Wanting people that have converted VS ECOTEC to manual.

Hi there.

Im just reaching the final stages of my conversion. ( working out odd little annoying bits ) I am stating this thread to contact anyone else that has done the conversion to make a guide with all the correct info you need in one thread. I didnt have too much trouble finding the info I needed, but it was a chore digging through thread after thread and gathering the info, then finding out what was bullshit etc.

Issues I had

-Exhaust Y pipe does not fit with a T5 gear box fitted. ( use Y pipe off My VP donor car, had to weld on nuts to it for o2 sensors)

-I read that you have to mirror balance your auto flex plate to your 8 bolt pre ECOTEC fly wheel, this is true. but I also read that the ecotec is internally balanced and the fly wheel must be neutral balanced. I can tell you this is most certainly not true!

So what else do people have to add about the VS ECOTEC auto to manual conversion?

 

Yeh will I managed to get the conversion done in 8 hours, but I didnt do the exhaust or the ECU. I have been popping into the shed every couple of days to tidy things up like for instance. Tonight I have to replace my CV in the drive shaft because it was shaking and clicking -.-

You can do the conversion without doing the computer, but it will throw up fault codes and the car might stall occasionally when you stop at the lights etc.

You see what happened was I read on this forum that the fly wheel should be neutral balenced, so me always trying the cheap option first had my uncle machine the counter weight off. the damn car shook its tits off. $180 later and one wasted night.



because of this



At least my fly wheel is damn light!

 

Well I ran my old exhaust for a bit but I had to cut off a mount and it was pushed hard up against the T5 cross member and it hung down too low and found every single bump in the road, so thats no good haha

 

OMG! alright easy. just find an exhaust off a pre VS wreak. VN-VP series II motor ( manifolds different I think lol ) and weld a nut on to the drivers side pipe on the y pipe. Its a weird size, I dont know what it is. Just went through my bolt bucket till I found something, but it is a very strange thread though.

If you want to reduce vehical down time buy a ecotec flex plate ( plate the torque converter bolts to ) and take that with your fly wheel, pressure plate, clutch disc and fly wheel bolts to be mirror balanced, dont worry if your dont understand they will. Also what I did was change my pedal box the night before because you can still drive the auto with a manual pedal box.

hope this helps.

 

yes you need the front half of the drive shaft. you will need a new spigot bush too. If you are getting your stuff from another car try get the zorst too.

 

No especially with the exchange rate. should be some on e-bay.

 

I just remembered, you need the manual starter motor and bolts too.

 

You are going to have issues not running a manual ecu, but its no biggy. What happens is because there is no feed going into the computer from the speed sensor, it thinks you are just revving the car in neutral. So the ECU shuts the IAC valve to try and return the RPM back to 800. usually the revs drop so fast the valve cant open fast enough to save it and the car stalls. mine just surges until I blip the throttle, rarely stalls.

If your mate has a solution please share it with us.

 

okay, yeh I have read that on the forum as a quick fix, down side is that the revs wont fall very fast when you change gear. Its hard to describe but its like the engine just holds the same rpm. but Sweet sounds like you are good to go. As for my stalling I just dont push the clutch in till the RPM is at 1000.

 

Cutting the speed sensor wire like this works the same