Transmission Swap OR 7afTe, ??Tranny or Turbo?? Options

[Sev408]

I have about $1,000 right now. My car is automatic, my dad and I have been researching and what not on how to do a transmission swap. Ive wanted to do a turbo but it seems to cost to much and it worried me about blowing the motor. Im about to roll over 100,000 miles in about 30minutes or so, after im done typing this.

Anyway, heres my question.

Should I do a auto to manual transmission, with a TRD shortshift kit, and stage 1 clutch?

Or should I turbo the automatic.

Ive read all about the 5sfe $600 turbo setups at stock boost but nothing on a 7afe. I know where to get parts and what not but im afraid of what will happen to the motor. Im also one of those guys that wants a good turbo, not a cheap setup, id like to get an intercooler kit and blowoff valve.

I just figure that im so close to a turbo setup money wise that if I did the turbo kit now that i could always get ahold of $600 for a tranny swap.

Its a hard decision and my friends are split in the middle of which to do.

Help me out guys.

---Scott

[lagos]

well, think of it this way....everyone who did a custom turbo has blown their motor.

so, if its a project that you want to get into then you have to spend a lot of time and money trying to figure out where everyone has gone wrong.

[Digndoug]

I would say sell the car, and buy an gt man, it will give you an extra amount of power with out messing up your engine, and just get a 5-speed... a lot easier... and prolly same price

This post has been edited by Digndoug: Mar 5, 2004 - 6:46 PM

[Sev408]

dude, i understand the whole blowing the motor up.

But god damn sell the car, we bought this new, its 25th aniversary and i damn well garentee its in better shape then any other celi on this forum, and no im not flaming anyone. Its never been in a accident, non smoker, interior is in almost perfect condition, engine maintained by my dad and I and the black color has yet to fade due to being in a garage its whole life when its not driven. Plus it just rolled over to 100k and that is all highway driving.

POINT STATED SELLING IS NOT AN OPTION AND NEVER WILL BE. I HAVE HISTORY ON THIS CAR, screw the GT its only like 10hp more.

NO FLAME INTENDED!!!

[lagos]

yeh selling is a dumb thing to do. you can get all the parts to convert to a manual from any junk yard. its cheap to do but involves a lot of work, so be ready to have your car worked on for a few weeks.

btw, you should have a body shop take that pin strip off. my car had the same thing and i paid 20$ to have it removed. the car looks soo much better without it.

[macavely]

i would go with the tranny swap first..

[hyp3rk1d]

Nah dude dont do the swap... do a custom turbo setup.. iam sure they have good reasons for blowing their motors, just be smart.. 7psi or 8 psi and a new fuel pump... Iam going turbo.. just gotta gather some money up first

[FallenHero]

How about buy rims... or a cat-back system. Either will make the car more appealing. I'd have my rims over a tranny swap any day. As for the turbo, you'd need lots more money.

Jon

[hyp3rk1d]

but he wants more power... turbo all the way

[lagos]

the problem with the turbo projects is not fuel or boost. i think the main reason for people blowing their engines is that they worry about fuel and air too much and do nothing to control timing. our stock ecu gets all confused when it sees boost and starts trying to advance timing. i think this is the reason for the blow ups. most trubo cars run very low stock timing. a dsm for example is 5btc.

this would also explain why the ripp mods kit is running well. because their black box retartds timing as the boost comes on.

This post has been edited by lagos: Mar 6, 2004 - 12:03 AM

[hyp3rk1d]

so what would u do in a problem such as this?

[Sev408]

lagos good point,


just to let you know i am getting the pin stripe removed, im just going to pull it off my self, when i do the swap. Im doing it over spring break so i have about 5 days to work on the car if we screw up somewhere.

For the pin stripe do i just get a razor under the edge and peel away, because thats what i am assuming to do?

[edo17982]

I'd say....go for manual transmission, in the while do some research for a custom turbo!

[slipgun]

Though I love the manual tranny.... I say go for turbo, we have seen alot of the main problems now *ie Fule pump* and though im sure there are many more, swapping to manual wont give you all that much more power, the one who did the turbo in the automatic sounds as if it where not for the failure of the fule pump, he had an exelent car. I would go for the turbo... if I where not so afraid to put that much more horsepower under my foot

[YellowTwo]

I think it depends on how much more you like a manual than an auto. I like it waaay more, so I'd go with the manual tranny swap.

[97sccelica]

[lagos]

[lagos]

[97sccelica]

OBD2 controls the timing on my car

based on knock and rpm temp and other things, it will retard or advance the timing. naturally the turbo warmed things up and when the knock values climbed, timing was retarded. on my safc2 i always had low knock levels.

for a mild setup, timing would not be a problem(either with obd2 cars, or back the timing off a little in a non obd2 car, and run both a little rich)

[Sev408]

well 97sccelica your setup you said cost almost $3gs, how would that compare to a setup that costs $1500?

I mean this car has got to last another 4-5 years all the way through college. I cant work while playing lacrosse and if i quit lacrosse then i loose scholarship.