two codes, 5 and 5 for the last two

Forward: 5 and 5 for the first two, 7 and 7 for the last two

Overrun: 3 and 5

Low/reverse brake: 6 and 6

 

'97 R50, codes 44X82 or 44X20

Reverse: 2 drive, 2 driven

High: 5 drive, 5 driven

Forward: 6 drive, 6 driven

Overrun: 3 drive, 5 driven

Low/reverse brake: 7 drive, 7 driven

 

'02 WD22, codes 43X64, 4EX01, 4EX06, 4EX67, 4EX68, 4FX07. First three are VG33E only, last three are VG33ER only.

Reverse: 2 drive, 2 driven

High: 5 drive for all, 5 driven VG33E, 6 driven VG33ER

Forward: 6 and 6 on the first one, 7 and 7 on the second third and fourth, 8 and 8 on the last two

Overrun: 3 and 5

Low/reverse brake: 7 and 7 VG33E, 8 and 8 VG33ER

 

'03 R50, codes 4EX74, 4EX75, or 4EX76

Reverse: 3 drive, 3 driven.

High: 5 drive, 6 driven.

Forward: 4EX74 has 7 drive and 7 driven, the other two have 8 drive and 8 driven

Overrun: 3 drive, 3 driven

Low/reverse brake: 8 drive, 8 driven

 

Again, I would look up what's in the kit vs what the code says you need. Hopefully they include enough bits to rebuild any of the variants over the years it's meant to fit. I don't know if anything else changed enough between the two to potentially cause you problems. Again, I'm not a transmission guy.

 

If you're on the FB page, see if you can find what Elim Naelcm posted about his transmission. IIRC he Frankenstein'd a VQ R50 RE4R01A to work in his TD27-powered WD21, so if anybody would know, it's him. I haven't seen him around in a while, though. There was also a guy here who rebuilt a WD21 box, but I don't remember his name, and again I don't think I've seen it in quite a while. I also vaguely remember seeing an R50 trans rebuild on Youtube once--you might look that up and see if they mention which kit they used.

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Is the donor VG33 or VQ35? VG33 should be the same as what you have. VQ might be a bit of a science project. Based on what Ekim Naelcm posted about his swap, the VQ version takes a different torque converter. He had one made to fit his TD27, but said a VG33ER converter and flexplate might do the trick to mate one to a VG.

 

I would link that post, but it was on Facebook, and I can't find a damn thing on that goldfish-brain dumpster fire of a website.

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