Official: ATx -> MTx conversion

Lil Freek

Member
:
'01 pro lx-t
I have spoken to enough users and companies via private messages and e-mails - and I've determined that it is possible to do this conversion, and it is something that * I * deem worth my time and money.
This thread is to acquire a precise list of all the parts required to do the conversion. I don't know everything there is to change for the conversion, but I know most of the major items that do and do not need to be changed. I will constantly update the initial list with parts that people can PROVE I will require for the conversion. I will ask a moderator to monitor this thread and delete any non-informative posts.

This is a 6 month plan, so don't expect any immediate satisfaction or results. I will take 4-5 months to acquire all the parts, and set aside 1 month to acquire the tools, people and space to do the conversion. I'm estimating 3 8hour days to do the conversion without a lift. This will be documented to the finest points, I will have a photo (hopefully video) log of everything that needs to be done for the conversion. I know many people on here will benefit from the documentation that I will be creating.

The budget I have set aside for this is cdn$1300 (us$1000). This includes all the parts I need to buy, labour costs (if any) and price of tools for the conversion.

Parts needed:
1. Transmission (whole, minus the clutch assy)
2. Clutch assembly (Clutch unit, flywheel, pilot bearings, clutch release cylinder&collar )
3. Brake pedal and clutch pedal assy.
4. Transmission mounts
5. Shifter assy & shifter (will use B&M Short Shifter in place of stock)
6. Shift knob (will use Momo shifter in place of stock)
7. M/T front axles
8. Tranny linkage
9. Master and Slave cylinders
10. M/T ECU (to avoid monster headache)
11. Speedometer cables
12. Starter

Parts suggested but not required:

Parts not required:
1. M/T Engine
2. Engine mounts

To let people know before they even mention/ask it:
-No, I cannot just trade in my car (financial and personal reasons)
-No, I don't want to go through Lentech if I can do the conversion
-Yes I am crazy
-Yes, it has been done before, but it was not documented and was done a year ago
-Yes, the car will be turbo'd if the conversion can be done
 
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PRepare to be flamed. Alot of people on these forums talk a lot of s*** even though they dont know much at all. I for one wish you the best of luck
 
don't you need the shift linkage, clutch fluid cylinder, flywheel, bell housing and what not? i was looking into doing this conversion myself so i know this will definately help me out...
 
you will need the axles for a MT, trust me, also you need the entire clutch assembly not just the pedal, you do not need the brake pedal though. You can also use the automatic ecu(i still am) but recommend to use the m/t if you find one. Dont forget about all the nuts/bolts when you remove them from the place you get the tranny from....your best bet is to find a junkyard with a wrecked protege...
 
you also need the clutch lines, a different master cylinder, and I believe you do need a new ECU, or will have to do some wiring items to wire in the ignition cut associated with the clutch, the neutral indicator switch on the tranmission, as well as the reverse light switch too.

I'll see if I find more parts with the engine out that are obvious as being different.
 
gimpo2 said:
don't you need the shift linkage, clutch fluid cylinder, flywheel, bell housing and what not? ...
yes you need the linkage, the rest of those parts should come with the tranny when he gets one( i hope)
 
yeah.. the tranny would be bought as whole, flywheel, housing, etc....

I'll add the ECU to the recommended, move axle to 'needed' and add linkage to 'needed'
 
Well if you buy a tranny from a junkyard they will not include the flywheel and clutch assembly. Some don't even include the bellhousing (which I don't understand as then the gears are loose and so forth).
 
that depends on the junkyard, ive seen some with the bellhousing and flywheel, etc...like i said once you find a wrecked protege, get in there and buy the parts. i even got the guy at a wrecking yard to pull all the parts FOR me, and still only spent 500 bucks...
 
right, but I'd still list the things as "needed" rather than assuming they come as one part.
 
boom... so i'm reviving this.
I bought my turbo kit on Wednesday, so I need to figure out which is cheaper - to swap or to beef up my ATx.

I found this
arnprior_tranny.jpg


I'll assume that it includes the bellhousing, all the innards and the tranny mounts. They are the most expensive place to buy from, but they are great for haggling, so i'll hopefully get them to cdn$800 (midrange price for Ontario)
They also have (listed online):
Starter * cdn$72
M/T ECU * cdn$180 - FS8L-18881-B <-what does that code mean?

Other items that i've found within a few hours drive:
Clutch Master Cyl. *cdn$72
front axles * cdn$150 (from M/T car without ABS - i have no ABS either)

From researching a little more, i'm finding that there's hundreds/thousands of tiny little things that i need to get (tiny screws, clips, etc...) - i'm debating on getting all the major components together and just handing them to a transmission shop to do the assembly work. This car is my daily driver, and i highly doubt I could safely/properly put all this together.

I thank you all for your help and support, thus far. I will keep you all posted on where I go with this :)
 
Lil Freek said:
boom... so i'm reviving this.
I bought my turbo kit on Wednesday, so I need to figure out which is cheaper - to swap or to beef up my ATx.
Beefing up the ATx will be much easier. All you really need to not blow your tranny is PTS kit from levelten performance
http://www.levelten.com/store/feature2.htm
This makes it so your ATx tranny will engage each gear faster rather than engaging slowly and causing extra wear/heat. The reason it engages slowly is for a smooth s*** and comfort, which i would sacrafice in a second. A torque converter is also highly reccomended but not needed. I would invest in one in the future but deffinetly get the PTS kit.
 
The starters are the same I believe. The difference between MT and AT where it concerns the starter is the thin metal plate that goes between the engine and the tranny. The plates differ slightly in where the holes for the bolts that attache the motor and tranny together are positioned. You can use the Auto tranny plate on the manual tranny, but you'll have one bolt that doesn't have a hole to go in and the starter will only have two bolts holding it instead of three.

I also thought there was a considerable difference in the wiring harnesses between the two tranny's.
 
Rism said:
Beefing up the ATx will be much easier. All you really need to not blow your tranny is PTS kit from levelten performance
http://www.levelten.com/store/feature2.htm
This makes it so your ATx tranny will engage each gear faster rather than engaging slowly and causing extra wear/heat. The reason it engages slowly is for a smooth s*** and comfort, which i would sacrafice in a second. A torque converter is also highly reccomended but not needed. I would invest in one in the future but deffinetly get the PTS kit.

I would need more than that.
I would need, at LEAST: Overhaul kit (PTS), Torque converter and Tranny cooler, as well as a bigger oil pan
That's at least cdn$1650
 
yea im in the process of doing this as well... i have looked into beefing the tranny up but it will acutally end up costing more money. Lentech want 2 grand for the basics.

also talked to a tranny shop and labor is going to run me 800 bucks
 
^^ JUST the labor, or labour and misc. parts?

I'm going to start calling tranny shops today, try to get an idea of what they'll charge me.
 
that was a ballpark... and he said sometimes you need lil parts so he added for that. im prob going to bring him a protege that wrecked and hes goign to swap it from there and he said that could do reduce or add cost depending on what it would take for them to pull the other tranny etc...
 
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