Swapping auto to manual?

[Alex46]

I'm finally ready to swap the transmission. This automatic is just killing the full potential of my car. If i go to the 5 speed i will get 30% more of the hp in my engine to the rear wheels.

Going to go with the Tremec 3650. Are re manufactured tranny's a bad idea?

From what i have gathered i will need, Clutch, Cables, Flywheel, (Install guy is nearly demanding aluminum for some reason) Different yoke for driveshaft, Crossmember, Pedals, Shifter, re tune the computer, and a lot of money.

Do you know of any conversion kits offered?

May i get your opinions or advice on this, Have any of you done this or know someone that has?

Appreciate your time. This project is something i've been wanting to do for years.

Thank You very much

Regards,

Alexander

 

[midnightdriver]

What year is your car?

I would recommend a T56, T45 or T5 over the tremec 3650. The tremec is just not very good, or so I have heard, and i would recommend buying a used trans off ebay. Prob get a better deal and then buying a reman.

 

[sneaky98gt]

I don't have any technical input on this, but I would advise to be sure that that's what you want to do. While the auto does take more horsepower, it doesn't take "30%" more, more like 5% at the most. And while no one would disagree that the 5-speed is more fun to drive, the auto will put down better/way more consistent track times a large percentage of the time.

Last time I went to the track, I beat a 5-speed PI GT (unknown mods, although in stock trim, he makes probably 20 hp more than I do) with the same size tires as me. Even assuming you can get it out of the hole decently, unless you are powershifting the hell out of, you are going to lose ET on the shifts. Trust me, you will NEVER shift that 5-speed like an auto can, especially the 01-04 auto trannys. Ask me how I know.

Also beat a 06 GT 5-speed. He wasn't the greatest driver, but still, he had a solid 75 hp advantage over me.

But I lost to a stock 5.0 with an auto tranny, stall converter, and slicks.

That brings up another point. Spend a few hundred bucks on about a 3200 stall converter and you'll leave the 5-speeds sitting in your dust.

I'm not trying to change your mind, but just making sure that you want this before you go and do it.

 

[hotstang_46]

Pretty much what you said plus I believe a quadrant kit. Also, don't know about a retune for the computer, I replaced mine if I remember correctly.


I went auto to T56. If you are going to do it, do it right and do the t56. Look on the SVT forum and find someone selling one with all that stuff already out of their cobra. I bet you could do 1700 for all those parts including the tranny and then 500 for install. Or at least that's about what I did, inc new spec 3+ clutch, alum flywheel, mgw shifter, and the tranny itself which was just rebuilt with alot of beefy liberty stuff.

Do some looking and find a bargain

 

[Alex46]

It is an 01. I heard the T45 wasn't very good. Also, Tremec is the among the best from my experience.

Yeah a buddy at the shop who is going to do the install told me if i'm going to do it to wait and get the T56. And just the other day i got in a race with a vette and he was with in 2 car lengths but noticed at about 130 that i was at 4k rpm's. With my gearing the way it is, and like you said if your going to do it do it right, i gotta go with the 6 speed.

No when i bought the car this was the plan. I had got hit by an suv and had to get plates and screws in my left foot. Couldn't walk on it so that's why I'm wanting to do this. You really think i could get the 56 with the conversion parts for 1700, Or you mean the tranny and clutch?

What i meant about tune was my sct tuner can adjust the computer settings.

Thanks for the input guys, The mustang guys have always been the best

The stall converter. No. I don't hit the drags too often. And to me that's not the type of racing i like. 'hit a button and floor it' isn't really me. I love to hit a smoooth power shift. To go through the gears playing a symphony of amazing exhaust tunes on a Sunday. Being side by side with someone in 1st and nailing that power shift to were you jump 3 car lengths on that shift and just walk away after hitting 3rd. Awww. That's racing to me.

 

[2K4POINT6]

I know that this is my first post, but hear me out. i had a 94 5.0 gt with the aode auto in it and had the same problems. you add performance parts, and the good ole slushbox just cant handle it. so i did some research and found a company in georgia called MPS(mustang parts specialists). they offer a complete conversion kit for our cars and every single piece you need is included, even and the little bolts and screws. i paid 2 grand for the entire kit and it came with a reman t-5, pedals, ram hd clutch kit new in box, flywheel, ecu and trans harness, and driveshaft. i work for a dealership, so access to a rack is easy. it took about 7 hrs total time to remove and install. i search and ravaged through junk yards, and then found these guys and it is EVERYTHING YOU NEED KIT. Good luck, Shaved at least a second and a half off. spining through third is really fun. you can contact them, 1-800-236-1156. hope this helps in your decision.

 

[sneaky98gt]

The stall converter. No. I don't hit the drags too often. And to me that's not the type of racing i like. 'hit a button and floor it' isn't really me. I love to hit a smoooth power shift. To go through the gears playing a symphony of amazing exhaust tunes on a Sunday. Being side by side with someone in 1st and nailing that power shift to were you jump 3 car lengths on that shift and just walk away after hitting 3rd. Awww. That's racing to me.

I hear ya. I was just making sure you weren't one of those guys who are all "The auto sucks. You can't race an auto. A 5-speed is better in every aspect. Oh, you have an auto? It must be slow." (This has been said to me more than once.) My granddad has a HCI 5.0 5-speed, and it is so much fun to drive. I'd take it over an auto all day long; my next Mustang will definitely be a 5-speed (actually a 6-speed ). Sounds like you're gonna have a lot of fun with yours. Good luck with the swap!

I know that this is my first post, but hear me out. i had a 94 5.0 gt with the aode auto in it and had the same problems. you add performance parts, and the good ole slushbox just cant handle it.

AODE does not equal 4R70W. Yes, the AODE sucks. The 4R70W (which is in the modular cars) does not. The 4R70W can handle plenty of power, and will last longer than most of the 5-speeds that are abused (i.e. powershifting, 5-6k launches, etc.). There are plenty of people running 350+ horsepower on the stock auto tranny with no problems. You can build the 4R70W and it will handle more power than our motors will. Not to mention the fact that the auto tranny is way easier on the rear end.

 

[midnightdriver]

It is an 01. I heard the T45 wasn't very good. Also, Tremec is the among the best from my experience.

Yeah a buddy at the shop who is going to do the install told me if i'm going to do it to wait and get the T56. And just the other day i got in a race with a vette and he was with in 2 car lengths but noticed at about 130 that i was at 4k rpm's. With my gearing the way it is, and like you said if your going to do it do it right, i gotta go with the 6 speed.

No when i bought the car this was the plan. I had got hit by an suv and had to get plates and screws in my left foot. Couldn't walk on it so that's why I'm wanting to do this. You really think i could get the 56 with the conversion parts for 1700, Or you mean the tranny and clutch?

What i meant about tune was my sct tuner can adjust the computer settings.

Thanks for the input guys, The mustang guys have always been the best

The stall converter. No. I don't hit the drags too often. And to me that's not the type of racing i like. 'hit a button and floor it' isn't really me. I love to hit a smoooth power shift. To go through the gears playing a symphony of amazing exhaust tunes on a Sunday. Being side by side with someone in 1st and nailing that power shift to were you jump 3 car lengths on that shift and just walk away after hitting 3rd. Awww. That's racing to me.

The T45 is a fine trans, but the T56 is better. Please try to stay away from the tremec.

Don't believe me try check this out,

http://www.stangnet.com/mustang-forums/328655-official-tremec-3650-issues-thread.html

Why don't you just sell the car and buy a manual?

 

[robmac36067]

just put

a shift kit in it and then laugh at all the people who tell you auto's suck. i just believe that the negatives of having a manual outweigh the positives.their is a reason that most drag racers use auto's, they remove human error. manuals are just aggravating, you get stuck on a hill and it's hell, stop and go traffic it gets old real quick.

 

[2K4POINT6]

I hear ya. I was just making sure you weren't one of those guys who are all "The auto sucks. You can't race an auto. A 5-speed is better in every aspect. Oh, you have an auto? It must be slow." (This has been said to me more than once.) My granddad has a HCI 5.0 5-speed, and it is so much fun to drive. I'd take it over an auto all day long; my next Mustang will definitely be a 5-speed (actually a 6-speed ). Sounds like you're gonna have a lot of fun with yours. Good luck with the swap!



AODE does not equal 4R70W. Yes, the AODE sucks. The 4R70W (which is in the modular cars) does not. The 4R70W can handle plenty of power, and will last longer than most of the 5-speeds that are abused (i.e. powershifting, 5-6k launches, etc.). There are plenty of people running 350+ horsepower on the stock auto tranny with no problems. You can build the 4R70W and it will handle more power than our motors will. Not to mention the fact that the auto tranny is way easier on the rear end.

i'm aware of the 4R70W's potential, but autos are so lame though. PRND2L, where's the fun in that? But Jack Bauer is far from lame!!!!!

 

[sneaky98gt]

But Jack Bauer is far from lame!!!!!

Could not agree more.

 

[Alex46]

2K4 Is that number for a conversion kit with transmission? Appreciate the help.

What is the 4r70W?

Was over on the SVT board and A Lot of people are saying that they have to replace the syncros in the T56 yearly among other issues. Guess it's how you drive it. A lot of people don't know how to drive a manual properly. It takes time and experience to learn how to really do it right.

Sell it? Well i pretty much have made this care custom to what i want. Although i would LOVE to get a 5.0. But i don't think i could find one that hasn't been abused to death. Have seen some nice one's but there over 20k.

You can just feel the strength of a Tremec when you drive one. If you haven't gone through the gears in one you wouldn't understand.


Thanks to all of you guys. Greatly Appreciated.

 

[Pushrod2Mod]

robmac36067, a manual gets old? To some of us, that comment couldn't be more false. If I am going to own a sport or muscle car, I see no point in having an auto unless I am piloting a mid 9 second or faster 1/4 mile car down the track. Now in my truck, the auto is fine, but theres no fun having an auto in a mustang, no fun period. I driven stick cars the majority of my life, and it never gets old even in traffic jams during rush hour Mon-Fri every week.

 

[bhuff30]

You won't see much if any gain in the quarter just by changing from an auto to a manual. You might see a little gain if you drive the nuts off the manual, but that takes LOTS of practice. You won't be clicking off faster times the first run out, that's for sure.

My opinion is, leave the car with the transmission it has, unless you destroy the original transmission somehow. I came close to swapping the automatic out of my 88, but thinking about the amount of labor involved, I didn't. I'm glad I still have the auto, it JUST WORKS! A properly setup automatic will work better at the track and be just as quick. A torque converter, gears and a shift kit should do just fine.

Also, manual transmission are MUCH harder on driveline parts. For example, I had to rebuild the 8.8 in my 97 GT, which is a 5sp, and that was with a stock power level of 215hp. The rear in my my 88 is still the ORIGINAL 7.5" open differential with 145k+miles, which has gone 1.7 60's with well over 300rwhp. Furthermore, there is no way I could hook as well with a manual transmission because of the way the manual shock loads the driveline. Yet, I can get pretty good 60' times with just nittos and an open differential. It's the automatic for the win.

 

[Alex46]

Pushrod, you understand what i mean. I've got the SCT livewire and have adjusted my shift points and the strength of them. It just doesn't go like a manual would. With a 10 second car or below yeah automatic all day, but with what i have it's just boring having a mustang with a manual in the past. It just what i like guys. Going to have to replace the transmission regardless sometime, and i can get a few hundred for the auto maybe 2. The guys doing the install are charging me 300, which imo is a Great deal. They've done work on my car before, and there great. Just got lucky in finding them. They work on all cars but prefer to just do mustangs, I'm willing to bet i could take almost a half second off my quarter time. You can just feel it

 

[robmac36067]

robmac36067, a manual gets old? To some of us, that comment couldn't be more false. If I am going to own a sport or muscle car, I see no point in having an auto unless I am piloting a mid 9 second or faster 1/4 mile car down the track. Now in my truck, the auto is fine, but theres no fun having an auto in a mustang, no fun period. I driven stick cars the majority of my life, and it never gets old even in traffic jams during rush hour Mon-Fri every week.

Have you ever driven an auto with a shift kit installed? not the tuner to adjust shift firmness but an actual shift kit? I myself prefer than over a manual...but to each his own.

 

[bhuff30]

Seriously, the difference in actual quarter mile times between a stock manual and stock automatic isn't that much, and a simple converter and shift firming would easily make the difference nothing.

The manual feels stronger, but that's only because of the shock loads, you aren't actually that much faster!

 

[sneaky98gt]

You won't see much if any gain in the quarter just by changing from an auto to a manual. You might see a little gain if you drive the nuts off the manual, but that takes LOTS of practice. You won't be clicking off faster times the first run out, that's for sure.

My opinion is, leave the car with the transmission it has, unless you destroy the original transmission somehow. I came close to swapping the automatic out of my 88, but thinking about the amount of labor involved, I didn't. I'm glad I still have the auto, it JUST WORKS! A properly setup automatic will work better at the track and be just as quick. A torque converter, gears and a shift kit should do just fine.

Also, manual transmission are MUCH harder on driveline parts. For example, I had to rebuild the 8.8 in my 97 GT, which is a 5sp, and that was with a stock power level of 215hp. The rear in my my 88 is still the ORIGINAL 7.5" open differential with 145k+miles, which has gone 1.7 60's with well over 300rwhp. Furthermore, there is no way I could hook as well with a manual transmission because of the way the manual shock loads the driveline. Yet, I can get pretty good 60' times with just nittos and an open differential. It's the automatic for the win.

Seriously, the difference in actual quarter mile times between a stock manual and stock automatic isn't that much, and a simple converter and shift firming would easily make the difference nothing.

The manual feels stronger, but that's only because of the shock loads, you aren't actually that much faster!