The best automatic transmission is... (lots of pics)

[tjts1]

The one you are about to swap out for a 5 speed manual. I'm in the middle of this project right now on a volvo 240. The Japanese 4 speed auto in this car wasn't blessed with a locking torque converter so it guzzles gas like nobody's business. Sure I've done a lot of other little things to improve fuel economy. Electric cooling fan conversion, synthetic fluids, fresh gaskets, hoses, filters, plugs, wires... the list goes on and on. But in the end I had to stop ignoring the obvious and just do it. Right now the job is half done. The clutch and brake pedal are in and the slushbox is ready to come out.


The 5 speed is waiting to go in.


The pedals were the hard part of the swap. You have to remove the driver's seat and work on your back to reach the 10 or so bolt attaching the pedal box to the firewall.


And Just so the Civic crowd doesn't feel left out, I rebuilt a 2001 civic 5 speed when 2nd gear decided to bite the dust. You haven't lived life until you tried to put one of the puppies back together


While the volvo was out of commission, I replaced all the leaking gaskets, crumbling hoses, failed injector seals and cleaned out the carbon and oily grime build up inside the TB and intake. Messy work but somebody has to do it.


Topped it all off with a catch can (oil air separator) for crankcase ventilation.


The 5 speed should be going in this weekend. The old 4 speed auto is on its last legs. Theres a horrible knocking noise from the torque converter but it still runs like a champ. Got to love 18 year old volvos.

[UfoTofU]

Best of luck and keep us all updated!

I'm piecing together parts for a swap in my CRX.

[Hockey4mnhs]

nice post love the pics and info might consider doing the same

[Silveredwings]

Nice work.

[rh77]

There's nothing like a manual-swap to get rid of that slushbox.

Life would be so much simpler with a 5-speed.

Great idea and good luck!

Definitely keep us posted...

RH77

[Snax]

I've done a similar swap on an 81 Datsun pickup, and kudos to you for taking it on. There will likely be a few unexpected minor stumbling blocks on the way, but it's worth it to get rid of poor performing slushboxes.

Good luck!

[tjts1]

The slushbox is out of the car

Its a beast of a thing. Weighs almost twice as much as the 5 speed going in.

Unfortunately the manual I picked up was a dud. Internal damage that I didn't catch before buying it. But it was only $75 so no big deal. The pedals, flywheel, clutch, cable, driveshaft are all in and ready to go. I'll be looking for another 5 speed this weekend. The car is sitting pretty in the garage on 4 jack stands.

[repete86]

Nice. I really need to do this in my Honda.

What do you call that FE mod on the front that looks sort of like a Morebucks Coffee cup?

[tjts1]

Its alive!!!


I test drove it tonight for the first time and what a difference a 5 speed makes. The whole car feels much move lively.

A few ods and ends need to be done like reverse light and clutch pedal to starter lockout.

Parting shot

[Silveredwings]

Originally Posted by tjts1

Its a beast of a thing. Weighs almost twice as much as the 5 speed going in.

I'm glad it wasn't a breach.

[skewbe]

That's very encouraging TJ. I'm STILL NOT looking forward to doing it to my saturn (got to get it done in one weekend basically)

[Snax]

That's a heck of a project to take on over a weekend unless you are 100% certain about everything you will need to do and the parts you will need.

When I converted my pickup, I ended up waiting several days just to get a simple sleave bearing. Another unexpected (though really easy) mod that I had to do was pound out the floorboard under the clutch pedal to make room for it's travel.

Have a plan-B.

[tjts1]

After driving about 100 miles with the 5 speed it became evident that the RPMs were running way too high on the highway. From the factory the manual trans cars were equipped with a 3.31 ratio differential vs 3.73 diff behind the automatic transmission. Both manuals and automatics run about the same RPMs in top gear. A taller 4th gear on the automatic makes up the difference. I on the other hand was left with a 3.73 manual trans. The chart below shows the RPM vs speed for the 5 speed manual with both differentials. Gear ratios go from first to fifth from left to right. In 5th gear theres a 9 mph difference at 3000 rpm. Doesn't sound like much but the noise gets to me and it can't be good for fuel economy. Check out the numerical difference between 1st and 2nd gear. Volvo picked gear ratios at random.



Here come the 3.31 axle. My beater neon is on the right.

[brucepick]

TJ, another great job.
Your posts inspired me to do the e-fan job a couple years ago.
I don't think I'll ever have the gumption to tear out my slushbox and stuff in a standard.

Kudos to you.

[repete86]

I really wish that I had the knowhow and guts to do something like this to the Green Machine.

[Red]

Kudos man!

Wow, the gearing on that 5 spd is almost the same as on mine.

[tjts1]

After 1000 miles on the conversion and 4 fill ups, everything seems to be working just fine. Haven't had any unpleasant surprises... yet. Fuel economy improved from my usual 20-22 mpg to 24, 25, 26, and 28mpg for each respective fill up after the swap. As an experiment, I blocked off the EGR pipe at the intake to see what would happen. So far so good. Got 28mpg on the 4th fill up with EGR blocked off. Idle is a little smoother. I guess my EGR valve was leaking. Best of all, the EGR block off only cost me 5 cents.




Now its time to move on to some aerodynamic improvements... on a Volvo LOL

[brucepick]

Where is the EGR valve exactly? I suspect our 240s don't have them but it's hard to see and find stuff under/behind the intake man.

[tjts1]

The EGR valve is mounted on top of the oil/air separator on the side of the block, underneath the intake. The pipe from the EGR attaches to the intake between cyl 2 and 3 where all the vacuum ports are. I suspect only California cars got it in 89. Later LH 2.4 and 3.1 cars didn't have EGR. The EPA has a listing for 89 240s with and without the EGR valve.
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/compx...Field=Findacar

[Spule 4]

Wow. I did a Volvo 145S many years ago from the Borg Warner BW35 to a Volvo M40 four speed, brings back memories.

The best was my Volvo 122S wagon with the stock 4.7(something) rear end Vs the 4.11. On a stock car, this would be bad, but, the car has the drivetrain from a 1800S, so I had a modified B20 and an M41 (overdrive) which gave me a few more gears and a taller final drive, and a Volvo Amazon that could go 120 MPH and bark the tires on 1-2 shift!

[tjts1]

Update
All is well. The fuel consumption for every fill up has ranged between 25mpg to 32mpg depending on traffic, city/highway mix and who is behind the wheel. All in all a very successful conversion.

[Mentalic]

Thats a bunch of work! Looks like it was well worth it and the old tranny was shot anyway. Nice job!

[Thermactor]

That really takes me back. When I was younger, I converted a 1991 Toyota Cressida to a 5 speed pulled out of a Supra. It was quite a project!

LOL, I never got any mileage gains out of it though.