im ready to convert my EF I6 to manual, and ive been reading alot of post here and there about converting to manual, but i still dont understand what is required exactly, heres my question..

now ive got all the mechanical parts required to change to a manual inc, transmission, clutch, presure plate, cables, peddles etc.
And im under the impression that i need to either:
- change my ecu to suit a EF manual
- or i need to trick my current auto ecu?
if so, whats a better option out of the 2?

If i need to change the computer, is it possible to put in a xr6 manual ecu in for better performance, or is a waste of money for me?

ive read about sum guys here that have had problems with the car stalling after conversion, just wanna make sure that doesnt happen with me, putting alot of money into this conversion.

Yes, the better option is obviously to change to a manual ECU, and if you have an aftermarket cam XR6 usualy helps a little. Good luck finding either though.

Tricking the auto one is cheaper, and requires wiring in a couple of resistors. Not as good as running a manual ECU obviously - but still good.

agree with voxace - if you can track down a XR6 manual ECU, then grab it! even just a stocker manual ECU - if you want to do it right first time, and have min hassels, get the right ECU to start with

alrite, well i will start hunting down a manual ecu, but just another quick question.

if i dont change the ECU for the time being, how will that car run? would it be driveable or not?

oh and if i do get a xr6 one, without having many mods, will i have idle problems, or gear change problems?

currents "mods" lolz - 2.5" exhaust, K&N airfilter
near future - extractors and diff ratio's

you won't have an issue running with the XR ECU - its designed for cam/exhaust/diff etc - the most differences are with the auto XR ECU's, as they change shift patterns etc - so don't be too worried!

but you'll be able to run fine without the manual ECU if you trick the auto one for the start!

yeah im a little short on money caz im buying a kit, umz so i will prob try use my auto ecu for a month or so.
can somebody help me out with what has to be wired where lol, and if its too difficult for my mechanic to do, den i mite get someone to do it?

when i did mine i tricked the computer for a week, and it felt sluggish still. i was able to get hold on a manual ecu and it was much better. i sold a manual ecu last week for $130 and i have seen a few around recently, keep an eye out on ebay.
whichever way you go the car will be drivable, just doa search and find which cables to put the resistors on and youll be set, and later on get yaself a xr ecu (if u can get one) and put that in with a cam and youll be havin a ball!!!

alrite, i spoke to some guy who said that its hard finding a manual ECU, but he can give me some kinda of plug which i put on, and it will fix my idle problem, and also the fan problem
is that rite?

I have 129rwkw from a std EL auto ECU.

I plugged a manual EL ECU in and it made.... wait for it...... 129rwkw.

Same dyno, same day, multiple runs. The later runs were down on power by a few kw.

On the road it made no difference at all. BTW I have the IAC disconnected so the car drives less like a Ford and more like an engine designed for the driver.

The fan problem is easy. A 5 cent resistor on the auto trans temperature wires and it stops the fan.

Someone else on here gave me the idea when I did my manual conversion almost a year back. Do a search for my posts around December/Janurary

auto computer will idle a little lower than manual, u would only notice if u try to take off idling, i wouldnt bother getting a std manual computer, but if u can find an xr one, then that will be better

hmm.. Ive got a stock auto ecu with resistors inline, and it runs fine.


Cheers

all i did when i converted my EF fairmont from auto to manual was stick a tickford manual computer in it in the first place instaed of having hassles of "tricking the auto"
Sounds almost as bad as-
*Tyre spacers...
*Chopped springs...

*DO IT ONCE......DO IT RIGHT....

A tricked auto might work for a while....
*Arnt you just better off using the correct parts in the first place if your spending that much money???....

On a Dyno Dynamics dyno, doing a straight swap on a stock standard EL 4 litre, there is 1-2hp difference in between an EL Fairmont auto ECU and an EL XR6 manual ECU. Did about 6-7 runs, one run the auto ECU had more power, the next time the manual ECU had more power.

The manual XR6 ECU doesn't fix the s**t way the engine decelerates. Only disconnecting the ISC makes the engine almost reasonable to drive, auto or manual ECU.

Oh, why bother re-using a cylinder head after its been machined? Wouldn't you be better off buying a new one?

Why bother buying a secondhand gearbox? If you're gonna do it, why not just buy a new one, do it properly!

Why bother buying a secondhand engine if you've blown yours up, why not do it properly and buy a new one?!

Why bother polishing faded headlights when you can buy new ones? Do it properly!

Why would you think others should spend MORE money to acheive exactly the same result with modifying their auto ECU? If you want to waste you're money, do so. Remember, these forums are here to help and heaps of the advice is kosher. If it makes you sleep better at night knowing you have a manual ECU, all power to you. The manual ECU is almost identical to an auto ECU, only runs a slightly different program to compensate for different gearboxes and engine behaviors which anybody that can read can easily fool an auto ECU into behaving the same way.

But no, everybody who successfully has a manual gearbox running with an auto ECU must be wrong.

Thanks for sharing the wisdom. I'll be sure to consult you how to do it properly in the future.

least my SECOND HAND PARTS have
*never failed me.. track proven.. 60+passeses lotsa big burnouts.. wsid
*are operating as they were intended/built to do...

*may save a few dollars doing the job of redoing the auto ecu to man ecu... It may work.. just peace of mind knowing ive got a genuine part for the intended purpose.. thats all.. not baggn anybody... jus my 2 yen...