The gearboxes from start to finish got progressivly stronger. So the 185 gearbox is not as prone to wear as the 165 one. the 205 box is even stronger. The 185 and then 205 also have a closer ratio set compared to the 165. I have a 205 box in mine. First is noticably shorter and the whole car is more urgent though the rev range. For example the car now revs at 3,000 rpm doing 70mph, rather than 2,450 rpm for the same speed with the 165 box. Fitting is pretty simple, with the 205 box, all I had to do was swap over the 165 box mounts, speedo drive etc. I run a standard 205 clutch, which is good for 300bhp and cheap, while giving great pedal feel.
pity about the ratios being shorter i like smoking up mitsubishi gsr's cause they pulling 3rd while i can still hold second. i wish i could do the 205 conversion but i brought a whole 185 parts car for $300 nzd and i 205 box goes for about $1200nzd. will i need to change my rear diff? is the 185 better then 165?
A standard rear 185 diff is no different really to the 165, inless yours is noisy I would not bother swaping. If you can find a rear diff from a ST185 RC / or Carlos Sainz model or the uber rare rallye version, then you get the benifit of a limited slip diff for the rear which will aid traction, but make the car more tail happy. A st205 rear diff also comes with the LSD as well. I have never heard of a 165 rear diff being blown up yet, so they must be tough old things. Its not a bad idea to keep try and find a different box one day as given your engine plans, I would see the 165 box as the weak part, once you are up to 300bhp plus. additional gearbox info, my mistake btw, the domestic market 185 for your market looks like it has the same ration set as the 165 box? GT4 gearbox list E50F1 86-87 Japan spec. ST165 (locking diff) E50F2 (2 is usually dropped) all 87-89 ST165 E150F ST185, USA versions E151F ST185, in Europe and Australia. E152F ST185 rally, (Japanese version). E154F ST205 All ST165 - 185 - 205 Gearboxes are 5 speed manual Gears E50F2 E150F E151F E152F E154F 1st 3.583 3.384 3.583 3.230 3.384 2nd 2.045 1.931 2.045 2.041 1.913 3rd 1.333 1.333 1.333 1.518 1.258 4th 0.972 0.972 0.972 1.258 0.918 5th 0.731 0.731 0.731 0.731 0.731 Reverse 3.583 3.545 3.545 3.545 3.545 Final drive ratio 3.933 4.285 3.933 4.285 4.285 According the EPC, the gearbox internals of the facelifted Celica (ST185, after no. 15446) are the same a the CS versions, but the transmission case is still listed as E150F??? Don't ask me why, I don't know. There should be four Japanese ST185 gearboxes. The normal 4.285 89-91 gearbox, the Rally gearbox (E152F) with different ratios, the RC box (3.933) and I (RD) *believe* that after 91 the standard car also got the dual cone RC synchros. Not sure on that. It looks like you spec 185 box, if its an oz model is identical to the 165, so there looks to be no benifit to the change? re the link, there is a lot of help and resources for that in the UK, make sure you get a good mapper who knows the software well, as there has been so many updates and revisions, it can be awkward at times.
All the "5" are AWD, ie ST165, 185, 205 as well as the AWD Caldina ST215 which uses a Celica motor/box. There are also AWD auto Camry's (JDM only?) which share the Celica transfer, diffs etc The only RWD 3S-GE is the Altezza/is200 ST165 (early JDM only) uses a viscous pneumatic transfer ST165 (late) & ST185 use the same gearbox
