Convert Automatic 3.4 1999 Alero to Manual Transmission - Page 2

00redse · 01-13-2017, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tw0123

stay far away from milzy!!! His parts are great, customer service and timelines suck!!!

You'll have to search for the parts you want, mostly junk yard finding now given the age of these vehicles...

Good luck!!

So the ONE guy left making parts for these cars is not a good source anymore?

sleepyalero · 01-13-2017, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 00redse

So the ONE guy left making parts for these cars is not a good source anymore?

Milzy or wot-tech

00redse · 01-13-2017, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sleepyalero

Milzy or wot-tech

your post is unclear. are you saying both those companies are no good? Or are you saying they're the only 2 places that sell parts for these cars?

tw0123 · 01-13-2017, 11:50 PM

Wot tech is starting to up his 3400 production parts again...

Milzy made his bed and he can lay in it... In the last 2 years he's gone way down hill... Like i said, he can make good products but his customer service skills suck, he won't give you any time frame for completion on anything, and if you ask for a refund, you forfeit 20% as a restocking fee, even if he hasn't even touched your order...

Pathetic to say the least... You want to order from him, be my guest... But don't come back whining 2 years from now when you don't have anything other than an invoice that you've prepaid with no products to show for it...

00redse · 01-14-2017, 12:09 AM

Anyone would starve to death if making n-body parts was their only income. It's gotta be something they fit in when they can I imagine. Business owners are just people too. They all have stuff going on that you don't see. Best to give people the benefit of the doubt. Anyone looking to spend serious coin should contact the vendor first to establish a rapport. Sucks if you had a bad experience. 1 guy with a bad experience will tell 50 people. The guy with a good experience MIGHT tell one or two people.

also, custom parts = custom problems. That goes for buying them too.

my $.02

tw0123 · 01-14-2017, 10:49 AM

I'm not the only one who's had problems though...

There's a guy in Quebec (guiguilandry on here) waiting over 3 years now for parts, bought and paid for

Another guy who dropped his car off to finish a 5speed swap, 2 1/2 years later and almost 3k and it was no further ahead them the day he dropped it off...

Check the BBB reports on him... Nothing good...

And yes i was ripped off by him as well... I bought his motor and trans mount, love them so i ordered a drtc and machined and powder coated timing cover and 36# injector kit... All prepaid, waited over a year... Finally had him send the injectors of which 2 were junk. The drtc was finally finished after that supplier got back from a battle with cancer. Milzy hadn't even started on my paid for timing cover. As far as I'm concerned that piece should've been finished and sitting on the shelf waiting for the drtc. Then when i said i didn't want it after waiting that long he charged me 20% restocking fee on an item he hasn't event touched... Yeah I'm pissy about it...

He takes on too much, doesn't have help and sucks at customer service... Again, if you want to deal with him, good luck to you...

sleepyalero · 01-14-2017, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 00redse

Anyone would starve to death if making n-body parts was their only income. It's gotta be something they fit in when they can I imagine. Business owners are just people too. They all have stuff going on that you don't see. Best to give people the benefit of the doubt. Anyone looking to spend serious coin should contact the vendor first to establish a rapport. Sucks if you had a bad experience. 1 guy with a bad experience will tell 50 people. The guy with a good experience MIGHT tell one or two people.

also, custom parts = custom problems. That goes for buying them too.

my $.02

I can agree, but milzy does 3400 parts but his main income is the 3800 crowd. Hes made 600 whp monte carlos that were a 3800 s/c car to a turbo car. Thing was awesome.

Wot-tech makes 3400 parts. But their main income is BMW, because there is more intrest.

And i was saying those are the only companies that make 3400 parts, aside from ebay cheap sh*t lol

Tim is butthurt

(sorry buddy) lmao, jk. He got a shit deal so i can agree why hes upset. But i on the other hand have had good luck with milzy. Hes a real good dude, but he does have areas he needs to better himself on.

tw0123 · 01-14-2017, 08:16 PM

Lol Nate!! You live close enough you can hound him etc... What about Ryan? What about Gui? Like i said, check the BBB... There's more complaints on there about the same shit... I know others who went to his shop to have motors built etc and it seems if it's on the shelf he's good to mail it out... If its custom you better be close by to go get it...

00redse · 01-15-2017, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tw0123

Lol Nate!! You live close enough you can hound him etc... What about Ryan? What about Gui? Like i said, check the BBB... There's more complaints on there about the same shit... I know others who went to his shop to have motors built etc and it seems if it's on the shelf he's good to mail it out... If its custom you better be close by to go get it...

I remember AnothEr company that haD similar issues... not exactly like that, but there were issues to say the least.

it's unfortunately the way it goes for companies making parts for cars with a small following. Especially when it's an ECONOMY car to begin with. Add in there the fact that they haven't been produced in 12 years, and even when they were producing them, there was only a handful of people willing to drop some serious coin. You can't stay in business catering to that market. And even if you're just in it for the love of the vehicle and the niche; interests wane... Desires change.... Life gets in the way... Better paying opportunities take over the time you would've spent putting in the hours of work for the sake of a dwindling community of enthusiasts. I'm happy to still see ANY vendors for these cars. Do business with ANYONE at your own risk. Do your homework on stuff, and accept the risks involved.

Alerodriver17 · 01-17-2017, 11:35 PM

Ok thank you all for the help.

Just one more question, will these rims fit my Alero?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/302192600064

tw0123 · 01-17-2017, 11:52 PM

Is that price per wheel or for the set of 4? You can find nicer wheels for the same price or even jump up to a 17" or 18" for a few dollars more...

The bolt pattern is 5x115 so they should fit... The centre bore size is too big though so you'll need hub centric rings to ensure a tight fit... Our centre bore is 70.3

Alerodriver17 · 01-18-2017, 12:56 AM

That's for a set of 4. If these won't work correctly, mind pointing me in the direction of something similar (preferably all black) that looks like these in a set of 4 at about the same price? (Preferably on eBay) Id like direct fit on the car with my current rubber as they are brand new. 225 50 R16

tw0123 · 01-18-2017, 10:08 AM

You'll just have to get hub centric rings... Lots of people use those, just be sure to check them for cracks etc when you do tire rotations etc and you'll be fine!!

Alerodriver17 · 01-18-2017, 11:43 AM

"You'll just have to get hub centric rings..."

I have no idea what those are.

tw0123 · 01-18-2017, 01:13 PM

http://www.amazon.com/pieces-Hubcent.../dp/B00AAOEK66

These... They're small rings that make sure the rims sit tightly to the centre hub. It reduces the stress on the bolts and helps balancing the rotation mass of the wheel keeping the wheel centered on the hub

Alerodriver17 · 01-18-2017, 01:17 PM

Ok thanks I appreciate the help. This things gonna look great when I'm done.

Hehehe *cue evil laugh*

Nas Escobar · 01-19-2017, 05:43 AM

For the record, BabyBlue had a 6 speed swap that got wrecked, but he got another one and had the conversion done bad by Milzy IIRC. I remember the clutch pedal ended up disconnected.

Just thought THAT should be mentioned because it happened recently (last year).

I would go WOT Tech over Milzy unless you're getting something off the shelf from him. I'm also pretty sure your local speed shop could install the parts if they have experience with conversions. Trans swaps are fairly common. It's the cars that are specific but the ideas are the same. Just know that WOT Tech is in Florida and Milzy is in Indiana.

As far as the manual swap, you might have to look for Grand Ams with a swap if you want to go 5 speed. There's more modded Grand Ams than Aleros sadly. Aleros barely have a following compared to the Grand Am. They're the same car, just different end clips and interiors. Mechanicals are the same.

6 speed is the more popular option, as evidenced by the 3 members here, but you can also get a Getrag 282 or F23. The Getrag may be more common to find since they slapped that onto the 2.8 MPFI and later 3.1 MPFI on a lot of cars. They were used in J bodies, FWD A bodies and W bodies. Easier find, but you would have to source the pedal, cable and other tidbits from a 5 speed 4 banger Grand Am or Alero. F23 has to have the same bellhousing as your V6, which would be the LN2 2.2 liter Cavalier engine, if they even had it for that engine before it was discontinued. I know at one point they used an Isuzu 5 speed. Long story short, stick to the G6 6 speed. It's well documented anyways.

As far as the centric rings, they're plastic rings that you put on the hub so the wheel doesn't move around when you mount em. The aftermarket wheel is going to have a hub bore that's bigger than your factory's hub. The ring makes the wheel hub centric instead of lug centric. Hub centric is desirable over lug centric. GM's hub size is 70.3. You need an adapter to whatever your hub is. Also, you CANNOT use a wheel with a smaller hub without getting it bored out or using adapters. That means stuff like the import wheels are off limits.

3500Alero · 04-02-2017, 08:37 AM

Here is the information you need on the 5spd swap
http://www.gaownersclub.com/forum/sh...d.php?t=161112

It may be on this site too but I went to where I knew it was.

Some times you can find some one local that can do mods for you, and make parts if needed. If you have a drawing some fabrication shops will make what you need for a reasonable price! I have made parts for other people on here as well as done installs/swaps.

As for Milzy, I have dealt with him once, and didn't have any issues. Have not dealt with wot my self but know others that have and have not heard anything bad.

JoshParsons84 · 05-20-2017, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nas Escobar

Milzy is in Indiana.

Milzy is actually in West Carrollton Ohio. Close to Dayton

Redog · 05-23-2017, 04:32 AM

WOT-Tech guy is Ben. Ben is actually a great guy. He's been doing a lot of BMW parts now too.

Milzy has ripped off too many people to count.

The 60° platform that is the 3400 has started to become very popular now. With it's strenght, versatility and availability, it's becoming a good choice. I've even seen some of these motors finding their way into Chevette swaps. A swap that has been reserved for a SBC