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Iv'e had it with auto trannies!!!

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Old Dec 16, 2005 | 11:57 PM
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Iv'e had it with auto trannies!!!

I'm going for the 5 speed swap!
I blew the oem tranny, the Level ten tranny, and now the NRH tranny.
I think it's time to change my luck. It appears the 6 speed is too much trouble fitment wise and others have had too many problems with this swap.

I don't know whether to buy a new 5 speed or buy a junkyard special and have it rebuilt and upgraded. I might as well go with a JWT flywheel and ceramic clutch.

If anyone has any good advice I would really appreciate the info.

Also does anyone have any necessary parts I'll need for the swap? I can get you the cash in time for XMAS!
Old Dec 17, 2005 | 12:09 AM
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umm..i reccomend getting that i30t tranny cause of the vlsd.

everything you need is in the faq's.
Old Dec 17, 2005 | 01:35 AM
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I'd definately go with a built up junkyard 5spd. Skip the lightweight flywheel imho. Money better spent elsewhere. I'm surprised you blew both the L10 and NRH auto though honestly. I know your car puts down good power but I'd have thought those autos would be up to the task.
Old Dec 17, 2005 | 05:55 AM
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krab your i30 is sick

If I were you Id look for a tranny on car-part.com and get the rest of the parts from dave b or ebay/junkyard

i hate auto too!
Old Dec 17, 2005 | 09:57 AM
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How do you blow a tranny aside from passing too much power and torque thru it?
Old Dec 17, 2005 | 10:05 AM
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Originally Posted by DR-Max
How do you blow a tranny aside from passing too much power and torque thru it?
Might want to read his sig, or re-read it again.
Old Dec 17, 2005 | 10:06 AM
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Thanks, I just saw that. I guess you are following me around.

Originally Posted by NmexMAX
Might want to read his sig, or re-read it again.
Old Dec 17, 2005 | 10:11 AM
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Saturday morning .org fix for me
Old Dec 17, 2005 | 10:13 AM
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Same here. But I'm at work trying to kill some time.

Originally Posted by NmexMAX
Saturday morning .org fix for me
Old Dec 17, 2005 | 10:43 AM
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[QUOTE=Nealoc187]I'd definately go with a built up junkyard 5spd. Skip the lightweight flywheel imho. Money better spent elsewhere. I'm surprised you blew both the L10 and NRH auto though honestly. I know your car puts down good power but I'd have thought those autos would be up to the task.[/QUOT

Nealoc187,

I drive my car very hard and I often use the Shifttronic™ Manual-Automatic black box I got from level 10 6 years ago. I know slamming the gears manually from 1st to 4th while at wide open throttle must wreak havoc with the internals.

I talked to Pat Barret at level 10 and it would be about $1500 with shipping to tear down the tranny and update everything. He also said now he has much stronger parts for the tranny than what he put in 6 years ago. Of course there is still the labor to swap the automatics!

Assuming I put in a junk yard rebuilt 5 speed and all the other necessities,
what is the approximate cost for the swap?? I'll bet it's twice as much and then I have to constantly change gears in traffic.

To be honest, I'm undecided.
Old Dec 17, 2005 | 11:28 AM
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i would send in that auto to get rebuilt. autos are always faster and i think that with the amount of power your putting down the 5 speed will still be too weak. just imagine missing a shift, auto it crisp everytime, that is unless u get a sequencial (sp?) shifter
Old Dec 17, 2005 | 12:48 PM
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Originally Posted by CreativeDesignz
i would send in that auto to get rebuilt. autos are always faster and i think that with the amount of power your putting down the 5 speed will still be too weak. just imagine missing a shift, auto it crisp everytime, that is unless u get a sequencial (sp?) shifter

Autos are not "always faster". Autos can be made faster, and are faster after a certain point, a point which varies depending on car, driver, setup, etc. A point which he may or may not have reached yet (and won't know unless he made direct numerical comparisons changing nothing at all but the trans setup.

Also take a look at the most powerful maximas out there, the fastest maximas out there, and take note of what transmission most of them have.

i30krab - in your position I'd be on the fence too. If you don't like the idea of shifting in traffic then maybe try the auto again. Personally the idea of NOT shifting my car myself is what I don't like, which is why I'd never have an auto. It's going to cost you more than $1500 to do the auto to 5spd swap, and then more on top of that to have the trans built up to handle more power (I'm suggesting a performance oriented rebuild, not just a normal rebuild consisting of replacement of the bearings, etc).

If you want to stay auto I say give it another shot.

I'm also curious to hear what failed in both the L10 and NRH transmissions.
Old Dec 17, 2005 | 01:57 PM
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Damn... don't NRH give you a lifetime warranty? And I hear NRH trannies can hold insane amounts of power.
Old Dec 18, 2005 | 04:20 AM
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you like shifting... so get the 5spd swap

regardless of how built an auto tranny is, i don't think any are going to hold up terribly well if you keep shifting them manually, especially with the shift-kit mod you have.

a 5-spd in traffic isn't all that bad. you just get used to it and live with it.

plus, occasionally traffic lets up, which is when you'll be glad you have a stick
Old Dec 18, 2005 | 11:18 AM
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Did NRH warranty it? Would you recommend them and their parts/service?
Old Dec 18, 2005 | 05:41 PM
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Originally Posted by CreativeDesignz
i would send in that auto to get rebuilt. autos are always faster and i think that with the amount of power your putting down the 5 speed will still be too weak. just imagine missing a shift, auto it crisp everytime, that is unless u get a sequencial (sp?) shifter
i'm sorry to chime in, but automatics will always be slower than a manual with the same engine. I hope you were joking. Just look at the 0-60 times of auto and manual max's. auto=7.8 manual=6.6 . The simple reason is the torque converter, about 10% power loss if I remember right! having a fluid coupling=inefficient. and for those that say the lockup converter helps, it doesn't do anything. unless you are going at least 40mph in 3rd gear with less than 30% throttle, the converter will not lockup in most cars, it is designed to improve highway mileage not acceleration. a manual also shifts much faster because automatics are designed to give you a comfy ride. does the auto maxima shift into 2nd so fast that the wheels let go? I didn't think so. the manual gives you an extra gear so it will accelerate faster and top out higher and get better gas mileage and did I mention that it weighs about half as much? it is also much stronger and more reliable than an automatic because an automatic must have many small clutch packs, pretty much one for each gear. and a manual just has one big beefy clutch.

the only comparable automatics are the SMG transmissions, which are essentially just manuals with a computer controlled clutch anyways.
and bad shifts are rare if you don't suck
Old Dec 18, 2005 | 06:15 PM
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Originally Posted by thisisausername
i'm sorry to chime in, but automatics will always be slower than a manual with the same engine.
Not always, there's a crossover/threshold.

Originally Posted by thisisausername
the manual gives you an extra gear so it will accelerate faster and top out higher
Check the math, the 4AT has a higher top speed if one were to stricly use gear ratios ... .... simple math...

Originally Posted by thisisausername
and get better gas mileage
Again, not in the A32.

But, in order to take this back on topic, yes for a light bolt on A32, 5MT = teh winnAr.
Old Dec 18, 2005 | 08:54 PM
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Originally Posted by thisisausername
i'm sorry to chime in, but automatics will always be slower than a manual with the same engine. I hope you were joking. Just look at the 0-60 times of auto and manual max's. auto=7.8 manual=6.6 . The simple reason is the torque converter, about 10% power loss if I remember right! having a fluid coupling=inefficient. and for those that say the lockup converter helps, it doesn't do anything. unless you are going at least 40mph in 3rd gear with less than 30% throttle, the converter will not lockup in most cars, it is designed to improve highway mileage not acceleration. a manual also shifts much faster because automatics are designed to give you a comfy ride. does the auto maxima shift into 2nd so fast that the wheels let go? I didn't think so. the manual gives you an extra gear so it will accelerate faster and top out higher and get better gas mileage and did I mention that it weighs about half as much? it is also much stronger and more reliable than an automatic because an automatic must have many small clutch packs, pretty much one for each gear. and a manual just has one big beefy clutch.

the only comparable automatics are the SMG transmissions, which are essentially just manuals with a computer controlled clutch anyways.
and bad shifts are rare if you don't suck
Please research before you post crap like this. YOU CAN BUILD an auto to be MUCH faster than a manual. Supras that run 9s and 10s many of them ARE AUTOS. A lot of Nascars are autos! There is not THAT much of a weight difference. The only thing your 5th gear is good for is for conserving gas THAT IS IT nothing else. IT IS NOT STRONGER NOR A LOT MORE RELIABLE. 5 speed trans go bad ALL THE TIME. You can NEVER build a 5 speed to half as strong as an auto. Yes my 2nd shifts so fast that it lifts the wheels off the ground but that's because I have an upgraded racing VB with a built transmission.
Old Dec 18, 2005 | 09:24 PM
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+1 harris stage 2+ vb here. i love being right for the most part . im pretty sure dragsters and funny cars are automatics as well. oh wait i forgot, "no auto can shift faster than any 5 speed." oh and btw with the vb i chrip 2nd with 18's. so once again do your research b4 u post.
Old Dec 18, 2005 | 09:56 PM
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But for similarly modded N/A A32's w/ bolt ons, the 5MT will still pwn...

Who cares if you can chirp your 18's, it might be tires.
Old Dec 18, 2005 | 10:06 PM
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My auto chirps second screw you all. including the douchebag who thinks manuals are teh fastar ALWAYZ.
Old Dec 18, 2005 | 10:16 PM
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the auto to 5spd swap link in the faq's doesn't work. think they closed it down?
Old Dec 18, 2005 | 10:19 PM
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Watch this

1993 Camry V6 200k miles ORIGINAL tranny AUTO
1991 Ford Escort 210k miles ORIGINAL tranny AUTO
1996 Maxima 122k miles ORIGINAL tranny AUTO

I must be a miracle worker since I have never had AUTO tranny fail me in total of 533k miles
Old Dec 18, 2005 | 10:22 PM
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the auto to 5spd swap link in the faq's doesn't work. think they closed it down?
No, check the all motor forum, gobs of info in there.
Old Dec 19, 2005 | 01:08 AM
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Originally Posted by dariod
Watch this

1993 Camry V6 200k miles ORIGINAL tranny AUTO
1991 Ford Escort 210k miles ORIGINAL tranny AUTO
1996 Maxima 122k miles ORIGINAL tranny AUTO

I must be a miracle worker since I have never had AUTO tranny fail me in total of 533k miles
Which one of those had the built motor running 12lbs of boost? What do your stock cars have to do with a modified car putting down over 300hp?
Old Dec 19, 2005 | 01:24 AM
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You got DAMN lucky on the 91 Ford Escort. My friend who is a transmission specialist told me that ford makes one of the crappiest trannies out there. He has a 97 Taurus that he had to rebuild already. I do understand the Camry and the Maxima autos lasting that long. My 3rd gen Aztec Red SE w/ autotrajic lasted me about 200k miles before it started breaking down. That's when I traded it in for my first emerald black 4th gen with autotrajic. Now I have a 5-speed 4th gen and I love it the most.


Originally Posted by dariod
Watch this

1993 Camry V6 200k miles ORIGINAL tranny AUTO
1991 Ford Escort 210k miles ORIGINAL tranny AUTO
1996 Maxima 122k miles ORIGINAL tranny AUTO

I must be a miracle worker since I have never had AUTO tranny fail me in total of 533k miles
Old Dec 19, 2005 | 08:56 AM
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simplicity=reliability. there are less parts to break in a mt. the biggest problem with automatics performance-wise is the torque converter and the fact they they need to have multiple clutches.
I'm not denying that there are fast automatics, i'm just saying that two otherwise indentical cars, one with a mt and one with an automatic, both of the same quality, the manual will be faster. I would presume that any advantage gained by making an automatic shift faster would be offset by the extra weight and losses in the converter. Any good manual driver can shift in a few tenths of a second anyways.
find me a stock, street legal car with a slushbox automatic that is faster than the manual version in 0-60 time or quarter mile. I'm not counting the SMG transmissions either, which are really computer controlled mt's. If you do find a faster at, it will be after a lot of searching.
Old Dec 19, 2005 | 09:34 AM
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I have to say that automatics trans limit the use of high end horse power. I have a 97 auto Maxima and it's hard to use the high end power which I like using. Plus there is the fact that the auto doesn't shift all the way down if you are doing a rolling stop, so it's harder ot pick up speed when you need to. I myself want to do a 5 speed swap, reason is my auto is dieing on me(131000miles) and I want to have fun driving a stick, not for the fact that I want to race but the feeling of just having fun.
Old Dec 19, 2005 | 09:35 AM
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Originally Posted by NmexMAX
Who cares if you can chirp your 18's, it might be tires.
Old Dec 19, 2005 | 10:18 AM
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Originally Posted by darklegend06
I have to say that automatics trans limit the use of high end horse power. I have a 97 auto Maxima and it's hard to use the high end power which I like using.
If you still have the USDM intake manifold you're talking out of your a.ss.
Old Dec 19, 2005 | 10:30 AM
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Originally Posted by NmexMAX
If you still have the USDM intake manifold you're talking out of your a.ss.
So what is being said here? Please compare apples to apples for the sake of people like me. Are you telling me that a manual tranny with MEVI or other VI will not be able to perform as well as an auto with the same VI? When ever has it been the case (with a maxima) that an auto outran/outaccelerated/whatever a similarly modded/unmodded manual?
Old Dec 19, 2005 | 10:38 AM
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jeez, if you like shifting and having an actual FEEL for your car, do the swap, you can do it yourself in about a day and a half. And if you are so bold, you can rebuild the manual tranny yourself (like me)...try rebuilding an auto tranny yourself, MUCH harder, and more time consuming. if i were boosted and pushing as much power as the originator of the post, i would never bother with an auto. The auto will always have more drivetrain loss, and with stock gearing, it will always be slower than a manual (acceleration wise). The manual tranny tests your skills as a driver, and really pushes you to give it your all and develop good shifting habits and driving style when you race your car.

Not to mention it's a good form of weight reduction. The manual tranny is about 70 lbs lighter than the auto.

I'm a little biased, but i've driven fast auto cars, and i can definitely say that when I did my 5spd swap, I made the right decision, you have so much more control of your car. Traffic doesnt bother me, either. You have to get used to it. I'd rather sit in traffic and shift once or twice than wait for the tranny to downshift (lag) on a highway on-ramp.

-Freddy
Old Dec 19, 2005 | 10:39 AM
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Originally Posted by Minimalmaxima
So what is being said here..........
I was giving someone a reality check and, I wasn't replying to you...

I was referring to this post,


Originally Posted by darklegend06
I have to say that automatics trans limit the use of high end horse power. I have a 97 auto Maxima and it's hard to use the high end power which I like using

And their remark of "High end power"

Whereas there is no significant high end power to take advantage in a USDM equipped A32 no matter if he was 4AT or 5MT... so my post stands.
Old Dec 19, 2005 | 10:41 AM
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Originally Posted by NmexMAX
And their remark of "High end power"

Whereas there is no significant high end power to take advantage in a USDM equipped A32 no matter if he was 4AT or 5MT... so my post stands.
i guess in some respect, you can call an 00vi a USDM
Old Dec 19, 2005 | 10:53 AM
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Originally Posted by NmexMAX
I was giving someone a reality check and, I wasn't replying to you...

I was referring to this post,





And their remark of "High end power"

Whereas there is no significant high end power to take advantage in a USDM equipped A32 no matter if he was 4AT or 5MT... so my post stands.
I know you were not referring to my post. I was referring to you answer to that darklegend06's post. According to edmunds.com max hp is at 5600 and torque at 4000, so I understood his post to be referring to the the difficulty of keeping engine speed in that range or wherever shifts should be made with an auto. Is it not hard to do that with an auto? So my question to you was does the MEVI change that? Maybe it's not the case in the first place. I dunno. Tell me.
Old Dec 19, 2005 | 11:23 AM
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Originally Posted by tavarish
i guess in some respect, you can call an 00vi a USDM
Not for an A32....



Originally Posted by Minimalmaxima
I know you were not referring to my post. I was referring to you answer to that darklegend06's post. According to edmunds.com max hp is at 5600 and torque at 4000, so I understood his post to be referring to the the difficulty of keeping engine speed in that range or wherever shifts should be made with an auto. Is it not hard to do that with an auto? So my question to you was does the MEVI change that? Maybe it's not the case in the first place. I dunno. Tell me.
You've been here long enough to know the answer to that
Old Dec 19, 2005 | 03:08 PM
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Originally Posted by NmexMAX
But for similarly modded N/A A32's w/ bolt ons, the 5MT will still pwn...

Who cares if you can chirp your 18's, it might be tires.
Whats your deal man? I was trying to backup what u had stated before, obviously if its shifting faster and harder it will be able to break the tires loose. and my tires arent gay for your information so maybe someone needs to do their homework before opening their mouths. i didnt ask for a personal attck by helping u back up your statement all i did was add more to something that was true. I guess if u think S02's are garbage or gay then you need to check yourself. you really come off with a pretty bad attitude in some of your posts. oh well nuff said from me i just dont appreciate a comment like that.
Old Dec 19, 2005 | 03:17 PM
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Originally Posted by CreativeDesignz
Whats ..........




Just because you can chirp your tires doesn't mean much, IMO .. That was my point.
Old Dec 19, 2005 | 03:39 PM
  #39  
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Back on topic of this thread. With the mod you have I'd suggest getting you auto tranny rebuilt. Not only beacause of the financial reasons, but also the technology that went into your tranny is 6 years old (if i read your post correctly) And it lasts 6 years with (I assume) the power you have now. Thats damn good, Have them rebuilt it and it should last longer and perform better.

Originally Posted by NmexMAX
Just because you can chirp your tires doesn't mean much, IMO .. That was my point.
I chirped my tires on the way to work this morning, car was going to hit me, had to gas 1st gear
Old Dec 19, 2005 | 04:19 PM
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I used to be able to chirp the 35" tires on 16x10 wheels in my 4x4.


Originally Posted by NmexMAX




Just because you can chirp your tires doesn't mean much, IMO .. That was my point.



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