2001 1.8T. Can you substitute an automatic engine for a manual?

[stan559]

2001 A4 1.8T - AWM. Are the manual and automatic engines interchangable? I have a 2001 A4 with a 1.8T, engine ID awm, 5 -speed. I broke the timing belt and am looking for a low mileage engine to replace the one that might be ruined. My mechanic is waiting to see if I find a substitute engine before I go to the expense of having him try to fix the old one. I understand there could be some lower end damage as well as bent valves.

[salz2135]

Let your mechanic know to check the snout on the crankshafts for differences. I know for a fact that the older 058 blocks have different crankshafts depending on whether the car was a manual or automatic.

[walky_talky20]

I'm pretty sure they are different - the crankshaft is different. My advice would be to find a good 2000+ cylinder head, pop that on and be done. There shouldn't be any damage to the lower end other than a few marks on the pistons which is nothing to worry about. Unless one of the valves actually broke off and massacred the piston, you generally only need to replace the cylinder head, or repair it with new valves.

A used engine might be easier and cheaper to find than a good head, depending on where you are. So you might buy the whole engine and just have your mechanic swap in the head. In that case, it doesn't matter what tranny the donor engine had, auto or manual.

Then you might be able to sell the block.

[avinash]

ya you can...... i guess it's just matter of taking of the a/t trans out and retrofit the manual...... may be a lil adjustment will be needed....... and u need to replace ur ecu with the manual's ecu........

[salz2135]

^^^it would be helpful to read the thread before actually posting.

you just gave information that has nothing to do with what this guy is trying to figure out.

[ZimbutheMonkey]

Yes you can, what you would need to do is shave a little bit off the crank snout and put a pilot bearing in to substitute for the snout protrusion on the manual version. Biketsai has the details in his 5 speed conversion DIY http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...ual-Conversion FYI I did the swap too and it worked fine on mine too.

[guy022077]

here are your options i just did this..

an audi or vw engine longitudinal or transverse will be fine.. but you must go auto to auto and manual to manual. If you dont, you have to grind the crankshaft down on the manual crank to fit it to an auto transmission.

[ZimbutheMonkey]

here are your options i just did this..

an audi or vw engine longitudinal or transverse will be fine.. but you must go auto to auto and manual to manual. If you dont, you have to grind the crankshaft down on the manual crank to fit it to an auto transmission.

While I'm not sure how feasible it is to go from a manual to automatic, I know for fact that you can put a an automatic engine on a manual with very little difficulty. Like I said, spend 30 min shaving the end off the crank with a grinder and put an alternator bearing in as your new pilot and voila, it works.

[walky_talky20]

Seems like there isn't much solid info for going the "other" way (manual engine to auto trans). Lots of info for auto engine+manual trans, though.

So if you grind away a bit to fit the manual trans on the auto crank, it would stand to reason that you have to ADD MATERIAL TO THE CRANK to bolt the auto trans to the manual crank. I'm just going out on a limb here...thoughts?

[ZimbutheMonkey]

Actually, in the case of the auto to manual, you are adding material in the form of the pilot bearing. The crank shaving is just to free up some clearance for the bearing.

In the case of a manual to auto, it may technically be possible to machine a spot to accommodate the torque converter pilot nub. However, you would most likely need to remove the crank to do so properly. I don't think that a grinder would do the job.

[guy022077]

Seems like there isn't much solid info for going the "other" way (manual engine to auto trans). Lots of info for auto engine+manual trans, though.

So if you grind away a bit to fit the manual trans on the auto crank, it would stand to reason that you have to ADD MATERIAL TO THE CRANK to bolt the auto trans to the manual crank. I'm just going out on a limb here...thoughts?

i put manual motor into an auto car. and you have to grind the CRANKSHAFT because the tq convertor hits the crank. so i am quoted a few up but keep in mind auto to auto and manual to manual would be ideal but if you go manual motor into auto car "you have to grind the crankshaft down on the manual crank to fit it to an auto transmission bell housing because the TQ converter hits crank." but it is very possible and can be done with success.

In the case of a manual to auto, it may technically be possible to machine a spot to accommodate the torque converter pilot nub. However, you would most likely need to remove the crank to do so properly. I don't think that a grinder would do the job.

this is correct but "properly" would be to get the correct crank in the first place. and machining the crank down is a lot of work but a grinder can do it.

[walky_talky20]

Good info. The OP is all set, though, as he is bolting a manual gearbox to a auto engine. As Zimbu said, that's is covered well in biketsai's excellent Auto to Manual DIY. I was just curious about going the other way.

[Poopie]

i think with the 06a you just need to press in a pilot bearing.

[biketsai]

Just gotta shave down the crankshaft to fit an additional pilot bearing. Check out my sig for the link on my swap.

[Poopie]

oh word. pressing the pilot bearing in might only apply to 06a blocks out of a transverse auto crank.

[biketsai]

It goes into more depth on my thread but basically you fit this additional bearing into the flywheel, you shave the crank so there is room on the flywheel to hold the bearing inside while at the same time being able to have a center/fit onto the crank.