Wednesday, September 28, 2005 - 02:53 pm, by: Adam Brown(82ajb)
Best way - Check the build plate. R154 is the factory manual gearbox code. Unless the plate was changed in the conversion, but then your colour/trim codes and chassis number would be different too. I believe that the computer looms are the same, however i've heard there are issues with using a Power FC with an auto box. For one, i believe the auto's torque limit the engine when changing gears.
I always thought that factory manuals came with the torsen LSD but, as i've found out since, that was a factory option still, not standard equipment on the 5 speeds.
You can usually tell a conversion anyway, by the assembly.
You can still run the auto ECU while the car is manual. I believe I was the first in the club to do this a very long time ago. Any of the following ECUs will work fine once the car is converted to manual:
Factory Auto ECU Factory Manual ECU APEXi PowerFC
which would lead me to believe any available ECU would work fine, as long as it suits the Soarer.