I am going thru my second Manual transmission installation into an automatic car and thought I'd offer some info for those doing a conversion in the future. I am getting several e-mails on how to do this mod so I'll try to make this a series of information reporting to my fellow forum members on the progress during this current MBM project.

Right now I am working on the Dual Oil cooler setup using the existing Auto tranny cooler as the second engine oil cooler. I done this exact procedure on my VR project and it works great. I did my research, my plans, my engineering years ago and perfected it on that car. So right now I am gathering the parts to do it all over again...on the MBM project.

This is where I am at now.

So for this writeup - how to convert the auto tranny cooler into a second engine oil cooler during a manual swap

The first problem is that the auto tranny cooler ( one on the pass side ) has nipples for 3/8" hose instead of the fittings for stock R1 type hoses. No problem, we'll convert them to -10an hose. For this segment I used Summit racing STEEL -10an X 1/2" npt fittings and CUT OFF the 1/2" npt end. Has to be steel, not aluminum ( for welding to the stock steel fitting ) As you go thru the pics, you will see I cut off the 1/2" npt end and dressed it up flat. Then I took the stock "nipple" fittings out of the cooler and drilled straight thru from the cooler side of the fitting to "cut off" the nipple ( used @ a 31/32 drill bit or one close to 1/2" ). This not only cut off the nipple but opens up the passage to match the -10an fitting. Better oil flow.

Then I welded the -10an fitting to the OEM fitting ( minus the nipple ), drilled it straight thru again for good flow, Sandblasted it, painted it, clear coated it and use the existing gaskets re-installed it on the pass side oil cooler. Ready for -10an hose fittings now.


Wait until installment #2 on the other end of the hoses

 

the rest....

 

which did u use as the return line?

 

Neat stuff! Question - why not just buy an AN to metric adapter? For example -

http://www.paragonperformance.com/ADPTRS6.html

Scroll down to part number PP-2245. 18mm x 1.5 to -10AN - I checked, and the banjo bolts on the engine side are 18mm x 1.5 - if that's not it, I'm sure that fitting is out there somewhere.

Not knocking the welding, just wondering if there's an easier way.

Good stuff!

Dale

 

Go ahead and buy that fitting and you;ll see why. I bought it and found out that there is not enough thread to sucessfully hold that fitting into the Mazda oil cooler housing. Maybe if the thread was another 1/2" it would work.

tom

 

It would appear that the trans cooler has a thermostat, no? Did you remove it? If not, does it open at an appropriate temperature for cooling engine oil?

 

Kept the thermostat and it opens @ the same temp as the engine oil thermostat. There was some study on this during the old digest days. This is my second Auto to manual conversion and the first has been in operation for two years now. No problems


tom

 

all in all how much would you say the total conversion costed?

 

I believe I sent you a Pm on this , but I did it all myself ( on both of my rx7s ) and it cost me @ $1000 for parts. I bought a lot of new parts from Ray, like clutch hard lines, TO bearing, tranny seals, Syncros, etc.

tom

 

I have an automatic car that I am installing an aftermarket trans cooler into so I want to use the factory trans cooler as an added oil cooler.

For parts I have a set of R1 lines and an extra oil cooler to scavenge fittings from (the oil cooler is damaged so I can't just use it).

Is it possible to just weld the factory female quick connects to the trans cooler so that it will accept R1 lines instead of AN hose?

 

There is now an apprentice cooler expert on how to convert your trans cooler - contact Islanders Rx7 on this thread below


https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showthread.php?t=795395


Later