'93 MX3 Auto Tranny help required

[falcore]

Hi Guys and Gals;

I have a '93 GS with an Auto tranny. when cold I can shift and drive but when it warms up it runs free and I go nor more. I have a friend mechanic look at it and advised that I need a rebuild or swap out. Now living in Calgary and with a desire for a cost effective solution, i was wondering if you had any suggestions as to good places to look or go etc . . .
Option 1 - Rebuild = $$$$$ and from what I am reading here the Tranny bites anyway (I have 110000Km's on original motor)

Option 2 - Swap from the Auto to a 5 speed manual = $$$$ I hear this is cheaper to do and i have no issues with driving a stick any further info in this area would be swell even a link to a forum post as I can't seem to find it.

Option 3 - complete engine swap to a ZE with Tranny included $$$ while the part seems to be cheap (I found one for $850 and includes the tranny) But this is the least desirable due to the fact I won't have a garage for about 8 months and I am a computer geek and have no mechanical skills what so ever. mechanic friend says it would be a blast to do though . . . I think he likes pain.

I like option 2 the best so if you have other options available I am open to suggestions also any Idea where to get option 2 done in Calgary?

Thanks!

[Newfie_dan]

the ze swap is not that much more work than a tranny swap. You would need a clutch, slave cylinder, lines, pedals, shifter linkage etc to swap from auto to manual. Its not that bad to do though. My advice first is to troubleshoot the problem, if it shifts cold then its most likely a pressure related problem. So do a fluid and filter change on the tranny first off its the cheapest and most cost effective soultion. Add a little conditioner when you swap the filter and fluid. These tranny's were not that bad except for the cooling problem they had. The factory cooler was total crap,it is nothing more than a small diameter steel pipe no cooling fins to speak of, if you have an automatic tranny that works then swap for a better cooler and an inline filter it will help you out lots. Calgary has lots of stop and go driving so an automatic would face a lot of heat cylcing without much cooling. Pick n pull is ur best option for parts, cheapest and they usually have a few mx-3 gs's and a few 93-97 probes and a few mx-6s there. But for the price I would just recommend buying a manual mx-3 they are usually a few for sale in the 1000-2000 dollar range. I lived there for 6 years so I am very familiar with the market there and whats available parts wise. Just remember that if you go auto-manual then get a new clutch, machine the flywheel and tear apart the trans u get to inspect the gearing no sense dropping in a crap tranny. I recommend getting a mx-6 trans if u can though they have better highway gearing. The auto to manual swap is covered here in great detail so do a search on it you will find all the info you need.
As an added note try starting the car in gears other than P and N, if it does start then the neutral safety switch is toasted on ya as well.
Read the link at the top of this section it will give u the info required.