Swapping gearboxes - suggestions please! - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

Brent79 · 06-04-2003, 23:41

Hey ya'll,

I have 2 cars at the moment and i want to change over the gearboxes from each car. There is a EB wagon with a 4spd auto and an EA wagon with a 5spd manual. I want to swap these boxes over and have both cars running. I want opinions on how i can do this cheaply. Before anyone suggests doing it myself, ive decided not to attempt this. I dont have the tools or the time to do the job myself and ive never removed/installed a gearbox before. What should i do?? Take both cars into a workshop and have em do the complete swap? I can see this costing big biccies!! Or i was thinking i should remove the T5 from the ea and do the pedal box in the EB then just take the EB and T5 to the workshop and have it fitted... then fit the auto to the ea when ive got more $$$. Anyone got any idea's here??? Suggestions on where to take it in Brisbane? How much it would set me back?

Cheers

Brent

eagt · 06-05-2003, 02:20

just a thought.....but if you have the tools to remove the t5 and the pedal box from the ea.. use those same tools to install them into the eb wooohoooo I solved the tool prob for you, now all you need is the time.

Brent79 · 06-05-2003, 19:40

yea but if i stuff it up, im stuck without a car and i need my car almost every day...

Brent

blueoval · 06-05-2003, 19:54

I'd be inclined to go to a wrecker to do the swap for ya. They do that type of stuff all the time. R&R is what they specialise in and it shouldnt cost you the earth. Probably best to ask them first then save hard and get them both done at the same time.

my 2c

galapogos01 · 06-05-2003, 20:56

fitting a 4spd auto to a manual or a 3spd car is difficult, ive heard. looms/computers have to be fitted (read: swapped) and its a lot of pissing around. id get a wrecker to remove the 5spd from the EA, and fit a 3spd auto. no electronics required, cheap as shit. then sell the 4spd in the trading post to recoup the cost of the conversion and the 3spd, and fit the 5spd to the EB.

everyone i spoke to about fitting a 4spd to my 3spd EA said it was too much of a labour intensive job.

just my 2c.

Jase

mongrelEB · 06-05-2003, 21:00

I actually wrote a step-by-step guide for this a little while ago.

To remove the motor and box you're looking at about 3 hours work.
Then you've got to change what needs changing, piss about with wires etc., about another 2 hours. Then the motor goes back in, 3 hours. Total, 8 hours but allow another 2 for fixing problems, and you're looking at 10 hours work. Mechanics usually charge $50 or $75 per hour, so a total of $500 or $750 for labour.
Or you could do it yourself over the weekend.

gmanEA · 06-06-2003, 15:35

I recommend the EF/EL T5 gearbox, I prefer it over the EA one

mongrelEB · 06-06-2003, 21:05

Yeah it does have better ratios.

06-07-2003, 23:28

Hey mate,
if I was you, and I recommend this to eeeeveryone who is even thinking of changing their boxes weather its auto to manual or what but my old ea t5 shit itself and i got a fully recoed supra 5spd with custom bellhousing, brackets mouts speedo drives, everything you need to bolt up and it only cost me around 1500 bucks. And believe me they are litereally bullet proof as some of you might have heard before. Just a suggestion, coz my car doesn't like t5's. You can also have the option of having a taller first gear. If your wondering were to go to get it, give castlemain rod shop a ring, they seem supply good reco boxes and kits to suit ea-d's.

Anyway, cheerio!