alright - here goes. KL-P5-take2

will I need a different flywheel? Or will the stocker that the Torque Convertor is bolted up to work?
 
Flywheel isn't the same as the flex plate attached to the torque converter. You will need a different piece.
 
What Phen said. You might be able to find an Mx-3 flywheel from the 1.8 V6 locally or on the forums. It's lighter than the KL flywheel for a little extra performance.
 
yeah, looking at some spots online - different creature all together.

Guess I'm in the market for a flywheel also. Doesn't have to be "lightened and blahblahblah" - a regular OEM one will aid in streetability for my purposes.
 
a little disappointed the auto swap failed.. though I give you credit for venturing into unknown water :D

sub!
 
dunno why it failed - trans could've been f'd from the beginning, tcm could be f'd, some sensor amongst the dozen it needs to run "right" could be on the fritz.....

trust me - I"m a little disappointed it didn't work right too.....I mean.....it was alot of work. And my knee isn't going to like a clutch pedal at all.....

....but desperate times = desperate measures.

...time for a change. and...change..is good....
 
Everyone kept telling me that the slushbox would take the fun outta this swap. I thought different with some modifications to the atx - it should be just as fun. Not being able to shift into 3rd and OD are just NO fun though....so - this was meant to be the way from the get-go.

I figure that i can get this done in a few days, as familiar as i am with the car now. Tonight I'm going to put it on blocks yet again, and yank the axles, drain the atx, disconnect the wiring harness(s) to the atx, disconnect the mounts, pull the crossmember holding up the atx, and I may have to slide the engine over toward teh passenger side to get the trans out from teh bottom....

That's my plan. To fully uninstall the atx today after work. Shouldn't be hard, but it'll be worth it to get ahead of the curve on time. I may also remove the shift assembly from the console and get a few of the knockouts knocked-out to make way for the new shifter that's coming saturday.

Also - I'm leaving that trans computer connected, with no leads going to the transmission. It'll throw a CEL code without it connected. Maybe I'll get a MTX ECU down the road somewhere for cheap....or actually a MS system, but for now - it'll work as-is.
 
ok - update time:

Got the AT out tonight. Along with half the freakin engine bay....lol. Also got the AT shifter assembly outta there and the rubber plug in the bottom of the car pulled. It's all ready to go for install time. Now....to get parts.

Tomorrow I will take a break. No workin on the car.

Saturday from 8-12 I have that app't at MazMax to pull the MT peripherals for the transformation. Then after I'm done there- it's time to go pull a MT tranny from pullapart. Anyone got an idea of how much a MT trans weighs? It HAS to be lighter than that damn AT....had to use the lift to get it to the ground without casualties.

Tried to remove the flexplate.....that went nowhere fast. I couldn't even budge the bolts that hold it to the end of the crank. Hit them with some liquid wrench tonight - i'll try again on Saturday after getting the trans and shifter stuff.

Any ideas if it's gonna be that tough to remove the one from the junkyard!? OMG....that'll suck!!!!
 
Also - I'm leaving that trans computer connected, with no leads going to the transmission. It'll throw a CEL code without it connected. Maybe I'll get a MTX ECU down the road somewhere for cheap....or actually a MS system, but for now - it'll work as-is.

Won't it still throw a CEL for the lack of sensors? I know it looks for each valve body sensor and a couple others, I'll see if I can find where I read about it again.. lol I'm neck deep in swap research, and looking for a way to keep in smog legal
 
Make sure you remove the spacer on the crankshaft behind the flexplate when you get it off. That will cause nothing but problems with a 5 speed flywheel if left on.
 
reading from the Ford books, the trans rebuild guides, and from independent entities that have tested this transmission over and over again to make it better - the TCM does not look for any sort of resistance, or get any feedback from any of the solenoids in the valving. It just sends 14.2'ish volts to the shifting solenoids, 5v to the pump/lockup/tcc, and uses the input/turbine speed sensor to tell how fast the trans is spinning (kinda like rpm). Also uses the VSS from the trans to drive the speedo signal.

Only one that may in fact toss up a CEL is the input/turbine speed sensor because it just flat out won't be giving any feedback.

pics of lastnight's adventure....
TexasCity-LeagueCity-20120119-00091.jpg

TexasCity-LeagueCity-20120119-00090.jpg

TexasCity-LeagueCity-20120119-00088.jpg

TexasCity-LeagueCity-20120119-00086.jpg
 
alright:

Got the clutch pedal, hydraulics, linkage and shifter stuff. Also pulled a few brackets from a 626 manual. Will the auto mounts that are bolted to the framerail, the firewall, and the crossmember fit?

Also, tomorrow I go pull that trans. IT's gonna be a biiiiiiiiaaaatch I'm sure. Monday the clutch shows up - and hopefully by friday - the magic will happen
 
I know the mount at the firewall is them same, the mount at the frame rail is different and will not work, the front mount should work as long as you have the right bracket bolted to the trans.
 
yeah, that's what I figured. As long as I have the right bracketry on the KL trans - those mounts should work. Got that stuff put into the car tonight though - putting that shift assembly was a crapshoot....had to drop the exhaust to get it in there, and it's uber-close to making contact with the bottom of the shifting rod....

today while pulling parts - I was taking off the last of the bolts holding the upper trans mount (framerail side) off - and just as I thought she was gonna give - it did! I looked down ready to get another bite on the bolt head and noticed my wratchet had snapped off right at the head swivel - AND - it also twisted off the 6" extension tip into my 17MM deepwell socket. Time to make another Harbor Freight run on the way to the JY I guess.

tomorrow - go to pull-a-part and get that transmission and flywheel! Hope that flywheel is in good shape - shopped around for a replacement (mx3 flywheel.....a tad lighter, but mostly the fact that I wouldn't have to remove it at the JY...ha!) - dude actually wanted 85 bucks for a rusty flywheel from an MX3!!! pfft....nah, I'll pass.

Lastly - anyone got the transmission bracket that connects a manual 3rd gen trans to the trans mount they want to part with? I need that last bracket - and I think my mounts are all set. Looked all day long - found 1 car that had everything - but the impact of it's accident completely twisted it into trash......Is that bracket only used on the protege's of the 3rd gen variety? What about probe 4-cyl's with manual? same bracket? Kia? Escort? I think the rest of the mazda line that used the FSDE and the G15M-R trans were different brackets....
 
Well.....got the trans today. That was a battle i don't want to face again......but now I'm stuck, once agian. The starter was removed from the vehicle and put to the side, and that left a gaping hole in the transmission which was exposed to the elements...

...it was a rust-bucket on the inside. The clutch plates were so badly rusted to the basket and the flywheel - once I got the flywheel off it just looked hideous. I don't think any amount of rust removal would fix it, and whatever rust I remove will leave huge chunks of the metal missing.

Anyone got a 93-97 mx6, probe gt, 626 flywheel laying around they want to get rid of!? I'm talking like.....today. I"ll pay for rush shipping charges!
 
Go down to a local auto parts store and pick up a K8 flywheel for, say, a 1993 MX3 GS. Its lighter than the stock KL flywheel and only about $30 plus a core last time I checked.
 
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