auto to manual swap

[exotic_4x4]

hey guys, i got an 04 ranger 4x4 4.0...i was doing some lookin around for some ranger parts, and stumbled across a 5 speed for 300$..question is..ive always wanted a 5 speed in my truck, when i ordered the truck new the only one around in the options i wanted had an auto in it, so i ended up buying it anyways..heres my question..how big of a job would it to do the conversion? besides flywheel clutch and pedal assembly..is it worth doing?

 

[piotrsko]

a weekend worth of work, a bit of head scratching and swearing, and a whole parts car with the desired set up installed. OR good access to a pick a part wrecking yard. look at the swap info in resources.

 

[low_five]

Im doing a swap right now and it is a PAIN IN THE ASS. trust me. if your heart is set on it, get all the parts, get another vehicle to drive in the mean time, and wait for the auto to blow up. Im about ready to drag my donor and recipient vehicles to the dump and just get rid of them both.

 

[low_five]

k sorry to be so negative, I JUST NOW got the manual transmission bolted up. its mostly downhill from here, that was the big chore. I had to force the damn thing in because I guess the slave cylinder expanded all the way out and I had to overcome it to get the damn thing in there. I just hope I didnt damage the input shaft. Piotrsko is pretty much correct, except if he did it all in one weekend, I would be afraid of him that he might be satan with some kind of supernatural powers. I highly suggest having something of medium density nearby to kick across the garage and go sit down and drink a beer or 4 and go back to it a week later. I would NOT do this to a daily driven vehicle I depend upon.

 

[low_five]

and to make matters worse, I lost one of the damn bolts under the snow. arghhhhhasdhfhasdfhasdfalsdkjfaw;oeijf

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

 

[piotrsko]

NO Really it only took me 2 days, one for out, and all the swapping of misc parts, one to finagle the new one in. In was easier than out. Of course as a warning, I used to be able to pull an engine or tranny in a couple of hours WAAAAy back in the street racing pre-wife days.

OTOH, had a harness go bad, and I'm trying to find the cause of the dreaded warm won't run blues....

I also lost a bolt into the bellhousing and for a week or two wondered what the weird noise was.

 

[low_five]

well, I have to say, youre a bad ass. A lot of my problem is I am doing an engine swap at the same time. I guess I wouldnt be so upset if I wasnt tackling the engine at the same time. the auto did NOT want to come out. the manual did NOT want to go in. so far, I got the pedals hung, the computer in, the plate on the floorboard, the manual tranny in, the t-case on. I still have to get the starter, drive shafts, shifter and linkages. Im worried the linkages wont go back in. blah.

can you verify some fluids for me?

its a fm146, I guess. (stock 5 speed on an 88 2.9) 80-90w in the tranny, brake fluid in the clutch master cylinder???? ATF in the T-case?

thanks.

 

[piotrsko]

deciding on tranny, yes to atf in t case and brake fluid in clutch. I have atf in my 84 tranny.

just so you know, the auto gets hung up on the exhaust, t case weighs about 100 lbs, and the manual wants the t case off so it doesn't have odd balance issues. Sounds like your'e past that. shifter and linkage is inside the manual, harness mods are annoying, I have an external slave. you need to plug the intake hose from the tranny. Bleeding clutch is a "JOY" (no it's not)

I myself thought the pedal swap was the worst part. #$%^&* harness wouldn't move out of the way. Hmmmmm maybe this is where the harness problem started.

It helps to do this in the 80 degree driveway so the snow doesn't eat misc small parts. IMHO, if you're doing this outside, right now, you be much badder than I'll ever be.

 

[low_five]

yeah, I had to launch the tranny in by hand with just blocks of wood to support everything, so I had that T-case OFFF! The linkages Im worried about is the t-case links, they seemed really goofy when I was taking them off. the donor truck is outside, and the recipient truck is in the heated garage, so Im just half a bad ass. I left the slave and master cylinders and clutch line attached so I didnt have to mess with bleeding and stuff. I just was very gently getting them in and out. What tube do you mean that I have to plug?

 

[exotic_4x4]

ok, i heard u guys bitching alot...BUT i asked an easy question that was not answered i have a garage concrete floors, a lift..air/impact torch plazma whatever i need i got the access to it easily, and yes i have an extra vehicle to drive.what were your guys biggest issues other than..losing a bolt or stupid crap like that? any glitches? and yes, it is my daily driver im a very confident in my mechanic work..if i can do a solid axle swap on the truck on my own..im sure i can tackle doin a manual swap

 

[low_five]

look hot rod, im not a newbie to turning a wrench either, and this was a big pain in the ass job. 1988 auto to 1988 manual. What was your specific question, because you buried it in a paragraph of text. I think you will have to do some reflashing of your computer, and other crap will pop up im sure. Its worth it, but like I said, dont do it unless you have another daily driver and something to kick across the garage when you get pissed off.