I have a 96 Acura TL with a 3.2 that I just picked up for a decent price. Trans is about shot though, and head gasket is blown. What I'm wondering... is there a stronger motor I can put in this thing that bolts right up? Or maybe a manual tranny that will bolt right up?? Maybe JDM or somethin??

 

I just looked on www.car-parts.com and seen that the 2004 was the first 3.2 model that had a manual tranny. It came with a 6-speed! Who out there knows if it will go in my 96???

 

It will not, The C32 you have in the 96 is Longitudinally mounted, like a rear drive car, the newer Tl's 99 and up are horizontal like a normal Front wheel drive, the only thing you can do it either mod the motor you have or swap a 3.5 RL motor of around the same year range, but i dont think its a direct swap, as far as the tranny goes, you DO NOT want to swap this tranny out, its on of the strongest and most reliable that Honda ever built.

 

I agree...as far as the trans goes get another of the same make and model...those babies are bullet proof. If the one you have is shot odds are it was mistreated cause in the 11 yrs i have working as an acura tech ive only replaced 3 transmissions total on that generation TL and RL platform

 

btw if the headgaskets are blown it means that the car was overheated pretty bad. About the only time those headgaskets go bye bye. Look into rebuilding that engine. treated properly they live forever

 

Actually Ive recently figured on my TL that the headgaskets begin to seep on cylinders 3 and 6 and will cause all sorts of cooling issues, not from overheating but from age or bad maintenance previous. May not need a full rebuild but certainly have your heads resurfaced and checked thoroughly

 

you could run the legend type2 motor.

 

You could do that but it would be a complete waste of time to swap it, just slap the legend type 2 intake mani on the tl motor and voila more power!

 

I wish I could get ahold of one.