914-6 with Tipronic

[Lyle]

Does anyone on this bulletin board have experience with installing a Tiptronic transaxle into a 914/6? I haven't done this conversion yet and would like to discuss the planning details with someone who has before proceeding. What chassis, engine and tranny, linkage and drivetrain changes are involved in the conversion? Did you have to make any mods to the electronics control module or its wiring harness? What engine did you use with the Tip.? What is it like for performance and handling?
Lyle

[lapuwali]

Besides the usual mechanical headaches in such a swap, the electronics will be bigger headache. It will, no doubt, be integrated with the engine electronics, which will not be readily adaptable to the 914 engine. You'd need wheel speed and tach signals into the Tip ECU, certainly. I'd be willing to bet that this kind of swap would be much easier if you swapped the corresponding engine along with it, just because of problems in dealing with the control system. I have no idea if any of the Audi drivetrains will fit, nor do I know if the Boxster ever came with Tip. If they ever fit this to a VR6 engine, Mike Mueller on the 914club board is just starting a VR6 swap.

[red-beard]

Someone just did this. It was either posted here or on the 914club board. They used a Boxster tranny in a 914. I don't remember which engine was used, it may have been a direct engine/tranny swap.

James

[lapuwali]

Yeah, that was a complete engine/tranny swap. I don't think it's done, yet. One big problem, apparently, with Boxster swaps is some of the electronics in the later setups is part of the dash. Some of the anti-theft electronics cause problems, too.

The good thing here is early Boxster engines/transaxles are relatively cheap. Numbers like $3000 were being thrown about for early 2.5 engines with low miles out of wrecks, or those pulled out to make room for later, bigger engines.

[bryanthompson]

Here's that Boxster swap thread: What is the Final Solution for Rough Shifting?

$5000 for the tranny, another $15,000 or so for the install.

[Lyle]

Guys, thanks for the quick response. The tranny mentioned is a six speed manual rather than a Tiptronic but then the size and at least some of the technical challenges are the same. I appreciate you taking the time.