Lseries auto to manual

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subidoo
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Lseries auto to manual

Post by subidoo » Fri Sep 15, 2006 6:04 pm

Anyone converted a touring wagon from auto to manual? Is straight forward enough or not worth bothering with ? Should I just find a manual? Will the diff ratios be OK?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

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steptoe
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Post by steptoe » Mon Sep 18, 2006 10:44 am

LTurbo did a sedan conversion same direction, still smiling last time I saw him if that is any indication

diff ratio is up to you to find and read sticker on your current rear diff and ensure donor car is same or take donor car rear diff as part of the deal

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Suby Wan Kenobi
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Post by Suby Wan Kenobi » Mon Sep 18, 2006 3:38 pm

Generally autos where equipted with 3.7:1 rear diffs but check to make sure both gearbox and diff match. The wiring for the reversing will have to be looked at as the auto is on the shifter and the manual on the box. All the holes for the clutch are there soyou dont have to make any new holes and you only need drop the steering column to swap the pedal box (also have to undo bolts) and unbolt the dash junction box as well. You will also need to jump the auto igntion cut out to.(good time to make a switch to)
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

The long road ahead

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subidoo
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Post by subidoo » Mon Sep 18, 2006 8:03 pm

Thanks for the info , I think I've found a donor car so should be all straight forward.

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LTurbo
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Post by LTurbo » Mon Sep 18, 2006 11:33 pm

In my opinion the conversion is well worth it. The gear ratios and the shifts the auto box was doing was driving me nuts and not a lot of fun. I also now manage to get a 100k's more out of a tank now than with the auto box.

If you have any Q's just ask, the auto I swaped out was a 4-speed not a 3, so there were a few difference but overall the conversion will be very similar.

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choinka
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do it - do not wait any longer

Post by choinka » Thu Sep 21, 2006 1:30 pm

Did it and was glad from the start. Although it only gave me less about 500revs for the same speed. But it is soooo much more drivable. I had the 3spd auto. I was able to find a 3.7 diff at the wreckers, but then later I bought a LSD from Shawn in NZ. It all works a treat...

Wiring is not too tricky. I didn't cut any wires from the auto linkage. I usually keep it in park on the selector, but if I leave it somewhere dodgy, I lift up the console and slip the pin on the selector to D, so at least it'll take someone that little bit longer to realise. Until you turn the car past accessories, you wouldn't be able to tell.

The worst part was doing the pedal box. It took a couple of hours of stuffing around getting it in, but then again, I didn't pull out the steering column, which some people have done before.

There's some previous postings on this, just search my user name for the wiring info. It should take a weekend at the most if have everything. It took a week longer for me as the flywheel bolts are different.

Good luck

Richard

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vladrulli
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Post by vladrulli » Thu Sep 21, 2006 10:53 pm

I did a manual swap in my couple... it had a 4eat + ej20t so it's a bit different but still very similar...

the only problem I've encountered is that the flywheel was scraping the crossmember... really don't know why that happened - are the auto and manual crossmembers different?!?!
1997 Subaru Legacy Outback
1989 Subaru GL Coupe EJ20G, FMIC, awd dual-range - SOLD

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steptoe
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Post by steptoe » Thu Sep 21, 2006 11:18 pm

L series gearbox crossmembers are different (so i believe) as the boxes are different lengths and have read in here that if going ej and awd box the box mounts between an auto and a manual member (use both bith a plate between )

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vladrulli
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Post by vladrulli » Fri Sep 22, 2006 8:46 am

yeah... but I was actually asking about the engine crossmember... is it the same for manual and auto boxes?
1997 Subaru Legacy Outback
1989 Subaru GL Coupe EJ20G, FMIC, awd dual-range - SOLD

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Suby Wan Kenobi
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Post by Suby Wan Kenobi » Fri Sep 22, 2006 9:35 pm

Nope the auto one sits further back bolted to the floorpan while the manual one uses the rearmost bolt on the radius rod plate as its rubber mounted point of contact.and you will also need a manual tailshaft which is longer than the auto one
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

The long road ahead

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vladrulli
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Post by vladrulli » Sat Sep 23, 2006 9:26 am

Engine Crossmember... ;)
1997 Subaru Legacy Outback
1989 Subaru GL Coupe EJ20G, FMIC, awd dual-range - SOLD

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steve_rising_sun
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Post by steve_rising_sun » Sat Sep 23, 2006 4:19 pm

Your 3 speed auto non turbo will be 3.7 front and 3.9 rear
Steve

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Suby Wan Kenobi
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Post by Suby Wan Kenobi » Sat Sep 23, 2006 8:19 pm

Yeah the engine Xmember is the same
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

The long road ahead

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Smokey
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Post by Smokey » Wed Jul 04, 2007 10:42 pm

Confused, how can the front and rear be of different ratios?
steve_rising_sun wrote:Your 3 speed auto non turbo will be 3.7 front and 3.9 rear
Steve

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steptoe
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Post by steptoe » Wed Jul 04, 2007 11:22 pm

make up for the slosh or slip in the slushbox between front and rear ?

thort that was odd, but coming from Steve , I have to believe...

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