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YOUR RESEARCHAuto to Manual swap!
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Replace 996 turbo 2 years ago
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Leading evidence: 'Replace 996 turbo 2 years ago' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Check la dismantlers, the widow decided' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
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Suggestion
You could also check LA Dismantlers, the widow decided to close up shop.
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Suggestion
5) Need to change alternator pulley to have the overruning clutch.
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Suggestion · Original poster
During my search, people were saying that you don't need to replace the ECM (DME) to a manual one, and it can just be flashed with the manual program?
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Hi guys,
New to the forum and new to Porsche's, but not new to doing huge projects with cars.
A buddy of mine has a heavily modded 996 turbo and we have discussed converting his automatic trans to stick. I did a search of this board and found a few other people that have done this, but I have some questions about the electronics.
Strangely, it seemed that one of the most popular replies to people asking about swapping an auto to a manual is "just sell the car and buy a stick one". Well, my buddy has invested a lot of money into his car which he would lose if he did that, so he doesn't like that idea.
Anyway, all the mechanical aspects of the swap seem pretty straight forward and simple. What worries me is the electronics.
During my search, people were saying that you don't need to replace the ECM (DME) to a manual one, and it can just be flashed with the manual program? Is this all you have to do?
Also, someone said you have to replace the gauge cluster to the manual version. Is this true? I don't see what this has to do with anything other than not having the gear selection lights.
Is there anything else that i should know before doing this swap?
Thanks
I put this question in this forum because there is less turbo cars out there and really, this shouldn't be a turbo specific question... unless there's something i don't know!
I think the OP had the correct instinct, all the work aside, getting the DME sorted will be a nightmare.
Look into a more robust torque converter, especially if he's primarily interested in running major power and clocking low ETs. I know EVO made one that TT people were running to very great effect, search on TT forum and 6speed. You'll likely wind up with more consistent times, and from what I remember the revaned evo unit was good past 800 ft-lbs and under $2k
Regardless of whether or not he went about it the right way (new car or transmission swap), that guy's experience is hard to read - wouldn't wish it on anyone. Sounds like an unbelievable hassle.
I read over the link about that guys experience. I really don't see how that applies to me since i would be the one doing the swap, i wouldn't have rely on anyone. And i wouldn't be getting my parts from Dubai. It seems that most of this guys problems were caused by huge communication deficiencies. I also will not start this project if i have any doubt. Right now, I'm still in the research phase.
I know this has to have been done with success in the past, I just need to find that guy!
BTW, this car will never see a drag strip, at most, it may run a few autoX or open track events. So getting a torque converter with a huge stall is not an option. Plus, have you driven a car with a really high rpm stall TC on the street? That gets old pretty fast!
I am going to follow this thread like a hawk.
I have been down this path without success.
The hardware swapping is the easy part, it is the computer/software/electrical side that is the unknown part.
As a 99firehawk stated, no one knows how the instrument cluster will respond. It is almost a guarantee you have to swap out the tip cluster to a manual cluster.
That is when I threw in the towel.....
Sorry for the assumption, just when I heard heavily modded 996tt + switch to stick I automatically thought he was a MAX POWER guy.
BTW I agree the UK story is nonsense, that guy was doomed the moment he considered a G50 (which are amazing transmissions don't get me wrong, just not for a 996tt).
Your best bet is to speak with people who reprogram DMEs for a living, real race shops with excellent reputations who do lots and lots of cars. I don't know if he's ever done a auto to manual swap, but you might want to speak with Rick DeMan at Deman Motorsports re: DME / gauge cluster stuff. They may or may not do the DMEs in house, but they handle a lot of street to full race conversions, which at least would require DME reprogramming for immobilisers and airbags and psm and all that. I can say they are great guys, do impressive work on and off the track, are all Porsche, and just might be able to help you understand some of the issues involved. He's on this site, you should be able to PM him, or if you can't PM me and I'll give you his number. Good luck!
Hans
HEHE, you are giving me too much credit!
Seriously, I depended on my car everyday. I couldn't take a chance that there was a "missing link" to make it work.
Plus, diagnosing electrical gremlins really, really suck!
Hi. I would like to revive this thread.
Since the thread was started the price difference between the manual and tiptronic has widened significantly.
Where I live for similar mileage the price difference is now almost double. I am offered about $35-40k for my tiptronic with 44000km while a similar mileage manual car sells for $60-70k. So not the manual conversion is more than cost effective.
I have done automatic to manual conversions on 944s in the past, including wiring harness change, so labor cost will be almost O. I have found a 2001 996C4 parts car for about $4k.
Questions are: Are the C4 and turbo wiring harnesses the same? Is the C4 transmission strong enough for the turbo?
Old thread revival i guess?
Just as a point of intrest that pic shows a turbo conversion, na cars need a similar amount of parts but they will look different.
There's a few things missing with that kit of parts.
1) Don't need any brake parts. Just recode the ABS to manual.
2) Don't need the transmission crossmember.
3) Don't need the brake pushrod.
4) Starter is the same manual or auto.
5) Need to change alternator pulley to have the overruning clutch.
And a few things that are missing.
1) As mentioned will need the instrument cluster from a manual Turbo, and the ECU recoded.
2) Need the Y-cable from the alternator to the starter for the manual Turbo. The main battery cable is also too short so it needs to be extended.
3) Need the coolant hose for the left-side under car pipe for manual Turbo
4) Need the heater hose over the left driveshaft for the manual turbo.
5) Need a plug for the backup light switch.
6) Using the power assisted clutch slave cylinder, will need the power steering pump and reservoir from a manual turbo along with the lines from the pump to the slave.
(Don't do this. Install a GT2 slave conversion. This needs a) master, b) slave, c) clutch fork, d) slave flex hose, e) rear hard line from a 996.2, f) holes drilled in transmission g) clutch assist spring)
It's all plug and play, except for:
a) the backup light switch which needs to be wired in to the Tip gear selector plug
b) the clutch start interlock which I jumped at the ECU
c) cruise control clutch switch which needs to be wired into the cluster.
Thanks for this reply. What would it cost to do a swap like this? The average price difference between manual and automatic 997 Turbos is around 30k right now. There are some pretty nice autos up for sale at a reasonable price. I can do the labor myself i'd just need to look into having the ecu's flashed, etc.
I manual swapped my 996 Turbo 2 years ago. It was not very hard but it was expensive. The gearbox was the expensive part. You might call California Motorsports and see if they have a 997TT gearbox. I bet it will be 15-20k.
I doubt it's economically better to swap vs. buy.
I'm glad i decided not to do the swap. I decided to get a high mileage rough manual car for about 30k. Sorted it out now it's worth more than the low mileage auto. I ended up doing almost as much work as a swap.
Try finding a salvage car.
I also recommend thinking about resale value. We rarely do at the beginning of an emotionally motivated project.
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