ive got an 89 tempo 2.3 and my first q is this.
1. is there anyway on gods earth to get the metric trans to quit failing. its been rebuilt 4 times by diffrent shops and fails at 30-40k miles. it dont just dye it just refuses to go into second gear. if this cant be stopped does anyone know how hard it would be and how much it would cost to go to the 5spd instead?
2. ive got a massive collant leak but its coming out of the beelhousing. i suspect a freeze plug to have come loose. has anyone else had this happen or know how to solve it?
3. does anyone know where i can find a turbo kit (like a 5 to 10 psi boost at the moast).

the car was my baby for a year and a half and i beginning to start my mods on it when the trans quit. sat for six months then i filled my rad up started it and fluid poured out of the bellhousing. i shut her off then tried to fill it up and the watter came out faster than i could put it in.

4. is there a way i can improve the traction and go with heavier drive shafts on this thing. 185 hp 140ftlb of torque when she died on me. i then did my numbers and found that someone had made the swap to the high output motor. i first suspected that as the root but the trans didnt slip. just had an early (1200 rpm) stall converter on it so id like to change that to.


if anyone can help me i really appreciate it. final q dont know if this one can be answerd though. im tossing around the idea of swapping my 2.9 in my 86 b2 with this 2.3. acording the specs they have a close torque curve (the 2.3 is actually 24 ftlb stronger). does anyone know if this can be done. ive got the computer and everything for both engines and this idea seems like it could help alot but i dont know if its even worth the time to do it.

 

Changing to a 5 speed would require a
different computer for the car, as it'll
throw codes for the trans, and the lockup
converter, same goes for sticking it in the
truck...

 

Hi there,
I had the same problem with my automatic in a 1985 tempo. I did the 5-speed changeover with no problems.
After comparing many junkyard tempos to mine i realized that this would be a remove and replace type project.
I pulled a complete set-up out of another 1985.
All items bolted right into place because the chassis was designed to take either trans.
Motor mounts, axle shafts, clutch pedal, heat shield, shifter, etc, all attached without a problem.
I also pulled the computor out as well and replaced it from the same junkyard car.
It's been 2 years now and I have had absolutely no problems.

Good luck,
mdw

 

im gonna have to do something with it. its sat for a year now and i need to get rid of it. i just hate to because the body and intrerior are in perfect shape. frame is good and she ran like new. how much did it cost you to do the swap md and how long did it take to put the new in? did you have to pull the engine like recomended or did you have to put in any new sensors or anything else? thanks again guys and im sorry about ramblin on.

 

I spent about $450 total for all the junkyard parts and the new clutch parts. I did have to yank out the engine & autotrans together as one piece. Not really a bad job, it took me about a day to get the old stuff out. I spent a week of evenings replacing the seals and freeze plugs on the engine, and preparing to reinstall the new set-up.
Another day was spent actually putting it all in.
The key was going to the junkyard and finding two cars, one with the automatic just like mine, and another car with the 5-speed same yaer as mine. That made it easy to compare the two cars and get all the parts.
Good luck...

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 29-Dec-02 AT 06:51 PM (EST)]sounds well worth it. thanks for the info. ill start looking for the stick. only reason ive not done this yet is everyone thinks its so much more work and wer unwilling to lend the shop for a few days (id have all day to this). did you notice if it seemed like it had more torque after words? im betting so but still i like to try to be informed when i can. thanks for all the info. ill post after i get it done and throw up a few pics of the project. im actually looking foward to doing this so i can have a set of wheels again. either one i fix will cost the same so i think ill the car. i trust it. also did you have to pull the engine on the stick to get it out? ill end up doing this in the junkyard so id like to save any problems if i can.