Billy why not? hahahaha I did it on my truck
the Mazda 5 speed has about the same reputation as the "crappy" A4ld...
This is not a SIMPLE CONVERSION
The A4LD has gotten a bad wrap.
If they are maintained from the get go they last pretty good. There is no denying that they are the weak point of the drivetrain, that is true, but the point is the A4LD form the factory is a good unit. Its the rebuild that causes the problems. Why? Because the A4LD is a complicated automatic, meaning Ford uses some VERY tight tolerences inside. Also you cannot cut corners, all hard parts and updates must be performed for a reliable rebuild, careless assembly is the #1 cause of the A4LD nightmare.
Now I experienced the same thing with the Mazda 5 speed, in fact I had 4 of them in my truck in less that 2 years...due to faulty rebuilds.
I had access to a factory A4LD (meaing it had 160K miles on it, still worked, and it had never been rebuilt) and I also had a friend of a friend who has been rebuilding performance Ford autos for 30+ years.
HOWEVER you cannot simply unbolt a 5 speed and bolt in an Auto and unless you are really good at doing this sort of thing I wouldnt advise it. Think about it, I mean you have to convert everything from the foot pedals, the steering colum shifter (or use an aftermarket floor shifter), the floor plate and carpet (hole where the shifter used to be), the engines computer, the wiring harness requires many changes, you eliminate the clutch hydraulics and clutch pedal 3 position switch, the starter, the flywheel, etc. So unless you are prepared for such a conversion decide now whether its worth it or not. You also have to fit the tranny cooler, radiator, and cooling lines into the truck. Dont forget about the kick down cable and bracketry too...there is alot involved and finding the RIGHT parts can be a PITA.
I spent 6 months collecting parts, and I did the conversion in 3 days, I had some help. I also have the know how because I have done this sort of thing before... (drivetrain conversion)
I think I spent about $2000 total including my rebuild A4LD....I have since put another $5-600 or so into my A4LD to keep it cool etc
