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I picked up an 02 TL-S with 178k in mid march 2018 with a bad trans for $500. Basically couldnt pass it up, plus i needed the extra room for my son and my 01 accord v6 was a coupe. So picking up the TL was the best decision since all my mods would swap over from the accord to TL. So i started to strip the accord and TL, got the accord back up and running with a 6speed j32a2 and sold it. Then right when i was about to start back up on the TL i had a setback and ended up needing a 4th surgery on my hand, so the TL was put on hold to deal with recovery and therapy. Well lets just say Im lucky to have a good friend that lends a "hand" or two with this build. So heres some build photos. Ill update this as much as i can.
Hardrace LCA with hardened rubber Oem vs hardrace Hardrace UCA and RL BBK Fortune Auto 500s Oem vs Hardrace hardened rubber radius rod bushings Anti-seized the Hardrace rear camber and toe arms prior to install
J32a2 auto swap pulled Before power wash and paint 03 CL-S6 shifter box and cables installed with JTC short shifter and K-Tuned base bushings. E-Brake mockup Power washed, sanded some surface rust and painted the subframe My J35a3 6MT swap Removing the auto cam gear/sensors amd crank gear/sensors Auto vs Manual Crank Gear 03 CL-S 6MT converted Ap1 mishimoto radiator and slim fans Swap is in , radiator in for fitment
I guess with those front and rear engine mounts you have to forgo the front and rear engine damper assembly's?
i had these xlr8 mounts in my accord for 6 or 7yrs with no dampers, i believe the OEM dampers were put on the manual to help not destroy the OEM mounts.
^
Just curious, what's the details on the J35A3?
How / where did you source it; how many miles? It's getting more difficult to find one under 100K.
Did you have to do any other maintenance other than new timing belt parts and components to make it 6-speed compatible?
You're running the CL-S6 ECU?
Did you find the 6-speed trans. at the same yard? Those things are getting scarce.
I'm on the lookout for a CL-S6 E-brake assembly and associated parts. Thinking about doing an E-brake conversion on my 03 CL-S automatic project car.
^
Just curious, what's the details on the J35A3?
How / where did you source it; how many miles? It's getting more difficult to find one under 100K.
Did you have to do any other maintenance other than new timing belt parts and components to make it 6-speed compatible?
You're running the CL-S6 ECU?
Did you find the 6-speed trans. at the same yard? Those things are getting scarce.
I'm on the lookout for a CL-S6 E-brake assembly and associated parts. Thinking about doing an E-brake conversion on my 03 CL-S automatic project car.
picked the j35a3 for $500 in 2017 had 180k but carfax showed all dealer maintenance was done timing belt valve adjustment oil changes. I replaced the timing belt, tensioner and waterpump with new oem regardless. Motor has new gaskets, injector seals and ported runners. The trans i picked up in 2011 for $1150 with 80k. I will be running the 03 CL-S 6MT ECU. I actually have a spare cupholder, ebrake, clutch pedal, cmc and clutch slav . just incase i get another tl after this one is finished
Battery relocation 2 Gauge power cable ran 9 wire speed wire and rca's ran Rsx-s steering wheel and ebrake mounted Clutch pedal top bracket cut off from the oem footbrake pedal CMC holes cut Bracket from footbrake gets bolted to the top of the clutch pedal for support Clutch and brake pedal mounted Junction box mounted
power cable ran thru firewall Power cable crimped
picked the j35a3 for $500 in 2017 had 180k but carfax showed all dealer maintenance was done timing belt valve adjustment oil changes. I replaced the timing belt, tensioner and waterpump with new oem regardless. Motor has new gaskets, injector seals and ported runners. The trans i picked up in 2011 for $1150 with 80k. I will be running the 03 CL-S 6MT ECU. I actually have a spare cupholder, ebrake, clutch pedal, cmc and clutch slav . just incase i get another tl after this one is finished
Nice!
Thanks for the response.
Here's to your long thought out plan and efforts. Hope you get a lot of satisfaction from your new 6-speed.
BTW, did you take the cams from your TL-S J32A2 heads to make her a Type-S J35A3?
Nice!
Thanks for the response.
Here's to your long thought out plan and efforts. Hope you get a lot of satisfaction from your new 6-speed.
BTW, did you take the cams from your TL-S J32A2 heads to make her a Type-S J35A3?
i had this swap in my old accord for about a year before i swapped it into the tl. I left the motor stock besides the ported runnings, headers, intake and ported tbody. I plan on going turbo in a year or 2. Some guys running aem and boost on stock motors with upgraded valve springs and retainers pushing 450-650hp. Id be happy with 500hp daily. Nothing too crazy
You should definitely consider getting J32A2 or J35A8 cams. The J35A3 cams are the same as the J32A1 cams I believe, so your missing some free HP.
yes once i get the car running and everything finished i would like doing some upgraded valve springs and retainers, arp head studs and new headgaskets, cams and turbo. Definitely on the to do list. 👍
Great thread! Thanks for posting such detailed pics!!
no problem 👍 the car is alot further as of right now. I just have so many photos, but trying to organize them and post in the proper order so it doesnt look all crazy is taking alittle longer.
I had the xlr8 75a mounts for probably 6yrs or so. I removed them from the accord to use in the TL. I had the mounts powdercoated and new 75a inserts made. We were having fitment issues with the xlr8 mounts in the tl, come to find out the 02-03 tl rear mount is taller. So i picked up some innovative 75a mounts to use. The innovative mounts fit alot better but still needed some spacers Motor bolted down on the xlr8 mounts front, rear and passenger side. Xlr8 and innovative mounts Innovative rear mount Innovative front mount Passenger side innovative mount spaced with some temporary washers Motor sitting straighter and not crooked mounted 3/4" spacers might need to go taller on the passenger side. Spacers mounted
to make some spacers for passenger mount and trans mounts.
no problem 👍 the car is alot further as of right now. I just have so many photos, but trying to organize them and post in the proper order so it doesnt look all crazy is taking alittle longer.
No worries. It takes almost as much effort to document the process as actually doing the work.
Pulled the old oem fuel pump and installed a new oem filter assembly and an HFP 255LPH high pressure fuel pump Comptech manifolds and speed factory titanium hardware 3g tl alternator stay 130amp denso reman alternator and 3g bracket install Work with what you got. Cut the top hose to fit the ap1 radiator Radiator and hoses mounted Drained the old gm synchromesh and trying out Amsoil Synthetics 75w90 synchromesh
UA5_6MT, I can see the differences in the XLR8 and innovative mounts from your excellent pictures.
So the spacers on the pass. side mount were just to bring that side of the engine up so it would not be crooked, in relation to the front and rear mounts, or was the side mount not made to correct height in the first place?
Can you recap / clarify just what it was you were running into with this again?
UA5_6MT, I can see the differences in the XLR8 and innovative mounts from your excellent pictures.
So the spacers on the pass. side mount were just to bring that side of the engine up so it would not be crooked, in relation to the front and rear mounts, or was the side mount not made to correct height in the first place?
Can you recap / clarify just what it was you were running into with this again?
i alignment problems with the engine and trans, i had the xlr8 mounts and my j35a3 6MT swap for years with no issues. What i found out was the 98-02 accord and 99-03 tl use the same subframes and mounts but the 02-03 type s models have a different rear subframe and taller rear mount.
The innovative are taller in the rear. And as for the spacers i honestly cant figure out why the motor sits higher with the aftermarket mounts but its better for me since itll bring up the motor and not have to worry about any oil pan issues. I had custom spacers made out of steel that raise the side mounts 3/4". Im still messing with it to get it perfect. Id love to make some custom side mounts once the car is finished.
Since you are not running the MDX intake manifold spacer ,with your new IM, you should be able to tuck it under the hood.
i replaced the hood latch cable and greased up the latch, it now closes. With the motor raised and the j37 manifold the hood closes perfect no issues. Gotta love that oem cowl hood lol
If you haven't done auto-x before, you should consider it after this build is done. I see potential
i had 4 surgeries on my hand, last one they removed 3 bones and ground down the 4th. Its been a year and a half since my last surgery and i still cant bend my wrist. So autocross is out of the question for sure
Had the oem powersteering pump and j37 manifold powdercoated Ps pump stripped and back from powdercoat Removed the old end cap bearing Installed the new ntn endcap bearing Removed and installed the new shaft bearing Pump veins and cap installed Sealed and finished Ps pump w. Pulley installed J37 manifold back from sandblast Manifold back from powdercoat Sealed the manifold and installed the prank parts spacer and maxbore 68mm oem tbody Manifold installed, ps pump and belts installed
04-03-2020, 11:51 PM
to your long thought out plan and efforts. Hope you get a lot of satisfaction from your new 6-speed.
