My car has died - manual conversion time

[Turbo_Steve]

Well, if I tried running an engine on water instead of oil for a few miles, it'd rattle like a witch doctor.......

Atik, I'd be inclined to have the box off and pull it apart. If you're stripping the car anyway, you've got nothing to lose but the price of the labour. If you decide to put another box on, you'd have had to have done it anyway.

As has been mentioned above, I wouldn't break it for a gearbox failure....you've got all the unknowns fo a new car otherwise....which may do exactly the same thing 5 miles down the road!!!

[Kieran]

Tell you what you could do Nick? Rather than whip out the gearbox, you could just unbolt the gearbox sump and see if any clues drop out.

[shaun1978]

Hmmmm , soto unds a bit lik what happened to mine apart from the colour of the atf, what happened apparently was one of the circlips holding the gears onto the shaft had gien up the ghost resulting in 2 gears moving and dropping off......

[Nick Mann]

Well, if I tried running an engine on water instead of oil for a few miles, it'd rattle like a witch doctor.......

The engine is fine!

IF and I mean IF the water is leaking into the oil, we are talking about a maximum of 0.5 litres into a 10 litre system. Would that be enough to turn the ATF purple and destroy the box? I can feel an experiment coming on with coolant and Amsoil ATF......

My next step would be to drain the gearbox oil. Maybe even send a sample of it for analysis. IIRC Don sells the kits for about £15? However, Atik wants to consider his options before paying me labour that might not achieve what he wants to achieve. I can understand that.

I guess interest on the rest of the parts will say what his current car is worth? For sure it is obvious what his car will cost to repair. Add the two together to discover if it is worth repairing or if it is better to sell the bits and buy another.

[bradc]

I think Steve was saying that water would screw an engine in much the same way it would destroy a gearbox.

Could you not fill the rad up and seal it, then see if a small amount of water dribbles out of the ATF lines?

[Atik]

I'm still swaying towards breaking the car for bits. The issue then is storage, cos I have none, and I definitely cant/wont leave it on Nick's driveway. Ideally I'd just sell the car whole as spares and be done with it, cos I wouldnt have a clue about taking bits off the car. Where are the breakers? Wodj, Mo? Anyone else?

I realise that the value of the car is not that great even if it was running fine. £2100-£2300 or so at the most. The cost of repair at around £1000+ (which may not necessarily fix the issue) is just too much of a gamble. Its just investing so much time and effort and £££s into it that I cant justify.

I know I'd be taking a gamble when buying another to replace this one, but if I can get a 'known' car, I'd feel much better about it. There are a couple on here that I'd be interested in...

So, anyone fancy taking this off me as a spares for a lump sum? Everything is fine except the gearbox. Offers are invited. Even reasonably silly offers may be considered
Think about it, if you are looking for a manual Leggie, you could buy this and do it yourself for less than the cost of a normal manual one... Or I could do it and sell it once completed...

[Atik]

So I've had a few hours to think about it, and I quite like the idea of a proper manual conversion now.

Nick, what do I need mate? I'll give you a call tomorrow for a quick chat, but I have decided to go for the manual conversion.

MANUAL CONVERSION!

[Turbo_Steve]

I think Steve was saying that water would screw an engine in much the same way it would destroy a gearbox.

Yeup. Thanks brad. Sorry Nick...not very clear of me.


Atik....christ that was an about face and a half!!!!!

Good on yer for not breaking it, though.
And there was me with my chequebook out and everything......

[Nick Mann]

Mo has got the bits for sale, I think? You need:

Gearbox, including the mount, flywheel, clutch, clutch slave & master cylinders, pipework between, clutch and brake pedals, gear lever, gear linkages and a bit of wiring jiggery-pokery. From my experience, I'd suggest a new oil seal for the driveshaft in the gearbox.

Plus a bit of oil.

£400 will cover my time and the oil, so then you just need the bits. Remember I have a fitting kit for the Evo flywheel if you want to instantly go uprated.

[darren carkson]

I have seen a legnum on ebay , two in fact, both look pretty swish. Take a look if you get the time. One is black, the other silver. If you do break the car I am looking for passenger side bottom arm and ball joint and the passenger back light end casing. Is a type S the same body shape as a 97 Legnum. I think it is but just wanted to check. Thanks.

Had a bit of trouble myself. Driving along and the wheel fell of (the ball joint) snapped.... Thanks again. Sam

[Starscream]

I have all the Mitsibushi genuine clutch pipe bits from the master to the slave cylinder that I bought for mine (all new with brackets and clips). Also have the wiring info to get reverse lights and inhibitor working. Got all the part numbers for the seals too. Give me a shout if you need any of that.

[Nick Mann]

A Type S means it has AYC. It doesn't say anything about body shape unless you know the year.

[darren carkson]

just read above, not breaking it, ok then. Does anybody else have anything I may need? Darren

[darren carkson]

mine says AYC, but i don't think it is a S type.

[Nick Mann]

mine says AYC, but i don't think it is a S type.

Start a new thread and put up a photo of the car and the dash. We'll soon tell you what it is!

[darren carkson]

ok, will sort that out in the morning. cheers

[amsoil]

I would add a new/another rad to the list of parts needed for the conversion. I would place money on the rad having failed internally. Not easy to test either. Unfortunately experience says that even if caught straight away and the rad changed and all fluids flushed and replaced the box will then only last 4 - 6 weeks before the inevitable happens. Sorry.

[miller]

Had a bit of trouble myself. Driving along and the wheel fell of (the ball joint) snapped.... Thanks again. Sam

digressing further! another one!

[Nick Mann]

I would place money on the rad having failed internally.

Is that because of the purple ATF?

If it is a manual conversion, then the oil cooler part of the rad will not be used. So the oil pipes can be capped. A new rad is only £100 though, and would give peace of mind.

[amsoil]

Not worth it junk the rad.
Yes the 'chalky purple' is the clue.