Auto to Manual Swap

[sam o nela]

Should work from any year G1

[3GCVC]

When i got my manual conversion i didnt take the transmission brackets or either front or rear motor mounts can someone source these for me? as manual cars are rare as here.

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Some things I've discovered from my swap. The mount brackets are exactly the same, so is the torsion bar and it's mounts. However, the mounts and the torsion bar insert are different. The torsion bar insert for the 5spd is a little bit beefier, as are the motor mount. That said, their mounts are the same, and are completely interchangeable. I used the AT rear mount as my MT was trashed, but I did use the MT front mount.

Intermediate shafts WILL NOT swap. I don't know what it is, they look exactly the same, but Tony (badazz) and I agree, they WILL NOT swap. For some reason, you cannot bolt down the AT I-shaft with the MT. But check the inside of the axle end of the I-shaft, as there are differences. The splines on the AT go the length of the inside, whereas the MT only go half way. That said, the AT axle can be used in the MT I-shaft, but not the other way 'round.


I've also decided I'm the oddball. Austin and Ken are both doing (did) their swaps into '87s from '90s, I'm doing my swap into a '90 from an '87... hgeez:

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Just wanted to show the size/weight difference between the auto and manual.


BTW, the auto requires it's own extra mount because of it's girth.

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Oh btw, I can't speak for 86-87, but coupe and 88-90 sedan auto consoles will work with the 5spd. 3rd hits the front of it a little if you push it all the way up, but for the most part it's not necessary.


This is my 5spd installed with the auto console and in 3rd gear.

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I have a couple things I want to contribute, mainly with the reverse lights. I've figured out how to get them to work with only about three feet of wiring, and keeping it all inside the car.

Basically the plug for one of the solenoids is the same as the plug on the reverse switch. So all you have to do is run the two wires from the TCU under the seat, to the shift selector switch in the center console.

Also, if you don't actually have to hotwire the neutral safety switch in the center console, manual transmission cars have a jumper wire, that just plugs in the shift selectors place.

I will get pics of everything hopefully tomorrow.

[Bigjohhnn]

do the manual trannys require a tcu and harness

[l4zy415]

Originally Posted by Bigjohhnn

do the manual trannys require a tcu and harness

Nope, you can remove the TCU out of it.

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The only electronic thing on the manual transmissions is the reverse light switch, and later models the reverse light switch and neutral safety switch.

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Finally got a few of those wiring pics. I know I never finished off my connections with tape and whatnot, but it's been over a year now without a problem.



First off, as you can see here, the reverse light switch will plug into the smaller A/T solenoid plug.






Underneath the drivers seat where the TCU goes on the sedans,




I took those solenoid wires from the plug on the right (towards the door),




These two wires in the corner,




And ran them under the carpet,





Then out inside the center console,





And into the automatic shifter assembly plug to the reverse light wires, the yellow and green/black wires in the middle at the bottom. It doesn't matter which of the reverse light wires goes to which of the switch wires, all you have to do is make these wires connect for the reverse lights to come on, that's what the switch does, so it doesn't matter at all which wire is on which wire.




^You can also see in that plug that all the wires are cut, and the top wires there in the middle are spliced together. Those are the wires for Drive so the cruise control will work. Those two big wires on the bottom right are the neutral safety switch, you can splice them together, or get a jumper plug from a 5spd car, but what I chose to do was wire them to a spare brake light switch on the clutch so the car can't be started with the clutch out. Mostly I did this because I'm sick of idiots in the passenger seat trying to either start the car, or turn the radio on and the car lurching rearward.