1988 240GL Auto to manual swap
 

Hi everyone, I've owned my 240GL automatic for over a year now and it's never let me down. However I do prefer manual cars, my other car is manual and I've been told that manual 240s are miles better than autos.

It never really bothered me until recently but I'm now starting to seriously consider switching my auto box for a manual, mainly because of the mechanical simplicity, increased speed and fuel economy. I've seen numerous forum posts explaining in detail what parts to get and how to go about doing it but I need some opinions.

First off should I ever consider doing this? Is it worth all the hassle when I've got a perfectly fine auto box in there already?

And secondly what gearbox would you recommend? M46 with overdrive or M47? I'm looking for reliability and fuel economy more than performance but which box is better for cruising in top gear?

Thanks
Peter

I suspect that it will cost you more to do than youll ever save in petrol.
Simply buy a manual car ?

Yes you should consider doing it. It'll completely change the car in a good way.

Is buying an electric whisk worth the hassle when you have a perfectly good hand whisk? Of course it is, because its better.

M47 all the way.

But is fitting an electric motor to a hand whisk worth the hassle when one can buy an electric whisk all done and ready to use?

I don't know the arithmetic of money and time and life involved in swapping the gearbox in the existing car compared to changing the entire car.



P.S. If the whisk is for egg whites, use a balloon whisk by hand in a copper bowl. Lots of elbow grease required. Cushti result. I have used the Tom Sawyer creosote the fence technique to delegate the effort upwards to management.

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If you have a good solid 240 then yes it is worth it. If your 240 is getting rough around the edges spend your money on the body or a better car.


Done the swap both ways around many times.

Thanks for the advice, I think just buying a manual car is off the cards, I'm the type of person who gets attached to cars and is hard to sell, especially considering all the work I have done on mine to get it to the condition it is in now although it was already in great condition when I bought it.

I've heard the differential ratio is different on manuals and autos. Would you recommend changing the diff too or leaving it be?

Peter

I would just leave the diff ratio tbh

Just wondering which parts would you recommend I pull from another car and which parts should I buy brand new?

Also are there any unexpected things I should know about and any hints you have?

Thanks very much
Peter

Shout out for the auto from me. No troubles at all over the years in mine or my grandads cars with well over 200k between them.

The 240 auto boxes are a very reliable unit and depending on where you live with traffic levels on the increase there is a lot to be said for an automatic to do the work.

If most of your driving is free flowing and good roads I could see the appeal of a manual though.

Noticed there seems to be a trend recently for more and more new basic/family cars to be spec d with auto these days for some reason.

Auto boxes have their virtues. I had an auto 744. It did me proud. London driving only just outside the congestion zone but within the tube and general busy life zone. Towns and cities I had never been to before. All grades of roads around England and Wales. All when I was tired, overdue to look after myself. Sometimes when I was actually ill.

If the car happens to be auto, let the box do that bit of the work. :)

I drive a manual 240. It suits me. I do also speak up for the auto.

Each to their own and horses for courses.