Don't bother with the AXOD-E. Get another AX4N for that car since they seem to be more reliable. I'm not sure if a later model will work with the computer though. It should physically bolt up.

 

That is not what I asked. I know the AX4N is supposedly more reliable. I'm not spending big money on this car. It's been sitting in pieces with the transmission on the floor for 2 weeks.

The AXODE is going into this car. I have the whole '93 car, so it should work. I'll pull the whole wire harness out of the 93 if I have to.

If it don't work I'll pull the motor out of it and crush the car.

 

Well, the AXODE will physically bolt up, but I don't recall there being a seperate computer for it. I thought it was controlled by the EEC.

 

Definitely will have to get another PCM and then hope the connectors are the same wiring wise.

 

This is posted in the "F&Q" forum on this site:

"1991 - 1993 They switched to the AXOD-E The transmission is now controlled electronically instead of the TV cable. It is controlled by a piggyback computer and not the ECU. This means that if you get a aftermarket computer chip, it will not change anything in the transmission in the years 1986-1993."

This indicates there is a piggyback unless this info is false.

I have pulled both drivetrains out of the 93 and the 95 and have them side by side. The plugins on both transmissions look identical (axode and ax4n). If it plugs in and the wiring is wrong I will put the '93 wiring harness in the '95 and it will HAVE to work.

I'll figure it all out and post what I find, since it seems no one knows.

 

The '93 ATX is controlled by the PCM as is the '95 ATX. The '93 ATX is a synchronous transmission, meaning it must go through each gear in order up or down. The '95 transmission is non-synchronous, meaning it does not have to go through each gear in order up or down.

As both the PCM pin outs are the same for '93 and '95 the programming has to be different for the two transmissions. Don't know what will happen really.

Good Luck.

 

You cannot swap an AXOD-E (AX4S) with an AX4N because of their different shift strategies and mechanics, unless you also you also swap out the car's ECU (that's a typo in the FAQ btw... the ECU controls the transmission from 1991 on, there is no piggyback computer), and possibly also the wiring harness (not sure if the pinouts are the same between AX4S and AX4N).

Just because the connector looks the same does NOT mean that it is electrically the same. If they're not the same, driving the car will likely seriously damage the transmission you swap in, and then you'll be left with nothing.

Whether or not you decide to listen to us, good luck with things.

 

Got it all together and it seems to be doing fine. Here are some notes that might help someone:

1. I used the entire exhaust setup from the 93 and put it in the 95 (from the y pipe back) It is different.

2. Had to use the 93 power steering lines. The 95 lines put them too close to the exhaust (touching it) so I had to swap to the 93......no big deal there.

3. Had to get a different passenger side axle. The AXODE requires a longer axle on that side than the AX4N. The driver side axle is the same and doesn't need changed.

4. I went ahead and swapped processors. I didn't test the 95 processor because I was afraid it would mess the tranny up. It shifts and drives fine with the 93 processor.

5. Had to lengthen the speed sensor wiring by about 1 foot and also had to lengthen the passenger side oxygen sensor wiring about 1 foot (because of using the 93 y-pipe.)

 

It seemed to me that it was a lot easier finding an AXODE than it was trying to find an AX4N.

 

Did both cars use the same engine?

 

Originally posted by Qwertz9586@Feb 5 2006, 12:01 AM
Did both cars use the same engine?

Yes, they both had a 3.0 liter.