Auto to manual swap?

tacollins · 12-18-2013, 11:34 AM

Has anyone converted an automatic car to manual? I was wondering if it was even possible, and if it is the steps and parts needed... as well as if there is a 7-8 speed tranny that would take place of the 5 speed getrag originally used in the car.

sleepyalero · 12-18-2013, 11:39 AM

Search! Been talked many times.

Yes. I have the f40 6 speed in my 3400 alero... its from the g6.

No you cant do a 7-8 speed.

5 speed getrag 282 or f40 are your only options.

Parts? Everything that consists in a manual trans... shifter, clutch, cables, trans, clutch, fly wheel. Axles.... and on the f40 the driver side axle has to be shortened a 1/4 inch. And you have to use the g6 axles.

Ps buy my LED tails.

tacollins · 12-18-2013, 11:53 AM

Thanks

sleepyalero · 12-18-2013, 12:42 PM

not trying to be a rooster. just many people dont search before they post a question. it just gets annoying after being on the site for awhile and seeing basically the same questions everytime you stop in when you just answered an identical question the week before at times.

everyone is a big help here. search, and ask questions if you cant find what you are looking for.

but, you're welcome. and the 6 speed manual in a 3400...... lots of fun.

not many people do the manual swaps on these cars. there is very few. i know kwuack has the 5 speed but his car has been basically a work in progress for many months, him being a firefighter fighting wild fires all over the west coast makes him a busy guy. then there is me, with the 6 speed, and another black alero with a 6 speed 3400 as well (mfuller)

me and mfuller both have custom trans mounts (needed for 6 speed) ARP flywheel bolts, and delryn (spelling?) bushings for the trans mounts, much stiffer then polyurethane. so the car vibrates quite a bit, and the 6 speed is a pretty noisy transmission, but its normal.

been curious though if you went with a less severe bushing for the trans mounts if it would quiet down the trans, the tranny isnt really a big concern to me on noise, its more of the vibration inside the car that can be rather frustrating. theres nothing worse then driving the car you love and hearing a bzzzzzz noise coming from a dash panel piece or a pillar piece just vibrating away. but for time being ive gotten most rattles taken care of with folded pieces of paper and stuff hidden in the dash holding those certain panels that cause a rattle.

Shiwnath · 12-18-2013, 03:08 PM

First of all what engine. Sleepy just assumed you had a 3400. Also the Getrag F23 from a 2200 OHV cavalier/sunfire bolts right up to the 3400 so that's also an option. J-Body guys have good luck with reliability when it comes to how much power they can hold.

If you have a 4 cylinder, you're better off buying a manual car to begin with considering you're gonna need the parts from one otherwise.

tacollins · 12-18-2013, 04:26 PM

It is the 3400 SFI, the reason I'm asking is:
1. I just recently relearned how to drive a stick (I had learned how to drive one around the age of 5 but forgot)
2. I like them better than the automatic, because they give you a better feel for the engine, so that you can tell what's going on under the hood.
3. I'm thinking about making an improved clone of the California edition which i read somewhere, that it had a stick.
4. Thinking about a 3.5L swap in the future...(just in the thinking about it phases atm)
5. The occasional drag off a stoplight or OTR time challenge is rough on the stock automatic.(Done in past, kinda glad I did it revealed weaknesses in the stock setup.)

tacollins · 12-18-2013, 04:43 PM

i'm gonna take this time to say read my signature...

sleepyalero · 12-18-2013, 04:44 PM

See I assumed and was right! +1 for sleepy.

Okay. Yeah im sure you learned but at 5 theres no way you could reach pedals and shift?

Dont think the california had a stick in it. If you replicate it. The hood on that car has been made in steel and full carbon fiber. But very rare. Good luck finding one ive been tryin for years. Lol

As for the auto being weak... true and false. And quick tuning adjustment with hptuners will make that trans bullet proof. Member here tuned his and it was supercharged and he was doin 7k+ rpm shifts and it held fine.

Last but not least. Buy my LED tails for this replica.

Oh one more thing... for the love of god.... dont put a stupid ass bench park wing on the back like they did... love the california alero but that stupid rk sport wing kills it for me.

tacollins · 12-18-2013, 04:50 PM

really? i like the sport wing. that's what makes the car... also one of the reasons i bought it, because of another thing that has been jeered at the fact they targeted the import car buyer market...

Tuner's for the win!

WhiteV6 · 12-18-2013, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sleepyalero

quick tuning adjustment with hptuners will make that trans bullet proof.

tacollins · 12-18-2013, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sleepyalero

stupid... bench park wing on the back like they did...

I agree with you on that part the straight flat one killed it, they needed a form fitting one, I'm planning on using one like this

http://i.ebayimg.com/t/SEIBON-Carbon-Fiber-Universal-GT-Wing-Spoiler-/00/s/NjUwWDY1MA==/z/CocAAOxyaFtR5PeN/$T2eC16FHJH4FHdw!JsOLBR5PeNZf7w~~60_35.JPG

sleepyalero · 12-18-2013, 05:21 PM

Ben it was a play on words. But you can make them tough as nails for the most part. Mmgt1 can vouch for it from his build.

And idk about that wing. If I were you just do a grand am sct spoiler. Currently im the only alero with one.

WhiteV6 · 12-18-2013, 07:26 PM

MMGT1 is a miracle from heaven. Show me something from a mortal.

Chris2000 · 12-18-2013, 08:25 PM

Lurker here...Coming in with a reality check.

Lets be honest, you're probably not going to do much, if anything to your car besides a CAI and that spoiler you linked.

If you weren't just going off of impulse thoughts of having a nice car you would do the research and search through the information on this gold mine of a site.

Anyways, good luck in your potential "build".

HOYS · 12-19-2013, 12:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhiteV6

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhiteV6

MMGT1 is a miracle from heaven. Show me something from a mortal.

Either way, again I'm with WOT Tech. 4T45 is a pretty bad transmission with limited aftermarket support...hell the only reason there are upgraded clutch packs is because its the same style of transmission used in the Cobalts. The aluminum accumulator pistons are because GM was cheap and put silly plastic ones in...that break...and any LSD you get for the car is just a stock diff with some spacers and a spring in it.

Either way, OP won't do any of this if the first thing on his mind is what wing looks best.

-Colin

AleroB888 · 12-19-2013, 04:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HOYS

...hell the only reason there are upgraded clutch packs is because its the same style of transmission used in the Cobalts. ..
-Colin

What year did they start doing that for the Cobalts...... and why would they try to beef up an automatic Cobalt ?

WhiteV6 · 12-19-2013, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AleroB888

What year did they start doing that for the Cobalts...... and why would they try to beef up an automatic Cobalt ?

The 4T45E was revised every single year, at least up to 09. I really didn't keep following it as it was relayed information to me. Did the supercharged cobalts get a 4T45? That is my assumption for the upgrades available.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris2000

Lurker here...Coming in with a reality check.

I want a refund.

AleroB888 · 12-19-2013, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhiteV6

The 4T45E was revised every single year, at least up to 09. I really didn't keep following it as it was relayed information to me. Did the supercharged cobalts get a 4T45? That is my assumption for the upgrades available......

I know that Rossler did a 4T45E build on Schweppe23's GrandAm in early spring of 2005 (which apparently is still functional into the mid-12s). I think the non-supercharged Cobalt LT sedan had the automatic option, not available in the SS, but I don't have the original GM performance catalogs from back then anymore. The LT had the lower power engine.
iirc, Cavaliers used the 4T40 which has similar parts.

What was generally not available to most owners back then was tuning capability, which certainly can affect long-term reliability.

The fact is, the 4T45E is the only game in town for most of us. So if some experienced mechanics and a GM engineer claim better longevity with a performance tune, I will certainly try that. "Bullet-proof" is not a word I'd use for any transmission, or anything with a clutch in it.

tacollins · 12-19-2013, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris2000

Lets be honest, you're probably not going to do much, if anything to your car besides a CAI and that spoiler you linked.

Chris, the truth is that I have some body work to do so I thought why not do some other things. It had crossed my mind to do a CAI got to thinking if I put something to introduce a vortec into the air system, add a CAI and some sort of scoop to ram air into the CAI, I may just have a system that would add at least a few horsepower... So I'm in the design stages and reverse engineering stage of creating a cheap alternative to a vortec insert, while I try to find a job so that I can do my body work (new passenger side fender, hood, and bugdeflector) and possibly replace my gun metal metallic paint with a dark purple metallic paint... (I hate it when deer decide to walk in front of your car...)

So I guess you could say that my plans may change when I find a job and the money comes in -_-...