'83 and '84 Turbo Auto to Stick Conversion

[Guest GeoffreyR]

Ok, ShawnW... here it is, exactly as it is written in front of me... sorry I can't scan any of the pictures, but my scanner is broken.

 

CONVERSION FROM AT TO MT

 

LIST OF PARTS REQUIRED (USED):

 

'82 - '84 Manual Transmission

- 4SPD D/R with ALL hardware

- matching flywheel, driveline, rear diff

- MT rear crossmember

- MT leading rod brackets (l/r) (also called strut rod cups)

- Bolts/clips/hardware for trans and bracket (ALL)

Full pedal set for MT 1800 including clutch and speedo cables. ALL associated hardware.

MT Shifter, gasket, plate with hardware.

4WD lever with bracket (remove from 4WD MT vehicle) with ALL hardware

4WD MT shifter console, 4WD lever cover, screws

MT starter

 

Note on used parts: double check them to make sure they work.

 

LIST OF PARTS REQUIRED (NEW):

 

Throwout bearing

Clutch/cover plate

Exhaust gasket (2)

Turbo gasket (2)

Flywheel to Crankshaft Washer (rubber)

Driveline spring pins (6)

Oil filter, oil/trans drain plug rings

Liquids (thread compound, cleaners, oil/trans)

 

LIST OF OPTIONAL PARTS:

 

MT top cover gasket

Rear main seal

Oil pan gasket

Turbo bolts (replacement part per manual if studs come out, Subaru p/n 901000032) (If these are the bolts that hold in the turbo, Lowe's home improvement carries them for about 20 cents each)

MT transmission rubber mounts

Motor mounts

 

SPECIAL PART: (NOTE **MUST** MAKE STURDY CONNECTION)

 

Special exhaust bracket to be fabricated to ensure proper support of turbo outpipe to transmission (like AT used to provide) (see diagram)

 

It is reccommended to have a FSM for your car for the disassembly procedures.

 

PROCEDURE:

 

- Remove Turbo/Exhaust (prep for AT removal)

- Remove AT (plug vacuum, trans cooler lines)

- Exchange rear differential (3.7:1 AT to 3.9:1 MT)

- Remove AT leading rod bracket (2). Install MT brackets.

- Perform MT conversion (flywheel, clutch) and replace rear main seal and oil pan gasket if desired

- Perform interior cutout, install 4WD lever plate

- Install MT, driveline, bolt down front end

- Exchange pedal sets (AT to MT), complete cable installation and adjustment (clutch)

- Perform electrical conversions (starter interlock, cruise, reverse, 4WD light) See diagrams

- Complete interior conversion, fittings, etc.

- Fit/check turbo and exhaust, complete.

Check everything one more time and run motor and EGI (?) check

- Final adjustments

 

DISABLING A/T STARTER INTERLOCK AND REWIRING REVERSE LIGHT:

 

- Locate large connector for AT shifter. Female connector should look like this:

 

(rectangular connector with a small tab or protrusion at the bottom. Wires, clockwise from top left, are: Large black (yellow stripe), large black (white stripe), small black (yellow stripe), small green (yellow stripe).

 

- Cut both LARGE black wires. Connect (short) together. This cancels the starter interlock.

 

- Cut both SMALL wires. Connect to MT reverse switch by running wires (2) through shifter opening. This connects the reverse lights up.

 

REWIRING 4WD LIGHT:

 

- Locate large silver relay can under dash (deep in area above and behind the fused block). This is the 4WD checker. Locate the male/female connector lower down. Disconnect. Leave the female connector alone unless you're taking the checker out. Place it out of sight. Clear room around the male connector. Should look like this:

 

(plug is rectangular and looks like it should have 2 rows of 3 connectors, but the upper left and upper middle pins are removed)

 

- Jump the lower middle and lower right connectors (green with red stripe and black with white stripe) together.

 

- Use the wires (2) coming from the AT lever button (4WD) and connect to MT 4WD lever switch.

 

REWIRING CRUISE CONTROL (IF EQUIPPED):

 

- Remove cruise control unit. Locate wire marked "Inhibitor" or "AT". Cut wire but eb sure to leave 1/2" or so at the connector in case you make a mistake.

 

- Install clutch switch on pedal set if no switch is already there.

 

- Locate wire marked "Clutch switch" or "Clutch". This wire should normally be grounded (AT). To convert to MT, disconnect the ground and connect to the new clutch switch. The clutch switch, when depressed by the pedal, will open electrically. This will cause the cruise control to reset. Use extreme caution when testing to avoid blowing the engine. Engine will over-rev if clutch pedal depressed and cruise does not reset.

 

The only other page in the conversion has a couple diagrams on it, which I can't readily explain. And unfortunately I have no scanner anymore.

 

I have written, verbatim, the instructions as written on this sheet. I have never attempted this conversion, so I don't know how straight forward it is. If you have any questions about my descriptions of the diagrams that I have written, please feel free to ask me to clarify. If you have any questions as to what the heck this thing is referring to, I can't help you... I'm not the one that came up with this stuff.

 

Hope it helps you out... if it does, it might be something worthy of putting in the USRM.

[Guest Hondasucks]

What the $*%&@ are the "strut rod caps" that you refer to, and do I need them for a 2WD auto to stick conversion???

I guess I'll probably find out tomorrow and have to make an extra trip up to my house to get them off the hatchback.. (I'd take 'em now if I knew what they were!!!)

LAter...

--Andrew

Also, do you need to swap out the bolts that hold the flex plate on with bolts from a MT car, e.g. are the bolts used to hold a flywheel on different from the bolts used to hold a flex plate on??

[Guest GeoffreyR]

What are strut rod cups?

 

I don't know.

 

Will you need them for 2WD auto to 4WD stick? more than likely. In fact, you'll also need either a 4WD gas tank or a 3" lift kit to do THAT...

 

Bolt swapping thingy - Again, I don't know. If it wasn't in the instructions, I don't know.

 

Maybe Shawn can decipher that babble.

[Guest Turbone]

The strut rod caps are what holds the top of the strut to the fender well. If you are converting to 4WD from 2WD, you will need the struts from the 4WD as they are adjustable. I did this conversion several years ago, so things are a little foggy, but I remember the biggest PIA was the pedal bracket. I didnt remove the steering column as some people have suggested, I had no clue as to what I was doing - it just looked like it could be done, so I did it. I did realize later that I should have gotten a beefier clutch, I burned up the first one real quick. Not sure where you can get one, but I believe someone on the board does, they are out there. I also did the AT to MT conversion on a Turbo wagon, and this is where I burned up the clutch - to much torque for the stock plate.

Rob

BTW, I would use the flywheel bolts from the 4WD, not sure but they could be a diff length.

[Guest qman]

Strut rod caps...

Strut rods are connected to the lower control arm and the body. The caps are what connects to the body under the floor board(your feet). You need to change these because they are different between 2wd and 4WD. Besides that the mounting points for the transmission cross member are different between auto and stick.

As far as a clutch goes use a 9" flywheel('83 and '84) and a new clutch, pressure plate and disc. It will hold better.

Yes, the bolts are different. They are longer for the manual trans.

 

Good luck, Qman

[Guest Hondasucks]

The car I am converting is an 82 GL 2WD sedan, I am not converting it to 4WD, just to a 2WD 5 speed. Since I am staying 2WD do I still need the strut rod caps? I took the trans out of my old 87 STD hatchback (EA81 body style) which is still in my driveway, so if I need any more parts let me know and I can yank them off. Someone else was still using the lift at school today so I prolly won't get it done until Monday :-(

[Guest GeoffreyR]

qman said:

 

"Besides that the mounting points for

the transmission cross member are different between auto and stick.

As far as a clutch goes use a 9" flywheel('83 and '84) and a new clutch, pressure plate

and disc. It will hold better.

Yes, the bolts are different. They are longer for the manual trans."

 

I'd say that's a yes, you need the manual ones... (cups AND bolts)

[Guest ShawnW]

Awesome thanks Geoffrey.

[Guest GeoffreyR]

yeah, no prob...

[TheMeatWagon]

AHHHH this is perfect. Okay so im sitting here and its like 2:30 in the morning and i am having severe medical probs with my eye and cant sleep. So i just happen to be scanning old posts and find this. this is EXACTLY what i have been searching for for oh so long. Anyone else who is thinking about this it should help. Oh and Turbone i remember you and GD talking about the correct terms... well heres where you probably heard em. It brings up a couple questions though... anyone know how hard it will be to put in the clutch pedal? And if is it possible and practical to add fulltime awd and d/r?? ahh this makes me happy

 

Cheers:drunk:

[GeneralDisorder]

The only AWD tranny made that will go into the car is the one from a late 80's FT4WD (same as AWD) EA82T. The spline count is different so you have to have axles made, or swap the DOJ joints with those from a turbo legacy. The only D/R version of this tranny came in the late 80's RX (87 to 89 I do beleive) - it's low range is only 1.2:1, and it has a 3.7 diff so it's more of a rally trans. There is another AWD tranny that will fit - the one from an AWD XT6 - not sure on the spline count of that one, but it's AWD and has a 3.9 gear ratio. Some of the XT6's came with 3.9 LSD's in the rear too.

 

GD

[TheMeatWagon]

FT4WD stands for full time all wheel drive correct? So if i find a complete good condition tranny from an 87-89 rx and take everything out of it and then took a couple DOJ joints from a turbo legacy plus the other stuff on that list of new stuff i need then i can have a 5 spd ft4wd d/r tranny in the car right? Im looking to make this a rally type car so would it be more practical to have the d/r or go with the LSD in the XT6 Tranny? Thanks for the help

 

Cheers:drunk:

[GeneralDisorder]

The XT6 tranny doesn't have an LSD - just some of them came with LSD *rear* diffs.

 

The fitement of the FT4WD (Full Time Four Wheel Drive) is different, as the tranny itself is a slightly different shape. You should talk to ShawnW as he has done something like this with his wagon. He will know more particlulars than I.

 

I would say the D/R would be better for a rally rig. The XT6 tranny isn't bad tho - it will launch hard with that 3.9 diff. Much like an RX tranny in low range I should think. Both are hard to find, so beware of that. They did make single range FT4WD trannies too - they came in a lot of the EA82T wagons and such. These are considerably easier to find.

 

GD

[TheMeatWagon]

Okay i think ill try to hunt down a d/r. Sorry if some of my terminology/abbreviations are off im still fairly new to this. Thanks for the input

 

 

Cheers:drunk:

[calebz]

One minor correction, and it may just be my point of view.

 

The single range FT4WD(5 speed) trannies don't really seem to be any easier to find than the RX D/R FT4WD trans. It took me quite a while to find mine, and I have not seen another since I got mine.

[GeneralDisorder]

Tis true what he says - none of them are easy to find. Here in Subaru country I sometimes forget that not every place on earth is this lucky. Out here, I've seen maybe one RX in the junk yard. I'm not sure how many FT4WD 5 speeds I've seen, but it's not less than 8 or 10 I don't think. I've pulled two LSD's from them....

 

GD

[MilesFox]

cant you just use the doj from an ea82 turbo axle, on an ea81 4wd axle? what's about the legacy doj?

 

 

 

The only AWD tranny made that will go into the car is the one from a late 80's FT4WD (same as AWD) EA82T. The spline count is different so you have to have axles made, or swap the DOJ joints with those from a turbo legacy. The only D/R version of this tranny came in the late 80's RX (87 to 89 I do beleive) - it's low range is only 1.2:1, and it has a 3.7 diff so it's more of a rally trans. There is another AWD tranny that will fit - the one from an AWD XT6 - not sure on the spline count of that one, but it's AWD and has a 3.9 gear ratio. Some of the XT6's came with 3.9 LSD's in the rear too.

 

GD

[baccaruda]

the RX trans will fit properly in an EA82 project. I think it only has clearance issues in an EA81 project.

 

Sure, you can swap to 4WD as well. make sure you get a 4WD clutch. Get the entire rear suspension setup from a 4WD car and hang it under there. If it's an EA81 project you can use the EA82 rear suspension attached to an EA81 rear subframe (which has the torsion bars in it) if you alter the rear control arm bushing a little to fit in the smaller EA81 bracket. Miles Fox sez to chop and smooth a little off of the bushing and drill out the bracket for a larger bolt.

 

You will be best off dealing with the driveshaft by having a custom one piece driveshaft made. It's too imprecise to drill for the two piece mounts by hand.

 

And if you go to all this work and DON'T throw on some rear disc brakes, you should be slapped .. I would also add a rear sway bar from an EA82 (needs altered to fit an EA81). If you use the rear shocks from an EA82 on an EA81, you'll need a custom adapter to fit the top.

 

feel free to slap ME if I missed or messed anything

[MilesFox]

a carrier bearing mount can be built rather simply with a welder, some steel and a hacksaw, drill

 

i built one in a matter of minutes from steel laying around, built it around the driveshaft and the car. it was built around an ea81, but it also worked in an ea82.

 

much cheaper than a driveshaft, if you have the resources to build one

 

after reading all this again, you may be out of luck on the doj swap to the ea81 axle, unless the ea81T axle has a larger diameter DOJ. if that proves to be true, then you can use some 25 spline doj from a ny full time or 5spd turbo ea82 axle

 

if not, you can modify the front crossmember to use an ea82 lower control arm and axle. then you can use the right axle for the tranny(turbo 5spd)