ok so I have a parts wagon, an 1996 legacy wagon with a working 5spd manual... nice nearly new WRX lowering struts and springs...  also has a 300 HP built up 2.2 turbo...  however I don't get the engine, its going into my friend's 1968 Porsche 912, wide body and whale tail...

 

anyways, I release he trans and other stuff will just bolt up, BUT what about the ECU?  throwing codes, ect...  is it possible to make the auto ECU play nice with a manual trans?

the ecu doesn't care, but you'll need to get the rear diff and driveshaft out of the manual car as well. That car will most likely have a 3.90 final drive, your auto outback will be 4.44

You will have a few issues.  These have been addressed in the past.  Search for the swap.  You should find my post.

 

Larry

You ground 1 pin on the ECU to switch between auto/manual trans, other than that it doesn't care.

 

96 legacy will be a cable clutch. Swap the pedal box out and it should bolt right in. You may have to drill the hole in the firewall for the cable to pass through.

 

With the donor car it should go pretty easy. Unbolt from one, bolt onto the other. You will need to jumper the connector going to the auto trans shifter to get it to start. The ECU will also want to see a neutral switch and a clutch switch, so you will have to wire those in.

You ground 1 pin on the ECU to switch between auto/manual trans, other than that it doesn't care.

 

96 legacy will be a cable clutch. Swap the pedal box out and it should bolt right in. You may have to drill the hole in the firewall for the cable to pass through.

 

With the donor car it should go pretty easy. Unbolt from one, bolt onto the other. You will need to jumper the connector going to the auto trans shifter to get it to start. The ECU will also want to see a neutral switch and a clutch switch, so you will have to wire those in.

 

Nuetral switch can be wired from the trans into the original Auto trans connector for the indicator switch.

 

Clutch switch isn't needed unless you want the lockout feature to be operational.

 

You will need to use the Manaul starter.

Edited July 1, 201312 yr by Gloyale

Clutch switch is needed or you will get stalling as you coast up to a stop. I'm not talking about the switch at the bottom of the pedal's travel, that's the starter interlock, it's the switch at the top of the travel that the computer needs. It will set a code if it's not wired in.

I don't recall there being a switch on the clutch pedal for the ECU. There should be one for the cruise control.

The ECU uses a neutral switch on the side of the trans to tell when its in gear.

I don't recall there being a switch on the clutch pedal for the ECU. There should be one for the cruise control.

The ECU uses a neutral switch on the side of the trans to tell when its in gear.

 

I think it's more for fuel maps so the motor doesn't die when you push the clutch in when coasting.

I know I had to hook it up on a 93 turbo legacy that I swapped auto to manual and on my loyale when I did the EJ22 swap or they would stall when you pushed the clutch in during engine braking fuel cut. It warns the computer that the engine is no longer coupled to the wheels so it has to maintain idle.

 

I just checked a 96 legacy brighton with no cruise. It doesn't have the upper switch so it must use the lower switch for the ECU input as well as starter interlock.