While you are probably correct, I chose to use 1/2 inch. But I also run a bridgy and a few other goodies. I wanted a little flex as possible, while keeping stock (ish) geometry.

resurrection happening with questions

im doing the conversion with plans on drifting my its a 1990 FC N/A Automatic and well i have most of the parts sourced out already but after reading post #93 im concerned about the tranny that i bought cause there is a guy on the west forum whos brother is one of the main heads at Lucky7 anyways i was on the market to buy a S5 tranny with driveshaft and crossmember and well the guy i bought it from said it came off his FC S5 so i was like ok paid him and took it home and has been sitting in my garage with other parts for 5 months just found this thread and the crossmember on my tranny looks similar to

but more like

......___/''''\ and its on the 5speed tranny the guy sold me its it considered the S4 tranny??

thats question #1)

#2) what are your guys feed back as of today (June 16, 2010) with the Custom DIY brackets from all methods (C channel, Step-Up, Cut from Donor Car and Weld in Current Car Method) since you guys did this more than half a decade ago more than curious to know how strong they are still holding up.?????

#3) do i need to use the Auto or Manual X-Member to do this conversion???? cause im getting different opinions for both.

#4) what exactly do i have to do ELECTRICALLY to the Wiring Harness or the Neutral Safety Switch to make my conversion happen???

#5) and is it possible to use TITANIUM for the custom brackets??

thanks for any feedback or help on this....

Also wondering about the Neutral Switch, does that need to be wired in at all?

so no one has an update at all????

Okay young one whom has fostered my name (lol), here is your update.
1. If it hasn't bee modified in any way, look at the shifter. The thread pitch is for the shift knob on a S4 is M12x1.5 and S5 is M10x1.25 (same as the FD). However, you can swap the shifters though. Judging by the ascii art, it looks like you have a s4 crossmember

2. Feedback on conversion mounting methods: I did the step-up brackets originally and used them for six months. When I pulled them off the car in favor of junkyard gold (my buddy found a 88 TII at the yard and we chiseled the mounts from it), the brackets were straight and true just like the day we made them. I've heard nothing but good things about the C-channel method too, especially with increased power.

Also, we didn't weld the mounts in either. Aircraft hardware works incredibly well for that purpose.

3. Crossmember depends on how you're approaching it. Using the step-up mounts, you'd use the automatic crossmember. Probably the simplest/least expensive thing to do

4. Wiring is as follows
AT Inhibitor switch (won't start unless in neutral or park): connect to neutral safety switch on the transmission
Clutch switch: exactly like the Inhibitor switch. I bypassed both on my own car.though, by not connecting the clutch switch to anything and putting a straight piece of wire between the AT Inhibitor switch's connector terminals.
Reverse switch: no mods needed, just plug and play
5th gear switch: no mods needed, just plug and play

on an AT car, it goes roughly like this:
12v---inhibitor switch---starter
to find the source line, use a voltmeter on the terminals in the connector and try cranking it. The source line will jump to battery voltage when the key is turned to start.

5. Bracket Material: Sure, you could use titanium if you wanted. But with how much it'd cost you, you could get the original mounts welded in professionally. Plus, it would still bend, but it'd be the transmission tunnel bending and tearing. Steel is plenty strong enough for this. Next time I hunt through my parts cache, I'll dig out the step-up brackets for you. They're 1/4" flat iron but plenty strong. You should try bending them!

The auto neutral wiring needs to be jumpered, or switched to be able to start the car. Hmmm... This could be a good immobilizer if one was to hide a switch in the car.

An update:

4 years later, and a blown transmission later, my brackets still work fine.

More info please on the EC-AT or EAT.
Pulled my kick panel and dont see either.
Thanks,
~j

im trying too figure out if these complaints are for the homade brakets or the rewelded mounts. the rewelded mounts look pretty lagit. i can see how it could be much different than oem unless your welding is horrible. also would it be possible too just relocate the existing mounts to the manual location?

Which complaints?

If you weld in manual mounting points you should never have a problem. Unless, as you said, the person was terrible at welding [or perhaps didn't paint the work and it rusted..]

The automatic mounting points can't be moved, they're the wrong shape. [Though anything is possible.. I don't think it would be worthwhile]

When I did the swap I used two pieces of angle iron from Home Depot, working great for me. Feels the same as a stock car.

so u guys saying if i swap a s4 turboII tranny into my 89 automatic convertible, i wouldn't have to fabricate mounts?

Some S5 auto cars came with both mounts. Check under your car to see if you were blessed :)

i will when i have time. hopefully it has,thanks for the clarification

well reading the posts some guys seemed too be ragging the home made brakets thats wat i was trying too figure out wat the complaints where all about but thanks for the info.. great write up if you ask me.. i did the swap once myself when i shouldn have because i didnt do the research needed and, or the 3 feet of snow my dumb a** was tryin too do it in may have played a role in my thought process. I used an s4 parts car on my s5 and simply made the mistake and used the s4 counter weight on the s5 engine. live and learn i guess... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz lol

it seems like just about every one on here who has done this swap drives a convertible. i know this is a dumb question but did the convertibles not come manual? because i have two 88 5-speed convertibles that appear factory. but it is possible someone did the swap on them once upon a time

According to this thread: "Specifications: What did the 2nd Generation RX-7 come w/. Options & standard features"

The 1988 convertible

4-speed automatic overdrive transmission was NOT AVAILABLE.
5-speed manual overdrive transmission was STANDARD.

so that is just the 1988 models?

Yes. 1988 - (US model Production Dates: 07/1987 through 12/1988)


In 1989 - (US model Production Dates: 12/1988 through 12/1989)

The 5-speed manual overdrive transmission was also STANDARD... BUT a 4-speed electronically controlled automatic overdrive transmission was OPTIONAL.


Just read the link.

thanks for clearing that up for me

You should change it still. This write up is on S5, your S4. The tach's on S5 go higher.

So if I wanted to skip the overlap step on the bracket, and wanted just one piece. Would my steal have to be 9" long?

Yep. Two ~9" pieces.

Completely stuck with the wiring. Putting a S5 mission in a s4 turbo auto, all JDM stuff.
Cant get the starter to kick over at all. The jumper method, with the 3 wire connector, wont work as my 3 wire plug only has 2 wires on it, and its the only 3 wire in the car. The 4 pin connector has a slight difference, in that the B/W wire is actually B/R. How in the heck do I get this thing to crank?!

Specific question about pedals
 

So I'm in the middle of starting the five speed swap, and the only thing that's confusing me according to this article is the pedal swap. Now I originally read rotary resurrections article, and his tells you to change out the entire metal assembly and drop the steering column.

I read this one, and it specified to just undo the long bolt, take the pedals off the donor pedal assembly, take the bolt off the auto assembly in the car along with its large brake pedal, and just swap the manual pedals along with the longer bolt over to the auto assembly.

I already have the manual pedals and bolt ready for install. I haven't pulled anything off my auto pedal assembly yet. The assembly is still sitting on the car, waiting to be replaced.

Is it possible to remove the auto bolt and brake pedal, etc and bolt the manual stuff on, just as simple as that with the assembly on the car?Or do I have to move anything out of the way like lifting the dash up, etc?

Just wondering if anyone else has come across this .... I've got 2 clutch switches on my new pedal set. One disengages when the clutch pedal is pressed and the other engages when the clutch pedal is fully pressed. Can anyone shed some light on which is actually used for the "clutch safety switch" and what purpose the other switch serves?