I'm considering buying a 2001 or 2002 Prizm, but unfortunately, the only ones in the area are 3 sp autos. I'm looking for gas milage, as the car will by a commuter vehicle. I can get the 4 sp auto fairly cheap, and understand it will require a pcm swap or reflash. What other things will be required for this swap? Is there a difference in the tranny connectors or PCM connections? OD button? Shifter replacement? Please help!

I can't believe no-one here has a clue. Are you too stuck up to answer or just too busy?

I'm considering buying a 2001 or 2002 Prizm, but unfortunately, the only ones in the area are 3 sp autos. I'm looking for gas milage, as the car will by a commuter vehicle. I can get the 4 sp auto fairly cheap, and understand it will require a pcm swap or reflash. What other things will be required for this swap? Is there a difference in the tranny connectors or PCM connections? OD button? Shifter replacement? Please help!

I can't believe no-one here has a clue. Are you too stuck up to answer or just too busy?

For transmission changes try the search feature. There has been numerous threads on that topic.

I am not that familiar with standards as my daughter has one but all the rest of the Corollas in my family are automatics.

The 4 speed actually a 3 speed with an overdrive. Gas mileage tends to be better on standards, but the 4 speed is still pretty good.

I'm considering buying a 2001 or 2002 Prizm, but unfortunately, the only ones in the area are 3 sp autos. I'm looking for gas milage, as the car will by a commuter vehicle. I can get the 4 sp auto fairly cheap, and understand it will require a pcm swap or reflash. What other things will be required for this swap? Is there a difference in the tranny connectors or PCM connections? OD button? Shifter replacement? Please help!

Cannot reflash Toyota ECMs - just pick up the ECM from the 4-speed and you should be good to go (connectors are the same - wiring is a little different). Swapping is the not the hard part - getting all the wiring with the transmission is generally the hardest. On 8th gen Corollas - the 3-speed ECM can be used with 5-speed standard swaps just fine - go figure.

 

Thanks for the replies. Sorry I had to stoop to lower levels to get a reply. I have the correct PCM on the way, and the tranny in a week. I guess the other question is...do I need to pull the engine to get the tranny swapped? I'd do a search, but all the different types of engines in these cars confuses me.

If you don't already own the vehicle, wouldn't it be a whole lot easier to search out a Corolla equipped with the manual.

I had a Prizm and GM ruined the Toyota quality with crap work in everything they did. Go totally Toyota and you'll be happier.

Thanks for the replies. Sorry I had to stoop to lower levels to get a reply. I have the correct PCM on the way, and the tranny in a week. I guess the other question is...do I need to pull the engine to get the tranny swapped? I'd do a search, but all the different types of engines in these cars confuses me.

Thanks for the replies. Sorry I had to stoop to lower levels to get a reply. I have the correct PCM on the way, and the tranny in a week. I guess the other question is...do I need to pull the engine to get the tranny swapped? I'd do a search, but all the different types of engines in these cars confuses me.

You do not need to remove the engine - just the electrical connectors from the wiring harness, the drive shafts from the tranny, the bolts connecting engine to tranny and rotate the engine manually to disconnect the bolts from the torque converter. The rest is easy, just follow a repair manual. Make sure you put a board or flat spacer under the tranny with a jack to support it without damaging the pan.

 

Thanks for all the replies. I do have the vehicle and am happy with it so far. It had 63K miles on it and appears to have been well taken care of. I got a haynes manual for now, and it appears that the 4 speed tranny is computer controlled as the 3 speed isn't. So, I'll have to get the 3 pin connector for the solenoids and wire it into the harness to the ECM.

It sounds as if you are planning on swapping the tranny anyways. Let us know how that goes.

It sounds as if you are planning on swapping the tranny anyways. Let us know how that goes.

Yes, I'm still going ahead with it. I've already found out however that the PCM between the 3 and 4 speed is entirely different. 4 connectors vs 3 connectors and all the wires are in different locations, not to include the additional 6 wires I'll need to run from the PCM to the tranny. So, I'm looking for the connectors, but GM doesn't sell the connectors seperately, so I'll either have to buy a used harness or see if I can find the connectors at a salvage yard. Unfortunately, there aren't any in my area that has cars this new.

It sounds as if you are planning on swapping the tranny anyways. Let us know how that goes.

Yes, I'm still going ahead with it. I've already found out however that the PCM between the 3 and 4 speed is entirely different. 4 connectors vs 3 connectors and all the wires are in different locations, not to include the additional 6 wires I'll need to run from the PCM to the tranny. So, I'm looking for the connectors, but GM doesn't sell the connectors seperately, so I'll either have to buy a used harness or see if I can find the connectors at a salvage yard. Unfortunately, there aren't any in my area that has cars this new.

It sounds as if you are planning on swapping the tranny anyways. Let us know how that goes.

Yes, I'm still going ahead with it. I've already found out however that the PCM between the 3 and 4 speed is entirely different. 4 connectors vs 3 connectors and all the wires are in different locations, not to include the additional 6 wires I'll need to run from the PCM to the tranny. So, I'm looking for the connectors, but GM doesn't sell the connectors seperately, so I'll either have to buy a used harness or see if I can find the connectors at a salvage yard. Unfortunately, there aren't any in my area that has cars this new.

If all you need are the correct connectors you could identify which one/type you need and them cut them off a harness at a junkyard. The harness may be different but connectors have not changed too much over the years. You can always splice them in to your old harness or to the new wiring you may have to string.

 

Actually, what I've found it that there is significant differences between the 3 speed computer/connectors and the 4 speed computer/connectors. Apparently, the similarities between the 2 changed in 2000, as the PCM for the 4 speed is different between 05/00 and 06/00.

A good suggestion is to look on e-Bay for a parts car and e-mail owner to see if they will remove and sell what you need. I have obtained some parts that way when I could not find them in the junkyard.

A good suggestion is to look on e-Bay for a parts car and e-mail owner to see if they will remove and sell what you need. I have obtained some parts that way when I could not find them in the junkyard.

Thanks, tried that, only received 1 response back so far from about 4 or 5 requests. Not much luck so far. If I have to, I'll buy a new harness.

A good suggestion is to look on e-Bay for a parts car and e-mail owner to see if they will remove and sell what you need. I have obtained some parts that way when I could not find them in the junkyard.

Thanks, tried that, only received 1 response back so far from about 4 or 5 requests. Not much luck so far. If I have to, I'll buy a used harness.

Well, so far, I've found out that the drivers side and rear tranny brackets are different between the 3 sp and 4 sp transmission, as well as the drivers side mount. All are on order at this time. Still working issues with the engine wiring harness, as the first one I received was a 3 speed one. When I filed a claim with them, they told me it was denied, because I should have ordered a "overdrive harness". It took several minutes on the phone with them to explain the 3 sp and 4 sp harness and PCM differences, and there was no "overdrive harness". More to come.

A good suggestion is to look on e-Bay for a parts car and e-mail owner to see if they will remove and sell what you need. I have obtained some parts that way when I could not find them in the junkyard.

Thanks, tried that, only received 1 response back so far from about 4 or 5 requests. Not much luck so far. If I have to, I'll buy a used harness.

Well, so far, I've found out that the drivers side and rear tranny brackets are different between the 3 sp and 4 sp transmission, as well as the drivers side mount. All are on order at this time. Still working issues with the engine wiring harness, as the first one I received was a 3 speed one. When I filed a claim with them, they told me it was denied, because I should have ordered a "overdrive harness". It took several minutes on the phone with them to explain the 3 sp and 4 sp harness and PCM differences, and there was no "overdrive harness". More to come.

I got my 98 COrolla with 3 speed auto swapped into a 5 speed manual recently. Cost was $1800.

I got my 98 COrolla with 3 speed auto swapped into a 5 speed manual recently. Cost was $1800.

Was that for a shop to do it for you? Did you have to source the parts or did the shop do it? If shop prices and they sourced the part - not too bad of a price.

 

Yep, it was a shop down here in Savannah, GA. www.getswapped.com

He sourced the parts and did the labor. Took only 2.5 days to do.

All done. Took me 2 hours to swap the wiring harness, then 8 hours to swap the transmissions out. I used a home built arrangement to act as an engine lift to allow me room under to work. The only real sticking point was the arm on the shift rod on the tranny didn't line up with the shifter. Had a friend with a welder cut it apart and weld it together so it fit.

cost Transmission, 4 sp overdrive $200.00

Co worker to bring tranny from florida $100.00

ECM for 4 speed tranny $100.00

4 speed wiring harness $387.00

2 tranny brackets for 4 speed $85.00

Overdrive button on shifter $45.00

The last 3 items were all brand new.

A good suggestion is to look on e-Bay for a parts car and e-mail owner to see if they will remove and sell what you need. I have obtained some parts that way when I could not find them in the junkyard.

Thanks, tried that, only received 1 response back so far from about 4 or 5 requests. Not much luck so far. If I have to, I'll buy a used harness.

Well, so far, I've found out that the drivers side and rear tranny brackets are different between the 3 sp and 4 sp transmission, as well as the drivers side mount. All are on order at this time. Still working issues with the engine wiring harness, as the first one I received was a 3 speed one. When I filed a claim with them, they told me it was denied, because I should have ordered a "overdrive harness". It took several minutes on the phone with them to explain the 3 sp and 4 sp harness and PCM differences, and there was no "overdrive harness". More to come.

Replaced the wiring harness(brand new from Auto Parts People for $170 less than retail) and computer. Took about 2 hours, including removing center console. Car started right up after I hooked up the MAF sensor. Tranny swap to be done tomorrow(Sunday).