Converting from Automatic to a 5-speed Transmission
From: MThomp7147@aol.com
I started to look into converting my own auto into a 5-spd and found out a
few things (some still need to be verified - I'll mark those with a *)
- Tranny - stock is around $600, but you might want to consider
upgrading to a 6spd (not sure about reliability on a hopped up C), or a 2.0l
Passat tranny (supposed to shift better - I would check on gear ratios also)
- * ECU - $400 will need to be switched out (I think because of the
electronic control of the auto)
- *Wiring harnesses - usually about $500-700 depending upon condition and
where you get them. You should need 2 harnesses - 1 goes from the ECU to all
of the engine components and 1 goes from the fuse block to the engine
compartment and hooks up to various pieces under the hood and I'm not sure
which of these goes to the tranny (I'll have to check next time I'm under the
hood.
- Pedal - probably around $100 if you have to buy them all as a unit (i
don't remember if they are separate) - from a junk yard of course. Don't
forget to buy all of the connections for the cruise control vac lines as well
as the vac switch.
- *If you want your car to look like it came with a manual tranny - you'll
also need to replace the cooling lines that feed the tranny fluid cooler. I
don't think they have the same thing on the manual.
- Shift knob, boot, cover for the tunnel. The ones you have now won't
work.
- All of the shift linkage - probably can be included with the pedals for
another $50-75
I'm probably forgetting something, but I think this covers the majority of
the stuff. If anyone wants to comment on this, please feel free to do so,
I'm not 100% familiar with all of the workings of the C (yet). Also, if
you're wondering how I handled this on my car, I bought a second car, 5spd,
in need of a 'little' work. I'm replacing the majority of the wiring
harnesses under the hood and maybe in the interior also because the engine
caught on fire so if anyone is looking for info on the layout of the cables,
let me know.
