After doing some SERIOUS consideration, i'm looking to swap out my 4 speed auto with a 5 speed manual in my 03 cavalier.
But i'd love to get some precise answers on this, because i've heard numerous varying reports.
1. Is replacing the ECU required when switching from auto to manual? Or would a reflash work?
2. Will there be other parts involved? New axles, electronics, etc?
3. Would it be best to pull the whole motor/trans assembly or could i just lift the car and drop the tranny?
4. Where in the F*** can i find a 5 speed for my 03?!
5. Would it be possible to use a tranny from an earlier model, or just an ecotec trans?
Thanks for the help, you'll all make my life a whole LOT easier.
Freakin morons.... When will they learn. Hold On Not Done Accelerating
oh joy... time to save up for a junked 03 cavi then.... that should be fuuuunnnnnnnn....
or i'll just build a 300hp auto cavi.... and get a manual later
Freakin morons.... When will they learn. Hold On Not Done Accelerating
I'll tell you what I tell everyone who mentions this. Just wait til you get another car and get a manual then. You've already paid +$810 to get an automatic, so don't pay another $3000 or whatever to net -$3810 that you could put toward a brand new car.
-----------
Words that you can't use in modding: Finished, Perfect, Cheap.
1. You can reflash, or get the manual ecu. Auto and 5 speed use the exact same ecu... with different programming. I chose the reflash method, others choose the replace method. Up to you. I couldn't find a 2.4L 5 speed one in the local wrecking yards, so I didn't have a choice. Cost me $90 or so (Canadian) to have it reflashed.
2. You'll need both axles, the shifter assembly, the shifter cables, the pedals (all three!), the clutch master cylinder, mounts, flywheel, bolts, clutch, slave cylinder, mounting brackets and... uhh... I think that's all.. Aside from the trans, of course. You'll probably want to get the 5 speed engine bay wiring harness to make it easier. Some people do it with the auto one, and hack it to work, but personally I like the safety of having the clutch switch to start the car. Plus the backup light switch and VSS sensor have to be wired up.
3. You can drop the auto trans while leaving the engine in place, but you need to weld in new mounts for the trans (auto has one in the middle, 5 speed has two, a foot or so apart) and it's much easier to do that with the engine out.
4. Wrecking yard. Ebay.
5. You need a getrag transmission from an Ecotec.. Everything else has a different bellhousing. The tranny code is F23... but a Saturn F23 WILL NOT WORK. Don't make the same mistake many people have already made.
I was just thinking today about all these "auto to manual" swap questions. You could probably sell your automatic + the $3000+ (not to mention time) you would have spent on the swap and buy the same car in a manual factory built.
-----------
Words that you can't use in modding: Finished, Perfect, Cheap.
Derek724 wrote:I was just thinking today about all these "auto to manual" swap questions. You could probably sell your automatic + the $3000+ (not to mention time) you would have spent on the swap and buy the same car in a manual factory built.
Most of the time, that's probably true. Of course, if you have a lot of work already into the car... or you're stupidly attached to it (like me and my cars, LOL... except for the white one... anyone wanna buy it? Oh sorry, it's an auto too... ha ha...).
Or you can't get it in 5 speed... like the 2000 convertible... they only came auto except for special order (apparently, according to the ONE person I know who ordered hers in 5 speed new from the factory). Which is why I HAD to swap it.
This is such a common question.... I have to make a FAQ entry about it
and engine swaps... heh...
Lenko -- you do need to make a FAQ with your experience. When I wrote the above entry I was thinking "this doesn't apply to him because he wanted a convertible 5 speed". A FAQ is desperately needed it seems.
-----------
Words that you can't use in modding: Finished, Perfect, Cheap.
well in any case, yes i am stupidly attached to my cavi.... i want it to be rare, and unique.... cmon, how often do you see a tricked out 03 cavi SEDAN with a 5 speed?
If i can find a local yard with a (semi) whole 03-04 cavi, i'd be extremely happy because their parts are cheap around here. I live in a lil town near Quakertown, PA
so yes, the swap would be quite beneficial, considering somehow after only replacing the stock air box and duct with just a cone filter on the large airbox attached to the throttle body, and dropping in Bosch platinum +2 plugs, the car has enough snot to make 3 passengers heads hit the headrests.
I want this car to be unique, i want it to be original, i want to put in ALL the wrench time on it, i want it to be an extension of my spirit.
Part of the reason i'm now learning how to 'glass
Freakin morons.... When will they learn. Hold On Not Done Accelerating
I might be able to get you a manual tranny and some other parts but the shipping would be nasty from 59101 in Montana but if you want me to check the price for the parts, let me know or email me with the address from my profile.
-Seth
if you've got relatively low mileage and no customisation, your better of trading it for a manual transmission.
It's not economically sound to spend all that money and work, unless you can do it for very cheap and have some GOOD friends with lifts and patience.
I know a guy that did in his 2200, worked really good too.
-Chris
thanks to my father being a pack rat, i already have a lift, unlimited amounts of patience (cmon, it took me 12 hours to mix the proper shade of blue for an F4U-1D Corsair model plane)
and i can get the parts on the cheap from a local wrecker yard.
and yes, i do have the engine fairly modded right now, pulling 0-60 from a standstill at about 5 seconds.
Freakin morons.... When will they learn.
Hold
On
Not
Done
Accelerating
i got that same problem. im soon gonna be a turboed automatic that is dying to go manual. but i guess auto's hold the boost in longer(manual u will loose boost presure everytime u shift)...so im satisfied
haha
Quote:
well in any case, yes i am stupidly attached to my cavi.... i want it to be rare, and unique.... cmon, how often do you see a tricked out 03 cavi SEDAN with a 5 speed?
That's really funny! I thought I was the only one in the world with a 5-speed 03 Cavy SEDAN. I know what you mean about the being attached to a car, I love it. BTW, does anyone have a 4-door body kit they'd wanna sell?
Defekter Engel wrote:
and yes, i do have the engine fairly modded right now, pulling 0-60 from a standstill at about 5 seconds.
uhh not to put your down or anything, but with your mods in your registry your not doing any better than 8 seconds in the 0-60 MPH
2006 Black Cobalt SS Supercharged G85
13.91@102.77
