Legacy Auto to manual conversion?

[Jerry DeMoss]

Hi I saw a 1993 auto turbo legacy for sale and thought I would see how hard it would be to swap from auto to manual? I would like to hear from people that have done something like this.The main things that concern me is the pedal cluster and the wiring involved taking the auto out and converting everything over.And lastly I am not sure what tranny I would try to use with that.Just thought I would ask all you smart people out there.

[Al_SemC]

I've done alot of research into this. Check out my webpage (link in my sig) and poke around until you find the AT->MT Conversion stuff. I've basically determined that it's just as cost effective as a trany rebuild assuming that you don't place a value on the time you spend on this. There is also an issue where the ABS module talks to the transmission controller about something in the AT models and won't work at all without a TCU installed. This renders your ABS inoperative. It's illegal to disable a safety system unless it's malfunctioning in most states (including mine), so that won't fly. There's a thought that replacing the ABS controller with one from an MT model might fix it, but I've heard little about it. Of course, if you don't have ABS (I don't think the 93's had it at all), you won't have this problem.

[Jerry DeMoss]

Thanks for the info.I will have to look at the car to see what it has.

[Al_SemC]

The wiring actually isn't too bad. You just have to sit down and digest the wiring diagrams, get a bit creative and perhaps make with some interesting dances with relays. All the parts can be had relatively easily from a junkyard with MT Subarus in it. Getting decent ones it the tricky part, especially a tranny and diff that don't suck.

 

Do note that if you use an actual Legacy Turbo MT drivetrain, you'll get a limited slip 3.900 rear end. This =