darkwaveboi

Hey all, i just read about 100 posts about n/a to t2 converstion and im up for it. Im with dave gibson (im on his fc3s tech mailing list ) about doing a t2 to Na conversion becuase i already have stuff on my car enough so that selling it would leave the buyer w/ no cat-back, shocks, intake, and sound system I saw how many of you referred to the n/a transmission as a Peice of ****, and im aware of the differential, axle and drivetrain changes (t2 transmission stronger, but longer..etc....)
*see guys i read the search pages first *

I was wondering, since one reccomendation..haha...was to put the engine bay appliances in first (turbo..dp..header....blah..) and to wait till the engine blows, and buy a jspec then do the tranny. i was thinking, do ALL t2's have LSD? but a stock n/a engine wouldn't have any mounting problems to a t2 transmission would it? if so, even IF i dont put the t2 motor in, i'll still have the good old strong reliable t2 transmission, drivetrain, LSD, stronger axles..stronger everything..so the underneith of my car will be significantly more reliable. im also hearing of brake replacements? how do the brakes which are part of the suspension tie in with the drivetrain...? if THIS topic has been discussed directly...i'll search for it to ease all of your troubles

Jeff

rx7_ragtop

I just did it this weekend... it took 3 days, but it was due to weather. (It was outside in the driveway, and it was cold and rainy most of the time.)

Now, that being said... here are some things that I either knew already and confirmed, or learned during the process.

1) The differential swap is easier if you swap the entire rear subframe. You'll need 3 jacks to make it simple... one under the "pumpkin" and the other 2 near the subframe to body mounts.

2) You will need the TII flywheel (from the same year motor as your NA motor) TII clutch slave cylinder, TII clutch and pressure plate, and TII starter.

3) Changing the flywheel is a BITCH. Do yourself a favor and rent an impact. You'll need a 2 1/8" socket- I got a Craftsman for like $22-$23.

You'll have to change the driveshaft of course... and extend the wires for the reverse lights, etc. (on the tranny)

darkwaveboi

i'd probably end up taking it to a shop to be done (of course one who knows what they're doing). Do you think they would have any problem at all if i had the flywheel,starter, slave cylinder..etc...and does the subframe 'need' to be replaced, if so, how much would it cost. keep in mind swapping a tII in is going to come in slow steps, im fairly aware of the time and money involved.

Evil Aviator

Yes, all TII's come with LSD.

A stock NA engine would mount right up to a TII transmission, with the conditions stated by rx7_ragtop.

No, you don't need to change out the subframe, but it is a lot easier than changing out the pumpkin. At $70/hr for labor, it is probably worth buying a used TII subframe that will take less time to install than it would to buy a used TII pumpkin that will take forever to install.

The reason that everyone mentions the brakes is that you get them for free (as well as the thicker halfshafts) when you swap the subframe.

No offense, but I don't think that you fully understand the cost involved. Before you buy any TII parts, you may want to get a labor estimate. I think that you will find the parts + labor will cost you more than a running TII. My recommendation is to cut your losses on your current car, and just buy a good TII for around $2,500. IMO the NA to TII swap is a bad idea, especially if you need to pay a shop to do the work.

Another option is to just use the current NA drivetrain. Most people don't realize that bigger not only means more strength, it also means more inertia, more weight, and more friction. The NA tranny doesn't tend to break until you get around the 220-230hp range. It's probably a good idea to upgrade to the TII drivetrain if you have a lot of power, but otherwise I'm not sure if it is worth it.