Converting 2wd to awd (4wd)

AlaskaB16AlaskaB16 New Wagonist
in Engine & Drivetrain
I've found various answers to this question here and doing google searches. It seems everyone agrees it's doable but my question is, are all the mounts and things there already? It's raining like crazy here and I just got done with my epic trip picking up both these cars to go look. I'll get them both on my lift at work at some point and verify, but I was hoping someone here has confirmed knowledge.

Basically here's what i'm looking at doing. My plan for the RT was to go K for sure though i'm also toying with the idea of doing a J swap now. I'm 100% committed to keep awd with what ever option I choose. So with that, the drive train is going to have to be modified or custom built anyway... and that got me thinking.. Why not build two at the same time? I was just questioning if the 2wd could take the rt swap? Like if someone had a parts car they wanted to swap over into their daily. If it can take the conversion with out hacking it all up, I think I may turn it into an AWD then and just sell it here locally to make up some/all of the costs on both cars.

Any thoughts?

Comments

  • CharbCharb Administrator
    Definitely spend more time searching. This was very easy to find: http://www.civicwagon.com/showthread.php?13701-2wd-to-awd-swap!

    Also, did you hit the lotto? You got a ton of extra money to be spend building two 4wd swapped cars? And a J series? You definitely need to spend more time searching regarding 4wd options. I have. And they're not good.
  • AlaskaB16AlaskaB16 New Wagonist
    LOL.. I knew someone was going to comment about money.. Lets just say yes, I do well. I don't sleep on a mattress stuffed with hundreds, but I may have a pillow case or two ;) But actually none of the money I use for my cars comes from my paychecks. Rather, I search CL daily and buy cars that people are selling crazy low and requires some work (or they think it does anyway), then fix them and resell at a premium. Quick example. Bought a 98 Subaru GT legacy wagon the other day for $400. Needed a clutch and had four flat tires. Turns out three of the tires just needed air, then I replaced the other with a spare tire that was in the freakin trunk! Clutch gets done tomorrow (I don't have time to do it myself) for $700. Then I'll relist it for around $5500 the following day... Then repeat, repeat, repeat... Simple. What a typical quality running car sells for in the lower 48, sells for double or triple up here.

    Anyway, on topic again. I'm still searching like crazy, but searching this particular site doesn't produce results like i'm used to finding. I'm not sure what i'm doing wrong? Most all the info i've found regarding the various swaps have come from that particular engine forum or from another civic forum as it relates to a CRX. As an admin here (are you the only one?), I know it's your job to tell me to "search" so I expected that. No worries. I have a LOT to look at for sure. And as you stated, the J 4wd (awd) set up seems like it needs more R&D. I went to those forums looking up info and think it's just lack of people actually trying to do it. Everyone has an opinion about why they think this or that but no facts or direct hands on knowledge to prove theories. If I can't find SOLID evidence that I will not be happy with the end result of doing a JAWD swap, then i'm going to strongly consider it. At least one wagon anyway.. Then K the other..

    Now... Let me check this link you EASILY found that my noobness couldn't find. My bad

    EDIT: Now see, the title of the thread is "2wd to awd swap". As an admin, are you able to search words with 3 letters or less? Because this site will not let me search anything less than 4 letters long. Other wise i would have searched exactly that. Instead, I searched "four wheel drive conversion" or anything I could think of that was 4 letters or more.
  • CharbCharb Administrator
    No worries. At least I didn't lock this thread :)

    I had a J for a minute and spent weeks searching for a manual 4wd transmission that was rumored to be out there... with no luck. There's 2 running 4wd K's on our board, so there's definitely some good info available. I'm moving South for a couple of years, so I'm no longer considering much of anything.

    Won't be easy. But nothing good in life is.
  • AlaskaB16AlaskaB16 New Wagonist
    I've been talking to one of them I think. I found a guy with one on the K boards that's been giving me pointers. No doubt a great option with a solid foundation of results which I love! I suppose you sold your J already huh? Did you bother trying to locate a 5 speed trans new or were you only looking for used? There's something that has to work... I feel it in my guts! LOL

    And thanks for not locking. I'll post up pics of my results if that's the route it ends up going. And if not, well then at least it has a link now! Thanks man
  • CharbCharb Administrator
    Originally it was going to be for a FWD project. Then had the pipe dream of 4wd. But there isn't a manual 4wd tranny, that I could find anyway (other than the brand new stuff that I'll never be able to afford).

    A good friend of mine that is an engineer is working on a J2K kit hopefully for next season. Not nearly as easy as some of the H2B or B2Ds that are out there. Hopefully if all goes well, it may be usable for 4wd K trannys too.
  • AlaskaB16AlaskaB16 New Wagonist
    Forgive my noob question here.. j2k? As in an adapter plate to run a k trans on the j motor?
  • CharbCharb Administrator
    AlaskaB16 wrote: »
    Forgive my noob question here.. j2k? As in an adapter plate to run a k trans on the j motor?

    Exactly....
  • AlaskaB16AlaskaB16 New Wagonist
    In your searching, what did you find that works? The 2010 RDX trans keeps coming up in my search. Someone surely has made an adapter plate by now no? If not, I may be able to work that out myself.
  • realtimefunrealtimefun Senior Wagonist
    i found you a awd V6 trans in stick but there is no price and it is in canada

    its from a its from a 2010 TL with the SH awd

    here is a link to the site i hope to here about a awd J swap wagon
    http://www.car-part.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi
  • AlaskaB16AlaskaB16 New Wagonist
    Hey, thanks for the help! I forgot to check that site and just used it the other day for something else. Either way, I've still got a lot of research to do before I go off buying parts just yet. Plus I don't have anywhere to put them as of now. I still have 4 more cars to sell before I have the garage space to get this project full steam ahead. I really appreciate the leg work though!
  • realtimefunrealtimefun Senior Wagonist
    Better jump on it befor I do :)
Sign In or Register to comment.

© Vanilla Keystone Theme 2025