question: how feasible is an auto to manual transmission swap on a(n) NA?

there is a '90 for sale at a great price due to it being an automatic
and the tranny is sticking and staying in 2nd gear. so i wonder about
the practicality/lack thereof of doing a switch given that the tranny
has to come out anyway. and if we went to a manual, might as well
lighten the flywheel, etc.

--------
"any words spelled incorrectly are probably typing errors"

barry wrote:
> there is a '90 for sale at a great price due to it being an automatic
> and the tranny is sticking and staying in 2nd gear. so i wonder about
> the practicality/lack thereof of doing a switch given that the tranny
> has to come out anyway. and if we went to a manual, might as well
> lighten the flywheel, etc.
>
> --------
> "any words spelled incorrectly are probably typing errors"

And end up with a detuned 1.6 that develops 105 HP instead of 116 HP,
with the infamous short nosed crank.

Stuart H.
'91 Eunos Roadster, BRG

this article should be helpful... and miata.net is a great resource in
general for all things miata...
http://www.miata.net/garage/auto_2_5_speed.html

"barry" > wrote in message
news
> there is a '90 for sale at a great price due to it being an automatic
> and the tranny is sticking and staying in 2nd gear. so i wonder about
> the practicality/lack thereof of doing a switch given that the tranny
> has to come out anyway. and if we went to a manual, might as well
> lighten the flywheel, etc.
>
> --------
> "any words spelled incorrectly are probably typing errors"

On Sat, 31 Jan 2009 12:39:34 -0500, "Christopher Muto"
> wrote:

>this article should be helpful... and miata.net is a great resource in
>general for all things miata...
>http://www.miata.net/garage/auto_2_5_speed.html
>
>"barry" > wrote in message
>news
>> there is a '90 for sale at a great price due to it being an automatic
>> and the tranny is sticking and staying in 2nd gear. so i wonder about
>> the practicality/lack thereof of doing a switch given that the tranny
>> has to come out anyway. and if we went to a manual, might as well
>> lighten the flywheel, etc.
>>
>> --------
>> "any words spelled incorrectly are probably typing errors"
>


thanks!

--------
"any words spelled incorrectly are probably typing errors"

I'd consider it if it was in very good condition otherwise, and plan on
replacing the entire powertrain with a 1.8, manual tranny, and a later model
rear axle assembly.

"barry" > wrote in message
news
> there is a '90 for sale at a great price due to it being an automatic
> and the tranny is sticking and staying in 2nd gear. so i wonder about
> the practicality/lack thereof of doing a switch given that the tranny
> has to come out anyway. and if we went to a manual, might as well
> lighten the flywheel, etc.
>
> --------
> "any words spelled incorrectly are probably typing errors"

Chuck wrote:
> I'd consider it if it was in very good condition otherwise, and plan on
> replacing the entire powertrain with a 1.8, manual tranny, and a later model
> rear axle assembly.

If it has a tan top, he could marry it to this one and take the engine,
transmission, differential, top and wheels, maybe the seats too.

That would be a pretty nifty first generation Miata.

http://austin.craigslist.org/cto/1011873274.html

Not sure how good that price is unless the miles are very low, but
wrecked Miatas with intact power trains are not too hard to find.

Pat

On Sat, 31 Jan 2009 17:01:30 -0500, "Chuck" > wrote:

>I'd consider it if it was in very good condition otherwise, and plan on
>replacing the entire powertrain with a 1.8, manual tranny, and a later model
>rear axle assembly.
>
>"barry" > wrote in message
>news
>> there is a '90 for sale at a great price due to it being an automatic
>> and the tranny is sticking and staying in 2nd gear. so i wonder about
>> the practicality/lack thereof of doing a switch given that the tranny
>> has to come out anyway. and if we went to a manual, might as well
>> lighten the flywheel, etc.
>>
>> --------
>> "any words spelled incorrectly are probably typing errors"
>

what's the point then? the car is double discounted due to being an
automatic and requiring tranny work. i know the engine will have about
10 less HP, but i figure i can compensate by lightening the flywheel.

by going to a 5 speed, i figure the car should increase in value
beyond the expense of of conversion. the overall plan would be to pass
the car on to a friend, doing him a favor yet still making a little $
on the deal and have some fun working on a miata.

i suppose i should mention that i've already got a '94 sufficently
tricked out, which was a replacement for my '90 which was at 208k
miles when it ran broadside into an idiot in an SUV who had made a
left turn in front of me from the opposing lane. i'm still trying to
recover damages too - the driver didn't own the car, and the owner
died, so i have to recover damages from the estate.

--------
"any words spelled incorrectly are probably typing errors"

The Devil is always in the details! Under "normal" conditions, (whatever
they are) Swapping out the automatic would only be worth the trouble if the
90 was in very good condition, really cheap, and the high dollar parts were
at no cost.

As a project, spare time effort, with no labor or other major costs, it's
doable.

If the car was for someone else, I'd likely see if I could find an auto
tranny, and replace the bad one.
An alternative would be to find out why the tranny is malfunctioning.
Sometimes, auto trannys arn't to expensive to repair.

A 90 is old enough that the investment should be quite low in any case.



"barry" > wrote in message
...
> On Sat, 31 Jan 2009 17:01:30 -0500, "Chuck" > wrote:
>
>>I'd consider it if it was in very good condition otherwise, and plan on
>>replacing the entire powertrain with a 1.8, manual tranny, and a later
>>model
>>rear axle assembly.
>>
>>"barry" > wrote in message
>>news
>>> there is a '90 for sale at a great price due to it being an automatic
>>> and the tranny is sticking and staying in 2nd gear. so i wonder about
>>> the practicality/lack thereof of doing a switch given that the tranny
>>> has to come out anyway. and if we went to a manual, might as well
>>> lighten the flywheel, etc.
>>>
>>> --------
>>> "any words spelled incorrectly are probably typing errors"
>>
>
> what's the point then? the car is double discounted due to being an
> automatic and requiring tranny work. i know the engine will have about
> 10 less HP, but i figure i can compensate by lightening the flywheel.
>
> by going to a 5 speed, i figure the car should increase in value
> beyond the expense of of conversion. the overall plan would be to pass
> the car on to a friend, doing him a favor yet still making a little $
> on the deal and have some fun working on a miata.
>
> i suppose i should mention that i've already got a '94 sufficently
> tricked out, which was a replacement for my '90 which was at 208k
> miles when it ran broadside into an idiot in an SUV who had made a
> left turn in front of me from the opposing lane. i'm still trying to
> recover damages too - the driver didn't own the car, and the owner
> died, so i have to recover damages from the estate.
>
> --------
> "any words spelled incorrectly are probably typing errors"