I feel giving up on my project...

[sXi]

Hey guys. please listen to my story.

a month ago. I bought a 93 s13(none working auto). it was mad cheap. SO.. I got it.

My plan is to make it a drift car. well. do want to drive it daily. so. first thing is to swap to 5 speed. 2 days ago. I finished gathering parts and ready for installation.

alright, today, I got the engine and transmission out. but, I feel really frustrated. I feel that i am not capable of doing this. I am doing this by myself. other people can easily finish the swap in 2days or so. and I am already afraid of putting the engine and 5 speed transmission back onto the car. this is so hard. not technically, but really, lot lots of works involved.

cant imagin how much work is waiting for me . this is a really long project. working on the car is not as easy as i though before.

I am feeling frustrated now..

[cyrus240sx]

hey your on the right track! dont give up now! the manual swap is easy but can take time.. just get that engine and transmission back in... put in the clutch pedal stuff, wire it up... and your good to go!... if you have any trouble... just ask... there are tons of ppl that can help you through it...

[AmoebAssassin]

Don't lose hope...you have to learn everything the first time, and honestly doing it yourself is the best way to learn. Take your time, keep your head clear, and if in trouble, ask. This is a really dedicated community and im sure someone is out there to help.

[GhostDriver]

Don't give up. If you plan on drifting then you'll eventually break things. Your learning great skills by DIY. Welcome to the club.

[Neil]

If something on my car is being stupid, or I can't get a tool in somewhere quite right, I get frustrated very easily and it can quickly escalate into full blown anger. Best thing to do is to pick a project a day and just do things one step at a time. Saturday, unbolt auto transmission, remove torque convertor, install flywheel/clutchdisk/pressureplate. Sunday, bolt up transmission, get a friend to help you lift it all into the car, bolt up driveshaft and transmission mount. Another day: Install pedal assembly and clutch master. another day: install clutch lines and bleed, etc. just make daily goals and eventually it'll get done. and when it Is done, you'll forget how long it took you. Also with one day devoted to one smaller task, you have the time to make sure you're doing it right.

it also helps me when (if im working underneath) i've got the car as high up in the air as i can get it, I've got a good mix cd playing, a couple beers chilling in an ice bucket nearby, and a friend to grab me tools or at least keep me company

[JimmyMethod]

...and a friend to grab me tools

Or, in non-pirate-speak: Quote »and a friend to grab my tool.[/quote]

[cyrus240sx]

rofl

[Chingon]

I've felt frustrated a few times before. The good thing is that you started w/a relatively hard upgrade, and what you don't realize now is that most thing mechanical will see like a breeze compared to this.

[sXi]

this isn't my first time. I have another car that's a s14. and it's 5 speed. I've done brake upgrades and coilovers.

so I thougth I am able to do 5 speed swap on my s13

compare to those. 5 speed swap is really hard. and I am not even sure if my car gonna run after the swap. sigh

[sXi]

alright. here is the picture i took

[1991S13]

Nice puddle you got there in the driveway, lol.

Don't give up though, it can be done and even if you do make a few mistakes you'll learn from them and figure it out. When I did my manual swap I would get confused and that led to me being p***ed off and if I went inside for a while, thought it over, and went back out it would all come together. Also when I did mine it was only like 20 degrees in the shop and all I had was one of those little space heaters. I was either sweating or frozen.

Keep at it - NICO will get you through, lol.

[450zxtt]

you guys are very supportive.dont give up.perseverance and determination=results.good luck,never give up.450zxtt

[Florida240sx]

You can do it.I did a motor swap in 8 hrs...Yes when the motor got put back no vaccums are hooked up due to lost of memory..But it runs strong.Unitl timign chain started to crap. Make you sure you got eveyr step listed. Only thign I'm worried abotu in your swap is about the pilot bearing you are swapping it correct?(Thought it is a must to switch, correct me if I'm wrong)

[Bruno240]

and once you are done you will have a awesome sence of pride that will put you in a good mood all week.

[Tims_240]

dude i know exactly how you're feeling. when i first started to put in my turbo kit for my KA i was all psyched and ****, and then time went on, and things went wrong and it pissed me off. my friends were all sitting around doing nothing because they didnt know what to do, that pisseed me off even more, and when id ask them to get me a tool when i was working my *** off, it took em like 5 ****ing hours to find it, blah blah blah.just imagine one huge light for me to work under, tools scattered EVERYWHERE, and me looking like i work the mines. but about 12 hrs later the story ends in me watching the sunrise the next morning and feeling like a badass mother f****r.point is, dont give up, when **** goes wrong figure it out, theres always little stuff to do, so if something big gets you stuck work on that while we help you figure out the big problem.-tim

[574-240sx]

When I did my first auto to manual swap my parents didn't think my car would run again. It was a prefectly driving auto. 8 hours later I was driving manual with the help of a friend.

Also where are you located, a NICO person may live near and offer a helping hand.

[PILLZ]

hey your doing better than me man... heres my story... i wouldnt consider myself a "drifter" but deffintally a 240 enthusiast.. so ive been working for while and saved up some money and thought."ok!.. im gonna buy my car!" then i thought? why dont i just build it?..so i bought a rolling chassis with a ka24de and manual transmission (package deal) ..was a hella of biotch to get home, so after 4 hours of driving and a load of bs i got it home and loaded it off the truck.. pushed it into a parking spot ... THEN!...i stopped and thought to myself???..."you know what smart guy..you live in apartments..you have no where to build a car and plus..thats alot of work?.... " so with in 5 mins of getting it i threw in the towel, locked the doors ,and said" F this...imma buy one that runs..." so of course i felt like a tardo ,But you my friend!..keep your determination... and your garage..

[PILLZ]

not sure if that helps?...hahaha... fyi the car still remains in the same spot but with a car cover so that it looks like some nice car and doesnt get towed

[sXi]

just imagine one huge light for me to work under, tools scattered EVERYWHERE, and me looking like i work the mines.

exaclty what happened to me. well. i am not giving up since every one is so supportive. plus, I am already half way there.. I will do it and do it right. will keep you guys posted.

[Eikon]

exaclty what happened to me. well. i am not giving up since every one is so supportive. plus, I am already half way there.. I will do it and do it right. will keep you guys posted.

That's the spirit. Keep at it buddy.

When you are done.. you will feel SO good about yourself. It is the best feeling in the world.

I am always really nervous about doing a job that I haven't done before. It takes a lot of confidence to get started and work on it. But, when I eventually get psyched up and go for it... it turns out well. When you get done with it.. you feel just amazing! King of the world!

If you get stuck... update this thread.. you will have lots of people to help talk you through it. That is what is so great about NICO.

Good luck!

[GhostDriver]

HELL YEAH for Perseverance1!!!!

[themadscientist]

Gambatte

[R240sx]

Wow, you took out the whole engine to replace the transmission?? wouldnt it have been easier to get under the car and just drop the transmisson?? anyways good job on that, i could definatly see how that would be frusturating.

[HashiriyaS14]

Can you get an extra hand from anyone else in your area?

Doing stuff like that yourself can be a pain, always good to have some help.

[hannibal]

Keep at it. I feel good after I change my oil. Imagine how great it'll feel to drive your 5 speed S13.

Take your time. You have another car (a 240 even!) to drive, so you dont need to rush.

BTW, any idea where the road in your sig is??

[ddgsxr504]

Owning a 240SX is, I hate to say this, like a marriage. You got to take the good with the bad. I love my S14 and have had it for a little over 5 years now. I remember when the Aluminum Aero quip fittings for my electrical oip pressure gauge broke and it left me stranded on the freeway and I had to call my wife to bail me out. Every time the car does something stupid I get so pissed but once she runs perfect again I just pat her on the dash and say I'm sorry for being so verbally abusive to you!! I am so happy when it runs and I love to drive it. I don't think I will ever sell the car. My point is there are times when you will hate that damn car so much you want to blow it up but when you fix it and it runs you wouldn't trade it for any other car in the world! S-Chassis Pride!!

[Neejay]

I feel ya man. Im so scared now to work on my car (even to do routine stuff). I also get scared when I have to get on the expressway

Everytime I work on something, there's always ONE thing wrong, even when you think you finally figured it out (1 bolt, 1 screw, 1 plug, etc). I get so pissed off, and it doesnt help when NO ONE else is supportive but your girl or so. I always have to work on my car by myself without any help or hookups (full price for everything). And its like you said about it seems like EVERYONE else has hookups and helping hands.

Best advice I can give is to BE PATIENT. When I think back over times I got worked up and rushed things, that could have been avoided if I just had patience. Take your time and dont give up.

[DanCouga]

You just have to heed the words of Wilson Phillips and hold on for one more day.

[sensibleS13driver]

You just have to heed the words of Wilson Phillips and hold on for one more day.

ROFL

But seriously, if I were you (don't flame) I'd sell the car and put the money into your S14, if its the gold one in the pic then its gots way more potential than a non-running S13

[sXi]

Wow, you took out the whole engine to replace the transmission?? wouldnt it have been easier to get under the car and just drop the transmisson?? anyways good job on that, i could definatly see how that would be frusturating.

the auto engine was blown. so i am replacing the engine also