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Re: auto - 5 speed swap Posted by Ari [Email]  (#2847) [Profile/Gallery]
(more from Ari) on Thu, 17 Oct 2002 12:15:21
In Reply to: auto - 5 speed swap, Rachel, Wed, 16 Oct 2002 22:35:35 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
"Difficult" is a complicated term. I know some folks who think swapping out an engine is something to be done between lunch and dinner. To others, difficult is anything more than an oil change.
Doing a quality Auto-5 speed conversion is not difficult, but it is complex.
I'm going to assume that you're investigating it because the autobox is on it's way out, and you're looking at $2500 or so for a rebuilt autobox to be put in. There has to be a cheaper way!
Let's say you put the rebuilt autobox in, and you got it from a reputable source, like Eriksson. You're probably good for another 100K miles before the rebuilt acts up, 5 or six year at normal usage. Plan on having the car in 2008?
In my humble opinion, there is a narrow band where replacing the Auto with a 5-speed makes economic sense. First, you need a car in very nice shape, because chances are it'll cost as much to put in the 5-speed as it will to put in the autobox. The only advantage comes 6 years from now when the autobox is getting weak again, but the 5-speed should be OK. That's assuming the 5-speed hasn't had a problem, like blown clutch hydraulics or needs a new clutch plate. 5-speeds are more reliable, but not perfect.
Next, you're going to need a nice 5-speed. You can get one cheap from a junkyard, but who knows how many miles are left on it. For this level of effort, get a rebuilt.
You're also going to want to find a donor car. Why? The tranny is one thing, but you're going to want a gear shift & linkage, and all the trim pieces that go with it. You don't want a big hole in the center console with a shifter sticking out. Those parts are expensive to buy, so a donor car is the only economic approach.
A '93 Turbo probably has Traction control. This is going to make things interesting. The traction control is actually a drive-by-wire setup, and it's DIFFERENT between automatic and manual cars. So to do it right, you're going to either have to get the throttle body and ECU off a donor turbo 5-speed, or find a way to convert it to a non-TCS car. There are significant wiring harness differences between the two.
Now there's labor. To make this work, you need to find a shop that's done it before. But that'll cost $$. The alternative is to DIY, which is possible. But it'll take a while, and will take some troubleshooting.
In my opinion, the only time this swap works is when you have a nice car with a blown tranny, and a nice donor car. Then you either have some decent expertise to do it in a reasonable period of time, OR you've got a independent shop that's done it before and will do it again for a very reasonable set price. The last option is you want a project. Projects don't have to make economic sense - you do it to learn. This is quite reasonable.
I think you'll find that anyone that has done it fits into one of those slots.
posted by 192.249....
, Thu, 17 Oct 2002 12:15:21 <-- Viewing This Message
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