Engine Transmission Conversion 1998 Corolla Auto -> Manual

Indeed, there will be details pictures of EVERY part used from the manual car in this conversion. It won't be a giant group picture of everything (well there will be one but it will also be broken down). There will be a detailed picture of each part, a description of what it is and what it does. Along with this detail will be a description (and video) of the deinstallation of the automatic counterpart and installation of the manual part. This will be a completely OEM installation just to make sure that it's been done for the common car, not highly modified. However, once I do the modified version, there will be a new video and DIY on things such as short shifter install, lw flywheel, improved clutch and POSSIBLY the LSD install. Depends on if I'll do it or have PowerHaus II do it and if they will allow camera crew... lol

Nah, as much as I want to, I'd love to blow my auto, but I have a buyer for it that needs it intact.

Transmission Conversion 1998 Corolla Auto -> Manual

Well, it's time to do it... I'm done sitting on all these parts and doing nothing.
Some final checks will go in place this next week, and possible start dates on this are Friday August 27th or Monday August 30th. Just depends on how I feel about the parts I have and if I want to order any replacements.

This conversion will be done in 2 parts. As much as I'd like to throw in upgrade parts and beef stuff up while having everything out, I have reservations about moving past OEM until all bugs are worked out. At least with OEM parts in place, my technical resources at Toyota will be useful. Once all bugs are worked out, stage 2 will take hold in about 2 months (projected) and there will be some considerable changes being made to the manual trans...

This entire process will be documented in detail with video and pictures. Also all parts used in the conversion will be pictured, listed and labeled for the DIY manual that will come of this. There will also be video compiled into a nice 30 minute "show" (gonna make it kinda fun) including outtakes which will include things such as busted knuckles, lots of profanity as shit doesnt work or does work and any ' funny ' things that are caught on film. (why not go all out when you've got access to a video editing suite LOL)

Something I'd like to do, will be any major questions you guys may have about conversions, etc... I wont be able to answer everyone, however the really good ones that we can prove, disprove we'll kinda do in the show format and go into detail about the operation to resolve the question. Just like those shows on tv n shit... (like i said, why not have fun with this?)

We'll cover all aspects of the transformation including some of the following:

engine/trans pull ; shifter unit install ; cable install ; master cylinder install ; pedal install ; ecu change out ; etc...

Going to try to make this as informative as possible and not knowing the pitfalls that will be encountered, this could be quite an interesting video.

If anyone here is religious, please start prayin now... ROFL

(actually I think we've got this in the bag, but there is always room for Murphy's Law)

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comments, questions - discuss
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Travis

heh, actually I'm the one that did the removal of the manual trans from the donor car and all related equipment. Also the car that is taking my auto is apart already as well so I've had time to test fit a few things and do some preliminary foot work. I'f you've followed my car through this forum, you'd know I have been planning this out for more than 6 months, I'm not simply diving in. I've also been doing swaps, conversions, custom shit for a LONG time. I just don't go about touting it.

I will have to say (and I will admit if I turn out wrong) I can pretty much calculate down to the hour it will be done. This isnt my first conversion, however this does appear to be the easiest. You would be surprised to find out how almost identical the two chassis are between auto and standard for the 98-99. (unsure of 00-02) Literally from measurements and prefit tests, the problem spots will be the following:

Pedal Assembly and Interaction with Clutch MS and Brake MS.
Installation of the Clutch MS.
Reverse Light - this isnt really a problem spot, just something I haven't solved in theory yet. Electrically it's solved, in practice its not.

Cabling uses existing channels with a change in the grommet which houses the single cable (auto) and dual cable (manual).

Mounts match, three bolts vertical (drivers side top mount) two bolts horizontal (front mount)

Most wiring challenges will be solved by the following:

Removal of the clutch depress start. (optional in my book as I've NEVER cranked a car w/o the clutch depressed and the bitch in nuetral - this is personal option btw, if someone decides to do it, the wiring for it will be in the DIY - not hard to do)

Replacement of the wiring harness along with ECU. (however for the DIY I will leave the existing wiring harness onboard which is the EXACT same exception it has a few extra wires.

(this will be published in the DIY, however, its some info for you guys)

Starting:

ECU Block E6 (C)

Black/White running from the ECU (C11) to the Junction Connector where the clutch start switch (MT) / Park/Nuetral switch (AT) is at. (both systems use the same routing, exception the switch positions are different for obvious reasons and the junction connector feeds the ECU a wire (which will be ignored in the MT situation). This ECU wire #1 can be optional if it is bridged for signal purposes in removing the Clutch Start Safety. (not really recommended for most people)


Red-Lime running from the junction connector (J10) which runs to the Park Nuetral Position switch (incorporated with the Reverse Light switch) (AT) / Backup light switch (MT) By bypassing this sytem and feeding the R-L wire to the backup light switch from the manual shifting unit you effectively bypass the P/N/R switch from the AT's shifter assembly which down circuit on its way to the reverse light sends a signal via a Red/Black wire to the ECU. This is ECU wire #2 not needed. This is pinned out as (C17) Also NOT needed (wires #3 #4) are the shift position wires from the Auto shifting unit. These are LightGreen/Blue (C19) and LightGreen/Red (C18) The #5 wire is only if you have OD (4spd) - it connects to (C22) and is LightGreen

The last wires which may or may not be in a Corolla (only if it has cruise) is actually from the ECU to the Cruise Control Computer. The wires are Red/White and Brown/Yellow. They are pin 14 and 6 respectively on the CC ECU. This is wire #6 and #7. The final wire is Light Blue which runs from the P/N/R switch in the automatic shifting unit that is no longer needed. HOWEVER, this particular wire should not be clipped close to the cruise control as in a junction connector it is fed by the cruise control switch on the steering column. This wire should only be cut (if you decide to cut and not leave plugs just sitting there taped off) close to the P/N/R switch.

And those are the wiring differences between the two harnesses.
6 wires. (7 w/ OD)

Indeed sir. However, it only takes input from DV style tapes. I might get a unit for reading VHS however, I kinda don't see the point. DV owns.

and so do you lol

(this is my first official postwhore post which carries no value whatsoever to the main thread, i feel dirty jk)

Update

Ok, well I decided to say screw it and start on some of the stuff today... I've started working on the DIY for this particular portion of it. (total thing will be divided into 3 DIY's for the 3 major sections of the project)

Anyway, got the pedals and the master cylinder in today - total time: 2hrs.
You wouldn't believe how friggin easy it was to do it actually. Most of my time was spent with interior panels, moving my XM receiver and cutting the holes for the master cylinder.

Summary: Removed 3 (prepunched) sections of the insulation in between the firewall and the interior. (one piece under a metal support in the dash for bolting one portion of the clutch pedal to (already threaded hole beneath that square patch) -- I used the existing brake switch for the brake lights, as I still need to send signal to something ( (M) has 2 prong switch, (A) has 4 - need to find out what that for, however, I'm not too worried about it as both switches were the exact same size and layout.

Brake pedal bolts to existing master cylinder w/o a single issue. Clutch bolts to the main bolts off the clutch w/o a single issue (as long as your holes all line up, lol)

Results for pedal install:

Brake pedal works fine, clutch engages the hydraulics in the master cylinder just fine, will know more once the slave is hooked to it. Total time ACTUALLY doing the pedal install (all time minus moving my XM reciever) 1.8 hrs.

hehe thanks...

I actually moved the swap day to Thursday night Friday of this week because of work schedule. Hopefully I'll get crankin on this early Thursday night. I'll keep everyone updated!

That was my point when I said most of my interior would still be out in a month, lol...

I bought my rolla used... so i don't think i really paid the extra $1k "technically" lol

Yeah, I'm $180 short of supplies for some of that right now - had to buy a bunch of shit for my house this month, lol - i'll prolly put that in next month, my toyota hook-up went ahead and ordered it for me since he knows i'll do it within 30 days, lol...

Im not too concerned as I'll be running around w/o body panels for a month or so anyway while we do some stuff to mine. changeout will be easy like that... couple of cable clips and 4 bolts... lol

guess that could partially be my fault too.... however, i couldnt see myself removing fenders for a trans change... seeing as how the frame would still be in the same place, lol...

OK here's an update....

DONE.

I didnt get nearly the amount of video recorded as I wanted to. My camera person (wife) got a new job which had her working nights all week sooo I only got a few here and there when a buddy decided to grab a camera... most the time we were working our asses off...

Total Time: 18 hours of work.

Not bad if you ask me...

I've got a couple of bugs I'm working out, but overall everything runs great. It's wierd driving a 5spd now after driving that car for so long as an auto, lol... Very fun and DEFINITELY a difference in the feel of how well the car reacts.

The DIY for this thing will be out in about 2 weeks or so, its going to take some serious time to write all this out and make sure its all good before I publish it... You'd be surprised how much stuff transfered over. The only thing I had to change out on the mounts was a bracket that connects to the transmission on the drivers side... aside from that, everything else bolted right up.

This conversion is probably one of the easiest I've done.

Not 100% sure what the difference in actual is... however I will say these few remarks from within the last 5 hours i've been driving it 5spd...

1) the car is lighter for damn sure - I pulled almost 100lbs of weight out of my car, rocks.

2) I can rip the tires through 3rd (caught 4th once but im trying to be nice to my new clutch)

3) I can definitely *FEEL* more power and notice that it seems like my accelleration times are MUCH better.

4) 5spd 0wNz!