# Turbo Charging an Auto



## MadDog (Jul 31, 2003)

I'm a Newbie, glad to be here. Hope y'all can shed some light on the issue... 
Wife coerced me to get an auto with my 97-SE. I'm thinking about doing a JDM swap or a Fmax kit. The JDM swap will require tedious alterations with the transmission, pedal assembly and drive shaft, etc. and to be honest, I'm not skilled to do the auto swap myself. The local speed shop wants to charge me an extra three grand for the transmission with the SR swap!!! That's where the Fmax option came to play. However, the Fmax kit might tear my slushbox to shreds.
About three years ago, I met someone on 240sx.org who put a Fmax kit on his automatic 98 LE. I've lost contact with him so I don't know if the car is doing well. My friends tell me the slushbox will not last more than a month under boost.

Personally, 5spd or auto doesn't mean much to me anymore. I just want her to have a bit more power.

Please give me some advice. Will the tranny hold? Should I bother doing the 5spd swap? or should I eat the cost and do the SR swap?

Thanks for your input guys.


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## MoreRyc3 (Jul 10, 2003)

well i dont really think its worht it to swap a 5 speed in there... i also dont think the auto tranny will hold too much power... maybe wut u could do is try and find someone who wants an auto and has a 5speed soi u can trade or sell it and buy a stick.. i think u would save thousands of bux doing that... then u can jus get a turbo kit for the KA.. maybe later on build it and get even more power.. KA is Bigger than the SR so im sure you'll be happy with the results.. these are all jus my oppinions though.. anyway u go.. we're all here to support u..


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## vsp3c (May 15, 2003)

what jdm engine are you talking about??(i'm asking because as you swap in a new engine, you'll have to put in a new tranny anyways) if you're gonna be keeping the ka24de, try to find a manual trans like moreryc3 said. 3grand is not worth paying for a manual trans..


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## BlueBOB (Jan 29, 2003)

heck, most JDM swaps (that i've heard of) come with a tranny and i've never heard of anyone getting an auto. one set back of owning an import is that none of the import companies can make a strong enough auto to hold the power. if you wanted, you could rebuild the tranny first. replace the torque converter, get a tranny cooler, rebuild some of the internals with stronger parts, and that'll help, but it won't go far. if you're only looking for a little more power, than you should be fine. I'd stick with the KA and with stock internals you can run 7 lbs of boost and you should be fine. I would always recomend rebuilding the bottom end of the KA if you plan to boost, but it's fairly safe to run 7lbs on it.


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## MadDog (Jul 31, 2003)

vsp3c:
I'm either going to do the RB20/RB25 or the SR20. The only problem I have is changing the drive shaft, the master/slave cylinders, the pedal assembly. I think those parts stay the same even for an SR swap.
I almost got the SR done four months ago, but the local speed shop had no experience in the transmission change, so they wanted to charge me the extra money for the research and labour. 

I thought about just getting the tranny changed for now at a reasonable price. 
I have the gearbox and the clutch. I still need to get other parts either from a salvage yard or buy them new. Just for the tranny change, I wouldn't mind spending around 1K with parts included in the budget. I can get the parts, I just need to find someone who can do it without messing it up. I don't know if the local transmission shop can do this.

This has been a frustrating issue. I have the money to spend for the job, but at the same time, I don't want to pay through my nose for something I know doesn't need to cost that much.
I did the minor mods by myself when I was back home in Vancouver (CAI, Headers, Cat-back, shocks and springs, UR pulley). It also helps that I have a buddy who has a speed shop.

Thanks for you advice guys. Hopefully I can find a solution for what I'm looking for here.

Selling my car is not an option. She's the first car I bought and she's been with me from undergrad through Law school. She's like my personal lucky charm. Thanks again guys. I really appreciate the info.


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## BlueBOB (Jan 29, 2003)

i'll be sure to send my good buddy this way. he has a 95 240 and is preparing for an SR swap. when he bought his SE, it was auto as well and it's the only car he's ever owned. he wanted to do the auto to 5spd swap so that he could get the pedal assembly, master/slave cylinders, driveshaft, and everything else installed ahead of time. Plus, he had never driven a 5spd and wanted to learn before the SR. The swap shouldn't cost you more than 1k but be prepared in case somethin should go wrong. The swap is actually fairly simple, but it does require a few days. Not a weekend project... trust me.


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## vsp3c (May 15, 2003)

here's an article that i found at 240sx.org if that helps any..

http://www.240sx.org/links/installs/s14_5speed_swap.htm


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## MadDog (Jul 31, 2003)

vsp3c: 
Thanks man, I got that page printed and laminated. 
Please don't take this offensively, but are you really 14 years old????

Blue BOB:
Thanks man. Hope he and I can talk. I'm still hunting for parts. The recent afternoon thundershower in Jacksonville has made my trip to the junkyard a bit difficult. Sunny Florida my @$$ 

As for beefing up the tranny, I think it might end up costing me more money and more headache. If I'm gonna spend the time, money and effort beefing up the auto, might as well do the 5spd swap. Thanks guys.


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## BlueBOB (Jan 29, 2003)

that link is almost perfect. the parts listed are perfect, but the intructions weren't TOTALLY on. I forget what was odd about them, but my buddy will let you know. The hardest thing was gettin that damn AT adapter bearing as they call it. That thing is a b*tch!


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## vsp3c (May 15, 2003)

MadDog said:


> *vsp3c:
> Thanks man, I got that page printed and laminated.
> Please don't take this offensively, but are you really 14 years old???? *


hahaha im glad that helped. like BlueBOB said the instructions weren't right on.. i wish they were tho..i also wish it had pictures..

no offense taken. i think almost everybody on this forum asked me the question.. i'm 14 but i'm turning 15 in 11 days (i'll have to change my sig soon and it won't be that special anymore..)


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## drift240sxdragqueen (Oct 23, 2002)

vsp3c said:


> * i'm 14 but i'm turning 15 in 11 days (i'll have to change my sig soon and it won't be that special anymore..) *


yup ur just gonna be gay now  

j/k


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## MadDog (Jul 31, 2003)

Do you guys think it's a good idea to get all the necessary parts and contract the install out to a tranny shop to get it done? or should I stick with speed shops? I don't think there's anyone here in town who plays with 240's. Everyone here plays with their Civics and RSX's... 
I used to race people with my friend's Integra R, the power ain't bad, but everything else kinda sucked (ie FWD and torque steer). Sorry, a bit off point.


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## BlueBOB (Jan 29, 2003)

ya know... that's a tough call. I'd say speed shops because generally they no more about the vehicle as a whole and could prepare for problems, but both would charge a fairly high amount...

I hate my torque steer...


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## Rytone777 (Feb 22, 2003)

Hey MadDog, this is BlueBOB's buddy that did the tranny swap. Man, for the longest time, I went over and over and over in my head whether or not to do the sr swap. I finally decided to do the tranny swap, which is a big undertaking, so that despite whether I went SR20 or KA24DE-T, I would have a manual and know how to drive it. I got all of the parts I needed, besides a pilot bearing and all of the screws for the tranny to bolt up to the motor for $400 from A-1 Riley Auto Parts (junkyard). It took about four days to do the tranny swap and was well worth it. However, the only reason I did it was because I was unsure of whether I was going turbo KA or SR. Now that I am sure I am going SR, I would have waited. All you technically need when having an auto 240 and going manual SR is the driveshaft, pedal assembly, master cylinder, and hydralic clutch line. All of that can be purchased for less than $150, I am sure. Dude, if you want to learn to drive a standard...then get some old a$$ car and learn on that. Granted, it will be different than the 240 tranny, but so will the SR. The swap was a great idea and would have been even better if I did the turbo KA, but at least I learned a lot from it. If you decide to do it, let me know and I would love to help out. I know quite a few people that helped out with this thing. If there is anythhing else, let me know and I will try to answer it.


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## MadDog (Jul 31, 2003)

Well met Rytone and thanks for the info. You've eased a lot of my problems. The problem I have is similar to the one you had. KA or SR (or RB). As long as I can register the car legally and drive it without 5-0's hounding my butt, I'm happy. My goal is to have the 240 run around 280hps on pump gas, which shouldn't be impossible with the three options. I haven't ruled out the KA option, that's why I'm considering the manual swap. I know how to drive stick. I used to race with a NA 300ZX (Bro's) and an Integra R (Buddy's). Believe it or not, I learned to drive "stick" on a Ninja 900.
Anyway, if I can save me some money doing the JDM swap and tranny swap at the same time, I'll do that instead. You've saved me A LOT of headaches. Now I just have to find someone here who can do an SR swap. 
Have you gotten an Engine already? Who's doing the swap for you? If you haven't gotten your engine yet, see if we can get together a group buy and get a better deal.

Since you know quite a bit about the auto->manual, could you give me more detail as to what is entailed in Auto KA to manual SR swap? I know the drive shaft is definitely different and I definitely need the pedal assembly, but what would I not need because it comes with the new SR tranny?

Thanks for your help man, you have no idea how much this is going to help me sleep better.


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## BlueBOB (Jan 29, 2003)

MadDog said:


> *Have you gotten an Engine already? Who's doing the swap for you? If you haven't gotten your engine yet, see if we can get together a group buy and get a better deal.*


*sigh*

just one of the many advantages to living in Dallas...

ProjectSilvia.com (aka Empower) is down the street... 

I'm not sure anyone will do a group buy or packaged deal with somethin like the SR. He's technically going through ProjectSilvia, and they buy like 10-15 front clips at one time and they sell quick! Anyway, Rytone, this is your call.


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## MadDog (Jul 31, 2003)

Then again, I'm in Jacksonville, so I don't even know if this is gonna be a good deal. Afterall, I have to get someone to install it for me. I can't find anyone in the Jax area that will supply the engine and install it. I have to buy the engine seperately and have take it/deliver it to the shop for the install. I haven't checked Gainesville, but I think there's quite a bit out there. I'm gonna start a threat asking if anyone knows anyone in Gainesville.

I know there is already a threat on RB v. SR. What do you guys think? I value your opinions and any advice you can give will assist me greatly.

Thanks


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## BlueBOB (Jan 29, 2003)

Basically the only thing you need to worry about when doing the tranny swap as you are doing the sr swap is the driveshaft, pedals, and hydralic line. You should probably get all of that done before the swap to get it out of the way. It does take a while to punch the hole on the firewall, bolt up the clutch pedal, and then try to figure out how to run the line across the engine bay....which, btw isn't that big of a deal. You can cut your brake pedal like I did or install the actual brake pedal that came with the clutch pedal, but that will require you to take down the steering column. Other things you need are smaller. You would need a manual shift boot..upper and lower..the metal cover that secures the lower shift boot to the chassis, and a shift knob...assuming one didn't come with the SR/RB whichever. You might hear some people talking about the slave cylinder which, btw, you would need the master cylinder...forgot to add that. You do not need the slave cylinder...it will come with the SR. Other than the driveshaft, that's about all you need. As far as the SR goes, man the more research you do, the less intimidating the swap becomes. You discover you don't really need to go all out the first time around...that takes all of the fun out of modding the thing later...hehe. So, hopefully, the more you read and research the swap and the more you network, the more you can convince yourself that all it will take is you, a couple of your friends, and some free food for them to swap the sucker in there. Your local shop that charges 2Gs to put the thing in there will most likely do a great job (CTC Motorsports) but it is nothing that is outside of your capability. This is one of the easier swaps out there, do don't let it overwhelm you. And as far as the RB goes...that would be freakin cool...but not a swap I hear too much about. I would assume that it requires quite a lot of custom work and mods, but who knows? But as for the SR, of you want to buy from a quality vendor, check out projectsilvia.com or heavythrottle.com. Both of these companies have an outstanding trac record as far as quality goes. Heavythrottle.com has a great website with huge amounts of info on everything about swapping an sr. They are located, I believe, somewhere in upstate NY. But, they are real good guys and love to answer questions. They tend to favor the S13s over 14, but that's OK. Most of the info is universal. If I think of anything else, I will post it. If you have a personal question about my swap I am about to do, you can always email me at [email protected]. I check my email daily and would love to share info with you.


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## Rytone777 (Feb 22, 2003)

Btw, the post above was actually my post...I was logged in as BlueBOB, because he forgot to logout when he was using the computer at my house.


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## BlueBOB (Jan 29, 2003)

wow... I sound smart... LOL


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## MadDog (Jul 31, 2003)

Thanks you guys. I really appreciate the help.


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## nx2000 (Jan 24, 2003)

I am an RB20 guy. Now which motor for you is ENTIRELY up to you. I went RB20 because 1)inline 6 2)I felt more closer to a Skyline (LOL) 3)iron block 4)price. SR20 has many advantages over the RB20. availability of parts. Information is abundant. weighs less, and well that s it I think cant think of anymore. KA has advantages over both. .4 more liters, iron block, you can get a replacement engine for like 150, you can go to autozone and get gaskets and shit, etc. Just depends how much hassle you want. The money saved on my RB over an SR came in handy. And ther ony reason I got a swap i sbecause my enigne had high uncared for mileage and the head gasket went. It is hard to find an engine in NOrth Dakota, let me tell you. Then you gotta deal with people not wanting to ship it...blha...blah....blah so I got a swap. I dont regret it, but if I could do it over, I would go KA-T personally just because of being abkle to get a replacement engien easily and cheap


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## MadDog (Jul 31, 2003)

KA24DE-T is a very attractive option. However, I need something that has been tried tested and true. I think SR has made a name for itself in the N.American market. I'm not poopooing on the RB. I know it is a great engine and it is increasing its niche as time progresses. Like I said before, all I'm looking for right now is about 250 to the RW. I know that number can be achieved with the KA, but the whole hassle of doing the complete tranny swap and enforcing the bottom end is more than what I'm ready to learn to complete. Maybe the SR swap is more complex than the KA, but if I'm not mistaking, the research has shown that the SR swap along with Tranny swap might be an easier task.

If you have time, tell me about the RB swap. I know there is an RB thread in the S13 forum, but tell me about your experience with the RB20 swap if you don't mind. I.e. complexity (mechanical and electrical), reliability and performance. 

I really appreciate all of y'all's input. I can not thank you enough for your advice. Cheers.


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## Pacman (Feb 25, 2003)

Do they make a shift kit for the Auto tranny like what B&M sells for auto trannys? That may give the auto some strength.


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## MadDog (Jul 31, 2003)

I've only checked around lightly, they don't have anything for the 240. To get it custome made is kinda pointless on monetary perspective. I'm just going to do a sr swap. After reading around on the S13 posts, I'm kinda worried about shops ripping people off. I might wait until I get back to Seattle to get this done.


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## nismo_whiteboi (Feb 5, 2003)

mad dog...ur from jax. so am i. have u checked out Import Autowerks or even Stage 6. i know they do good work on engine swaps. i know a friend of mine that had an suto supra and changed it to a stick at import autowerks.


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## MadDog (Jul 31, 2003)

I've spoken to Marcello and the Boss of Import autowerks. I forgot his name, but he's a really nice guy. He said he has had no experience with the 240 swap, so he's gonna charge me a bit more on it. I don't mind paying more, I just wanna make sure they do a good job. I'll check out Stage 6, where are they?


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## MadDog (Jul 31, 2003)

I mean the 240 auto to manual swap. If I remember correctly, he said he hasn't swapped out an auto KA to a manual SR either. I don't mind heading out to Gainsville or even Orlando. You know anyone there?


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## nismo_whiteboi (Feb 5, 2003)

stage 6 is on wells road in orange park. i dont know if they have swapped out an auto to manual, but i know they do the SR swap. i dont think they have done one yet, but i have heard from a bunch of people that they do good work.


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## Hulksmash (Apr 25, 2003)

MadDog said:


> * As long as I can register the car legally and drive it without 5-0's hounding my butt, I'm happy*


If i remeber correctly the SR20det might be a hasle to register since it is not EPA approved. That is why i am going to do the KA-T(when i get one). I live in a county in Arizona that doesn't do emisions but if i move there is no telling what i come up against if i do the SR


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