Converting my manual transmission to an automatic - is it doable?

Svarog · 10th May 2011, 23:47

I've been a victim of the "clutch bleed" disease for years now, and am considering a more durable solution than spending €700 every 15.000 km for a new clutch master and slave cylinder.
The very first time my clutch pedal sinks to the floor again, I'm going to take some drastic measure.

There is a scrapyard that has about 20 Rover 75s stacked together, a lot of them with automatic gearboxes. I'm able to get an automatic transmission out of one of them at a bargain price. The CDT Prestige looks like a pretty good candidate out of all of them.

Some questions are wandering through my head though:
- would a non-mechanic like me be able to get all the neccecary parts out of a scrap car, and in a reasonable amount of time? And without the danger of self-amputation of some of my extremities?
- how complicated is it to install an automatic gearbox into a car? If it's no newbie work, how many hours would it take for an experienced mechanic?
- how reliable is the Rover 75 automatic transmission? Would it be more cost-effective than spending 700€ every 15.000 kilometres?
- can I put any Rover 75 automatic transmission into my own? Or does it have to be out of one specific type (i.e. CDT Prestige)?

I know this is quite a monstrous task, but I'm no pansy and am willing to do as much of it by myself as I can, so I'm quite eager about the possibilities.

SD1too · 11th May 2011, 07:39

Raoul,

It would indeed be a monsterous task, and for a self-confessed non-mechanic I think you'd be unwise to take it on.

Let's think about the root of your problem. Replacing the clutch master & slave cylinders regularly is ridiculous. Your garage hasn't diagnosed the fault properly. Club members will be pleased to help you find out what's wrong or, alternatively, seek out a second opinion locally.

Simon.

tsautos · 11th May 2011, 11:12

It's not a diy job. you'll need a new main harness that alone is a strip out of the whole of the interior to bare shell

Zeb · 11th May 2011, 11:18

Your clutch / slave / master should be lasting more than 15000 km! 130,000km is more reasonable! Something has not been done right for it to be failing in such short order...or the parts are not of sufficient quality?

James.uk · 11th May 2011, 13:03

To all intents and purposes, the answer to your question is no.. It is not a viable conversion...

...

topman · 11th May 2011, 16:05

It'd be cheaper to sell yours then buy an automatic.

Keith · 11th May 2011, 18:59

I helped a guy turning a ZT 190 into a CDT Auto with the T4 side of the exercise

If you can get a suitable donor it is primarily just a massive spanner exercise
Getting the ZCS coding done was the previous owners biggest challenge as when he started he did not realise he needed to do that as well

you need a complete donor because you need an IKE, an engine harness, an ECU and that is matched to the EWS and keys so you need those as well only way to get those will be from a fairly intact car even then kys are the first things to get lost

One that has been a write off from rolling or a side impact would be ideal as front and back parts should still be ok as you also need the fuel tank return coolers pipework pumps etc so without a donor car to take all the bits from you would be scratching about for parts for ever

It would be a very expensive exercise

The clutches are not that bad if done properly just ask Jim who bought the CDT Tourer that I repaired it had 140K on the clock at the time and had been through a couple of badly done clutch jobs I think Jim has done quite a few miles on the clutch I fitted since then like well over a 100K.

10th May 2011, 23:47	#1
Svarog Newbie Rover 75 CDT Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Amsterdam Posts: 11 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Converting my manual transmission to an automatic - is it doable? I've been a victim of the "clutch bleed" disease for years now, and am considering a more durable solution than spending €700 every 15.000 km for a new clutch master and slave cylinder. The very first time my clutch pedal sinks to the floor again, I'm going to take some drastic measure. There is a scrapyard that has about 20 Rover 75s stacked together, a lot of them with automatic gearboxes. I'm able to get an automatic transmission out of one of them at a bargain price. The CDT Prestige looks like a pretty good candidate out of all of them. Some questions are wandering through my head though: - would a non-mechanic like me be able to get all the neccecary parts out of a scrap car, and in a reasonable amount of time? And without the danger of self-amputation of some of my extremities? - how complicated is it to install an automatic gearbox into a car? If it's no newbie work, how many hours would it take for an experienced mechanic? - how reliable is the Rover 75 automatic transmission? Would it be more cost-effective than spending 700€ every 15.000 kilometres? - can I put any Rover 75 automatic transmission into my own? Or does it have to be out of one specific type (i.e. CDT Prestige)? I know this is quite a monstrous task, but I'm no pansy and am willing to do as much of it by myself as I can, so I'm quite eager about the possibilities.

11th May 2011, 07:39	#2
SD1too Doesn't do things by halves Rover 75 2.5 Connoisseur Auto (1999) Dealer launch model. Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Former Middlesex Posts: 20,344 Thanks: 1,587 Thanked 3,749 Times in 3,181 Posts	Raoul, It would indeed be a monsterous task, and for a self-confessed non-mechanic I think you'd be unwise to take it on. Let's think about the root of your problem. Replacing the clutch master & slave cylinders regularly is ridiculous. Your garage hasn't diagnosed the fault properly. Club members will be pleased to help you find out what's wrong or, alternatively, seek out a second opinion locally. Simon. __________________ "Whatever is rightly done, however humble, is noble." Sir Henry Royce.

11th May 2011, 11:12	#3
tsautos Loves to post MG EXPRESS Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: STOURBRIDGE Posts: 439 Thanks: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	It's not a diy job. you'll need a new main harness that alone is a strip out of the whole of the interior to bare shell

11th May 2011, 11:18	#4
Zeb Banned MGZT V8 & ZTT 190+LPG Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 8,089 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Your clutch / slave / master should be lasting more than 15000 km! 130,000km is more reasonable! Something has not been done right for it to be failing in such short order...or the parts are not of sufficient quality?

11th May 2011, 13:03	#5
James.uk Passed Away 2002 Pale Blue. Rover 75 CDTi Connoisseur auto. 170K miles Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Near the M67. Posts: 14,509 Thanks: 199 Thanked 585 Times in 397 Posts	To all intents and purposes, the answer to your question is no.. It is not a viable conversion... ...

11th May 2011, 16:05	#6
topman This is my second home MG ZT-T 190 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Lincolnshire Posts: 5,493 Thanks: 372 Thanked 647 Times in 534 Posts	It'd be cheaper to sell yours then buy an automatic.

11th May 2011, 18:59	#7
Keith This is my second home ZT400 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Ellesmere Posts: 5,948 Thanks: 0 Thanked 43 Times in 29 Posts	I helped a guy turning a ZT 190 into a CDT Auto with the T4 side of the exercise If you can get a suitable donor it is primarily just a massive spanner exercise Getting the ZCS coding done was the previous owners biggest challenge as when he started he did not realise he needed to do that as well you need a complete donor because you need an IKE, an engine harness, an ECU and that is matched to the EWS and keys so you need those as well only way to get those will be from a fairly intact car even then kys are the first things to get lost One that has been a write off from rolling or a side impact would be ideal as front and back parts should still be ok as you also need the fuel tank return coolers pipework pumps etc so without a donor car to take all the bits from you would be scratching about for parts for ever It would be a very expensive exercise The clutches are not that bad if done properly just ask Jim who bought the CDT Tourer that I repaired it had 140K on the clock at the time and had been through a couple of badly done clutch jobs I think Jim has done quite a few miles on the clutch I fitted since then like well over a 100K.