Hey Everyone,

This is my first post on NAM so go easy on me please. I'm looking for thoughts and opinions, facts are really good too.

The issue - I have a 2003 R50, great car, love it, wanna keep it but the power issue is aggravating me. If I build up the engine, I break the 5 speed.

Now, I have a complete R56 engine with wiring harness and ECU, plus it's original 6 speed gear box with linkage and shifter.

Your thoughts on how many cans of worms I'm opening and how viscious are they?

BRGreen

 

IMHO you are opening up a can of worms as big as a 55 gallon garbage can. BTW how did you acquire the motor?

 

I am speechless...and so many people are in your debt!!

 

Wow, I have to say I have only the vaguest idea of the challenges you will have with that. They are still larger than I would want to take on. 55 gallons might not be big enough to hold them all.

Besides, I would imagine that a working R50 separate from a working R56 engine/trans are worth the price of a working non-S r56 somewhere. Grafted together, they won't be worth the price of the R50.
What part on the old 5-speed breaks with increased power?

 

if the motor does not bolt up to the motor mount on your frame. then get rdy for some serious fabrication.

Also you better hope the driveshaft splines from the R56 motor fit into the R50 hubs.

That is just the start.

 

Never mind the whole engine is flipped around. The proposition is so crazy is elicits a bit of admiration, to tell the truth!!!

 

Go to the junk yard. Use your sawzall to cut the front off an R56. Then cut the front of your R50 off the same way. Now throw both cars away & buy a MCS.

Sorry to be a wise guy. Couldn't help myself.

 

Near impossible im sure. Just by an R56 they may have grown a bit but they didnt gain weight. The the standpoint that now the hood is higher than before there will be so many issues, its just not compatible. This isnt the easy motor swap of putting an integra motor in a civic since its the same chassis.

 

eBay - only 1800 miles before someone flipped it on its lid. Seemed like a good deal.

 

Well I'm not speaking from experience, but it would seem that the 5 speed rated at 118 ft/pnds input would be stressed with 250 ft/pnds torque from a mildly built R56. The input shaft is what I would expect to fail.

 

Well, fabrication I am accustomed to. Couple of years back I converted a long wheel base Ford F-150 fleetsde to a short wheel base step side.

You bring up a good point with the splines though. I have access to the R56 hubs, but where would it stop.

Also, no one mentioned my main concern which is the electronics. Will the R56 ECU work with the other systems in the network, DSC, ABS, traction control and the like?

 

Actually, I tried to sell the Cooper with the idea of buying an R53 S. Even though it was priced $3000 below book, I didn't get a nibble and I refused to just give it away.

 

Sound advice - thanks so much.

 

Anything is possible... but how much money and skill do you have at your disposal?

First hurdle would be shoe-horning the thing in. Your going to be doing some significant cutting as the R56 engine/tranny takes up a lot more room.

From there, the ECU on the R56 controlls everything from fuel injection & ignition to turn signals & windshield wipers. It would be a bear of an electricl puzzle to get everything to play nice.

But again, if your sklled and have a lot of disposable income... it might be a fun project. At least fun to watch from the sidelines .

 

Depends with the what gets in the way for your swap. Im sure you could make the ECU work, but it wont be easy. Might have to get dealer help for getting it to work with the immoliblizer which makes the whole project more difficult. The ABS system is probably possible, its usually modular. The DSC and ACS are doubtful and why even bother. Id be worried about the powered steering. Doubt with the electronic stuff it will carry over. If you are worried about this like DSC and ACS working then engine swapping isn't for you. Id never do it, you just loose all practicality in a car by the sacrifices of getting another motor in there. Not to mention your car will loose value once you do it.

 

Well, I plan to start in January or February. It may well turn out that I have a very low mileage R56 s engine and transmission to sell to someone that actuallly has an R56.

As for skill, this won't be my first time at this sort of thing. I will however, be the most tightly packed engine swap I ever considered. Like most people, funding is not unlimited.

 

I hope there are no trips to the dealer required; I live in the sticks! The two nearest dealers are about the same distance away, 5+hours! I have been thinking I could possibly use the R50 wiring harness and the R50 ECU, wiring the engine as though normally aspirated, then getting a Unichip programmed for the boost management and fuel as though it were aftermarket bolt on.

msh441 has me concerned now about cramming the thing in there. Relocating the battery and odds and ends like that is no bother, but I'm not up for relocating the radiator forward and possibly a new one of different size and shape. As I told him in my reply, I may have a very low mileage R56 drivetrain for sale in the near future.

As for the value of the car, it lost value the day I had a ding removed from the hood and the hood repainted. Not to mention coilovers, trailing arms and sway bars. If this works out, I plan to drive it, not sell it.