Looking for a direction to go with potential 5MT swap

[cal_look_zero]

I work with a local tow company who recently got a 96 Legacy LS sedan with a 4EAT; sans reverse. OBD2, runs like a top, clean as can be, 1 owner.

He also got a 91 Legacy L Wagon with a 5MT but no engine. Donor car; no engine, no glass, no suspension.

His plan was obviously to have me swap everything drivetrain related over from the wagon to the sedan, but I know that the computers are different; among other things. This is only for the intent of being able to sell one complete car.

Is trying to swap from a 1st gen to a 2nd gen just silly? Or is it easy enough, so long as I source the right ECU/cruise modules?

[MonstarMotorsports]

Use the auto ecu in the 96, and just do a little rewiring. Its not much nor to hard and you can keep cruise, no CEL's and i believe someone figured out how to keep ABS as well.

Its a pretty simple wire job though honestly. I've seen a few great threads on here about it, even my thread has a pretty good explanation about a good part of it. Just not the NSS, Cruise, or ABS part.

[lord flashheart]

Cal, you need to find out emissions laws in your area. Because its a OBD2 car it makes it tricky.he problem people are running into is when the ecu tries to comunicate with the TCU and the TCU gives no response to the ECU it will thraw a automatic transmission diagnostics imput code. Now you can fiddle with the wiring, however the ecu will limely throaw the code again. The reason being is its not only looking for reslonse but lookong for corect or known good values. also theif you figure out the wiring that far the tcu will be looking for a correct ratio between engine speed and wheel speed. Which can be a slight pain to get functioning properly.

[lord flashheart]

The solution ive seen work the best is if you know how to un pin (not cut) you can depin the ecu install a MT computer and pin it according so the ecu isnt looking for the tcu

[cal_look_zero]

Technically, it's a non DEQ area of the state that we live in. However, 30 miles south is Medford, and people from there buy cars from us all the time, so it's a catch 22. I guess I would disclose that it won't pass emissions, and use my code reader to show that it's a non issue fault code.

I'll search around for threads on dumping a 5mt into a 4eat car. Thanks.

[lord flashheart]

Yeah its tricky. The OBD2 emissions test is the wholer reason i chose a 95 as a project. First year of the BD chassis and last year of the sniffer test. They also just changed the letter of the law here. It used to be any engine swap other than one that was an option in that vehicle is an automatic fail. Now it is as long as the carpasses the test and the tester deams it appropriate it passes

[MonstarMotorsports]

I always forget how lucky i am in my little hick town. I walk into my dmv with a title and say i need registration and tags, they hand them over with out leaving their desk.

[lord flashheart]

Haha yeah its kinda fun. Ive always been one of those "what can i get away with" kinda kids. So i think of it as emissions as a set of rules to a game called modifying cars. If your car is OBD1 you can almost out right break the rules.