The Official Auto-to-Manual Transmission Swap Thread

[97m3john]

I got a extra brake light switch with my kit and I ran across the same problem you did where when the power was going to the neutral part of the plug for starting and the other socket for tricking the cruise the cruise would not work with positive going to both of the sockets onthe plug.The clutch switch worked inverse of what I needed so I tryed the extra brake light switch I had and bingo!!Just what I need.BUT you need to shave off a little bump on the switch that allows it to go in just one way into the hole inthe bracket.(Use a razor blade takes two seconds)because it slides in alittle different.basically what you need is power on when clutch is pressed for starting and power off for the cruise to work.

[artmanm3]

does anyone know where I can purchase this?

[al_r]

I think maximumautoparts.com has them.
97m3john do we need a two pole or four pole?

Al

[jimmyjoe]

I have a 4 pole brake switch. what connectors to i hook it up to?

[97m3john]

I don't remember but it's two of the outside ones, use a ohm meter.If you do it right it works GREAT

[97m3john]

Four Pole

[al_r]

does anyone know where I can purchase this?

Try here:

http://www.zionsvilleautosport.com/store/shop.mv?

[David.Dunbar]

Zionsville gets $500 more for the conversion kit for the ZF trans over the getrag. It the ZF worth that much more? My M50 engine is stock and I would think that the getrag would hold up fine but are there any known issues with the getrag?

A manual swap is the number 2 upgrade for my 95 Vert E36 next to the stereo upgrade thats underway.

Dunbar

[funkmasta]

for a stock M50 the Getrag will be perfectly fine. good luck

[BCM M3]

Zionsville gets $500 more for the conversion kit for the ZF trans over the getrag. It the ZF worth that much more? My M50 engine is stock and I would think that the getrag would hold up fine but are there any known issues with the getrag?

A manual swap is the number 2 upgrade for my 95 Vert E36 next to the stereo upgrade thats underway.

Dunbar

The Getrag should be ok. I'm in Houston and I will probably be doing the swap in my '94 325i vert this summer, so I would be happy to help you with your swap so that I have some experience before I do mine. If you do it and want a hand, let me know.

[Boosted318is]

Okay,
So I just finished my tranny swap in my 1995 supercharged 318is. I got the reverse lights wired okay, but the cruise control will not work. I will try the fix posted on this thread.

I come with another few questions:
Since the swap the car is having trouble holding proper idle.
1) Could this be a DME issue?
2) Is the main computer specific to transmission?
3) Can I swap out EPROMS ( Manual EPROM to AUTO EPROM) if there is such a thing atranny specific DME units.

I was not sure if the lightened rotating mass of the flywheel and clutch as compared to the torch converter are not properly compensated for in the old AUTO ECU programming.

ANy info on this would be great. I call ed the dealer and they said I could get a PROM chip for use with a manual tranny, but they were not sure if it would work with my current auto based system....Any thoughts???

[str8 gone]

Does anyone know if a clutch/flywheel from a 99 m3 will work with a 95 zf trans?
Also, what does one do about adding a clutch stop? Is the necessary fitting already attached even though the car was originally an auto?
Thanks in advance

[Boosted318is]

I belive a 96 and up M3 clutch is different than a 95. At least that is my experience.

As for the clutch stop. the car already has a threaded insert. There should already be a hole in the carpet where the clutch stop threads into place. It probably has a plastic cover over it currently, but it is there.

[97m3john]

If you use the entire setup from the 99 it will fit your 95.I have a 97 and everything I put on my car came off a 95m3 and it fit.

[97m3john]

I need to bump this up so anyone thinking of doing this swap see's this.
If you own a obd 2 car your going to get a check engine light with misc. codes when you remove your auto.Make sure you get the manual trans. dme then you have to have it recoded for your car from a dealor.I'm still driving around with a cel,you will not pass the state inspection with a cel.
If anyone has found another way to get around this B.S. PLEASE post

[sbc325]

After about a year of thinking about it I'll finally be doing my trans swap in the next few days. My auto is ruined and would need a total rebuild so this seems like the perfect time to do the swap. I've read all 10 pages of this thread and I think I know what to expect. If anyone has any advice or tips please share them. BTW I'm having a mechanic do the labor for about $1k which seems pretty reasonable from what I've read on other posts. No work has started yet but the parts are on the way.

[funkmasta]

$1000 for labor is a bargain.
If you need parts, let me know...

[Boosted318is]

After about a year of thinking about it I'll finally be doing my trans swap in the next few days. My auto is ruined and would need a total rebuild so this seems like the perfect time to do the swap. I've read all 10 pages of this thread and I think I know what to expect. If anyone has any advice or tips please share them. BTW I'm having a mechanic do the labor for about $1k which seems pretty reasonable from what I've read on other posts. No work has started yet but the parts are on the way.

I live in LA and i have a perfect rebuilt driveshaft for a manual 325is- new carrier bearing / alignment bushing/ balnaced and painted. One of the hardest parts of the swap is getting the correct driveshaft. I learned that the hard way on my 318is.

I had this driveshaft rebuilt for my car only to learn that it was the wrong one at the day of the install. I now have a perfect 325is manual driveshaft. I have lots of connections if you are in the LA area. I had my swap completed at South Bay Independant in Hawthorne, CA. I just completed my swap about 4 months ago. I did a lot of research so feel free to drop me an e-mail at dave_aupperle@hotmail.com.

[sbc325]

I'll let you know if I need the drive shaft. How much would you sell it for. I'm in Santa Barbara so it would be pretty easy to pick it up. I'll be sure to contact if I have any questions.

[sbc325]

The process has begun. I should know if it was a success in a week or 2.

[CirrusSR22]

I saw a website where this was done to an E28 and they had to weld a bracket on the trans tunnel to accept the shift arm.

Is that nessesary on the E36 ??

I'm trying to visualize how/where this thing is attached to the car, maybe someone has pics?

Here, number #1:

[EMMM TREE]

NO, nothing needs to be welded

on the e36, the bracket is already on the car.....all you need to do is go to a dealer and buy the little bushing (number 4 in your figure), which will go into the already existing bracket

[CirrusSR22]

OK, i see now. And the other end connects to the transmission itself. Thanks

I can't wait 'till my auto blows so I can do the swap!!

[Austin Sr]

Here are low-res pictures from the package I made up showing each step of the process.

In order to offset the cost of this process, and me taking off work for 2 days to do this, I would be glad to send out a CD of all the photos and a parts list for $50. It also includes a step-by-step description of what to do. I can tell you I’m not making money on this, and knowing then what I know now I would have paid 4 times this to get something that would have helped on the swap. I’m not saying it is a big deal without it, but it would be a big help. You may have heard about this about a year ago when I did this, but I got some negative feed back from some when they found out I wanted $ for this data, so I dropped it.
I paid a professional BMW mechanic to do the work, and I recorded each step in detailed photos and text.

I will be glad to help by answering questions or ?? when I can, but I’m not on line much anymore.

If interested please e-mail me direct. austintec@yahoo.com

[CirrusSR22]

Sweet

Those pics were exactly what I was looking for!