5speed into 2000 Taurus

[danomite]

Taurus newby here. Would love to have a new body taurus with a manual tranny (am I the only one?). I know the duratech comes in other models with a 5speed (cougar, contour), and the 3.0 vulcan came in other cars with a 5speed (old probe). So I think I can bolt up a 5speed to either engine. Questions now are:
1. compatible CV axles donor source.
2. clutch pedal set source and install (maybe from contour or cougar?)
3. shifter source and install (maybe from contour or cougar?)
4. engine computer, will it be happy without the AT?

These cars are a bargain, especially if I find one with a dead auto tranny. I just have a hang-up over auto trannys breaking, and would like 1-2 more mpg. The car should go forever with a 5speed.

Help me out, experts!

[drdisque]

Use the MTX4 out of an SHO, its alot stronger than the probe trans and iwill also bolt to the vulcan (MTX3 was used in the Vulcan Tempo).

for the clutch and shifter, also, use an SHO, the contour and cougar are alot more different, even though the SHO has very little in common with a Gen 4.

the computer will run in limp mode without the sensors for the trans installed and working, you'll need a custom one done, there's many contour specialists who know how to do this to run Taurus Duratec ECU's in manual trans Cougars.

[zx2srdotnet]

actually SVT Contour guys use 3.0 duratec blocks from Taurus' for upgrades. so i know that a MTX-75 from a SVT Contour will bolt up to a Taurus motor, but i dont know bout anything else

[danomite]

Good info. Thanks.

So an MTX4 for a Vulcan, and maybe an MTX-75 for the duratech. Shifter and pedal set from a sho. I'll look for help from the cougar guys for the ECU.

Still need to figure out CV axles, then the little stuff like motor mounts, etc.

[mwt]

There is a guy over at www.taurusclub.com that is doing the swap on a 99. he is also using SVT cams and heads on the duratec.


Mike

[zx2srdotnet]

yeah i gives u a nice 20hp and like 8tq i think thats at the wheels too

[drdisque]

well it wouldn't give you any at the crank

[mwt]

Originally Posted by drdisque

well it wouldn't give you any at the crank

That statement confuses me.

If it put 20HP and 8# of torque at the wheels it would put more than that at the crank.

It would lose some between the crank and the wheels.

Horsepower and torque at the wheels is a true representation because different drivelines can lose a high percentage of power between the crank and the wheels.

Mike

[zx2srdotnet]

what do you mean it wouldnt give you any at the crank?

a 98 stock SVT will dyno at about 162whp and 147tq a 98 with the 3.0 block made 194whp and 179tq that is a 29tq/32hp dfference on a other wise stock motor

[drdisque]

all he's talking about is changing the transmission.

hp at the crank is measured without the transmission attached, therefore, changing the transmission would have no effect on crank hp, instead, it lowers drivetrain loss which brings the measured wheel hp closer to the crank hp.

[zx2srdotnet]

we were talking about how the svt tranny bolts up to the 3.0 cuz te svt guys use it for an upgrade, not the tranny swap gives you power

[danomite]

I guess we're all a bit 'attention defecit disorded' around here. Me too. I'll search taurusclub and hopefully find the guy thats doing the manual tranny swap. Thanks.

[FlamingTaco]

You do not want to use the MTX-75 tranny as durability is barely adequate for the 195hp SVT Contour. You do not want to use the vulcan as you will be dissapointed with it's measly 140-155hp, even with an MTX. If you are going to go to all the trouble of putting a different transmission and engine into the car, why not just put a whole SHO drivetrain? If you want something newer, go with the Mazda6 drivetrain (the 220hp duretec version). The Gen3/4 Taurus subframe fits into the Gen2 with slight modifications, so presumably the reverse is true as well, although I'm not sure you would want to give up the better gen3/4 front suspension. You wouldn't have to weld up axles, though. The SHO MTX transmission is aging, and few new parts remain, although you can get an entire HD gearset for $6k. I'd rather spend that on a downpayment on a new Mazda 6, though.

And neither will last forever in a Taurus. This is a 3400 Lb car.

[zx2srdotnet]

because many SHO people bitch about the weak tranny also, and the mtx-75 is in the svt contour, focus and puma and has a better market for strong parts.

Making the MTX-75 a better option

[FlamingTaco]

Originally Posted by zx2srdotnet

because many SHO people bitch about the weak tranny also, and the mtx-75 is in the svt contour, focus and puma and has a better market for strong parts.

Making the MTX-75 a better option

? Better market? How so? The MTXIV has been around a lot longer than the 75, by over a decade. If you want to talk about spending tons of cash to build up the tranny, the parts are available to make the MTXIV good for 600+ torque at the input shaft, and there are tons of clutch combinations as well, so I don't see how the 75 has a "better" market. Maybe there are more companies making their own versions of the same parts, but I would not consider that "better", only more diversified.

I was talking about stock transmissions, though, at which point you're gonna want the MTXIV over the 75.