2G MTX to ATX Transmission swap?

[patthehat033]

How hard is it to swap an automatic transmission for a manual transmission in a 2G Eclipse?

When I turn 16 I will still be in high school and don't want to be shifting gears all the time since I will have to drive to school and back and to other places for school etc.

When I have added some decent HP to my car I'd like to take it to the strip. How much slower is an auto transmission than a manual transmission when doing 1/4th mile runs?

Would it be wise to get a stick shift when I turn 16, or just get an auto and learn a stick later?

 

[darthvadar tsi]

if your mom or dad has a car you can use as a dd to school use that then learn to drive stick if u havent already... if you want a boosted car in the future its better to learn on a slower stock car


swapping a transmission would take a lot of money and experience to do, just buy standard and have another dd

 

[patthehat033]

Thats the problem my parents dont have another daily driver, theyre at work when I am at school, it just doesnt work out.

Well I'm pretty mechanicly inclined, but I have heard swapping a transmission is a big job.

 

[xiteamxi]

i dont see why you would want to just because you have to drive to school and back it becomes second nature after a while it is a desantly big job and theres many things im sure u havent thought about swaping to flex plate and torque converter shift linkage trans fluid cooler trans tcu ect if u feel u have the know how/tools/and time then go for it but id look into gathering every thing first and go from there

 

[patthehat033]

No I havent considered those options. Thats why I joined this forum to learn about DSMs.

So is it possible with proper mods to make your auto as quick as your manual?

 

[TSi Kid]

No I havent considered those options. Thats why I joined this forum to learn about DSMs.

So is it possible with proper mods to make your auto as quick as your manual?

Before someone goes ass**** mode on you, I almost did, auto is going to be quicker then manual. Auto doesn't drop boost when it goes through gears, and it eliminates driver error. Throw in a shift box and you're set.

You say you're "mechanically inclined" but I'm thinking you do your own oil and that's it. A transmission isn't that hard to do, but having to drill holes for your clutch master cylinder and then running the lines is just a PITA.

There are many other threads out there that answer this question, just as I have, so try to do some research before you go and start a thread next time.

Keep it how it is for now, and later down the road change it to however you think suits you best. Good luck with your choice .

 

[patthehat033]

Before someone goes ass**** mode on you, I almost did, auto is going to be quicker then manual. Auto doesn't drop boost when it goes through gears, and it eliminates driver error. Throw in a shift box and you're set.

You say you're "mechanically inclined" but I'm thinking you do your own oil and that's it. A transmission isn't that hard to do, but having to drill holes for your clutch master cylinder and then running the lines is just a PITA.

There are many other threads out there that answer this question, just as I have, so try to do some research before you go and start a thread next time.

Keep it how it is for now, and later down the road change it to however you think suits you best. Good luck with your choice .

haha well thanks for the info!

I will do some more research on the subject.

when I say I am mechanically inclined I mean I am good with tools, small engines, bmx bikes etc.

I am only 14 years old, I am currently working on my little motorbike to get more experience with engines <

 

[VisegripMech]

Would it be wise to get a stick shift when I turn 16, or just get an auto and learn a stick later?

I'm mixed up. The way I read your post is:

• The car we are talking about is now a stick.
• You are thinking about converting it to an automatic
• You haven't learned to drive a stick yet

I learned how to drive a stick in a VW Bug. It was a spur of the moment thing on public streets. I remember mom doing a lot of yelling and screaming, a few violent, lurching starts, and bucking and stalling the engine at stops.

Go to a large vacant parking lot and focus on starts and stops only...

Forward, stop, Reverse. Stop. Forward, stop, Reverse. Stop. Repeat. Turn the car off. Get out, get in. Try it again.

Repeat until you can do all of these things without any lurching or stalling. After that shifting is easy.

 

[wings9191]

I am only 14 years old, I am currently working on my little motorbike to get more experience with engines <

Well you at least have a little time to work on it hehehe
Doing one myself right now.
Check your PM's

 

[96 420a-t]

Before someone goes ass**** mode on you, I almost did, auto is going to be quicker then manual. Auto doesn't drop boost when it goes through gears, and it eliminates driver error. Throw in a shift box and you're set.

You say you're "mechanically inclined" but I'm thinking you do your own oil and that's it. A transmission isn't that hard to do, but having to drill holes for your clutch master cylinder and then running the lines is just a PITA.

There are many other threads out there that answer this question, just as I have, so try to do some research before you go and start a thread next time.

Keep it how it is for now, and later down the road change it to however you think suits you best. Good luck with your choice .

This is true that autos do not drop boost during shifts. But autos are not faster because they have approximately a ten percent power loss through the torque converter. Also there is a larger rpm drop between gears, and finally there is no real lauch ability on a stock tranny.

 

[xiteamxi]

yes autos are faster in some cases and most people do like them for running quarters but i think you will be more satisfied with the 5 speed or sell it and buy an auto becouse ## car will have a good bit of down time going into the swap blind

 

[TSi Kid]

This is true that autos do not drop boost during shifts. But autos are not faster because they have approximately a ten percent power loss through the torque converter. Also there is a larger rpm drop between gears, and finally there is no real lauch ability on a stock tranny.

I said get a shift box as well!!!
Autos are better but manuals are more fun, and if you can launch good then the difference between the two would be marginal.

 

[TSI from Hell]

OP, first off let me tell you that driving m/t isn't a big deal at all, it becomes very natural very quickly.

However, my dsm is auto and I wouldn't change it, sure I'd like to have m/t sometimes, maybe one day ill have both, but for how solid they are, and the fact that they keep boost between shift, Auto DSM's are very worth it.

 

[2GbTalonGuy]

There are about 100,000 threads on this already on this site. Do a quick search and you will find all you need to know about swapping from auto to manual and vise versa.

 

[TSi Kid]

There are about 100,000 threads on this already on this site. Do a quick search and you will find all you need to know about swapping from auto to manual and vise versa.

Already said that at the beginning!
99% of the threads in the newbie forum are reposts anyways. RIDICULOUS.

 

[gusu]

If truck drivers can go through 12-18 gears for then I'm sure there wont be a problem for you barely ever really having to shift. I honestly don't even notice shifting anymore, but then again I have been driving a manual car as a DD for 4 years now. I actually get really annoyed from driving a auto because the breaks always feel like crap and you can't downshift to help assist breaking. I also don't like that I can't be in the gear I choose to be in when I want to be in it.

I'd say 99% of manual driving is in one gear.

 

[patthehat033]

True but if autos are just as quick, and you can wire up a shift box for it then I'd be just fine racing a auto.