MX-# Manual or Auto

[mikeo]

Very keen to buy a MX-3 and do the KL-ZE swap. All the MX-3's I've seen lately have been auto. I know these boxes dont hold up to the swap. I am I best holding out for a manual or how difficult is it to upgrade the box. Can I buy a KL-ZE with a box and use it. If so which box is best to look out for. At the moment I can access both MS8 and MX6's with auto boxes. Cheers.

[onlytrueromeo]

You can change the auto to a manual tranny, a bunch of the members on here have done it...it's best to have a parts car to take all the stuff from, I think you need an Mx3, I don't believe an mx6 will work for the parts car...as for the tranny itself, you can use the mx6 one.

I would say hold off until you can find a 5speed v6 because that is definitely the easier of the two routes.

[Daninski]

Where do you live?

I have a question here. Why dosen't anyone use the auto tranny that comes with the ZE. I heard it will fit?

[onlytrueromeo]

From the engine importers I've talked to, the auto trannys are usually junk, however, since no one EVER buys them, they sells them next to nothing...I had the option of getting it for weight in metal, but whats the point?

If someone wants to use the auto tranny, and it does fit, you have an almost endless supply of cheap auto trannys lol...

[mikeo]

I live in New Zealand. Most of the cars here are Japanese domestic market imports brought in to be driven on the road and not parted out. Some difference in models as well. I was looking at an MS8 engine to buy recently and started a bit of a discussion as to whether it was a full KLZE. Our 2.5 MS8's have the long neck IM, KL31 heads, flat top pistons and KL31 cams(as another NZer has had a look). The auto trannies here are not cheap tho....much the same price as an engine. Can pick up a whole MS8 reasonably cheap and use that tranny if it is worth it.