Manual Transmission Swap

[97Thad]

I have 2 97s, both 2.3 2 wheel drive. One is auto, the other is manual. I've been researching on putting the manual in the auto truck. I've just about got everything figured out, except for the plug on the clutch pedal. (CPP) I've read on this forum from people who have done the swap on a 97 that the plug should be there on the harness of the auto truck, it's just jumped and taped out of the way. Google searches of wiring diagrams show this also, that the auto harness has the plug with a "jumper" in it. However, for the life of me I can not find it! I have half my dash torn apart, and have spent probably close to 2 hours with my head in my floorboard, brake pedal on my face, following wires and looking. Does anybody know where this plug might be hidden, and how or if I can do with out the CPP sensor if I do swap?

 

[adsm08]

You can get along just fine without the clutch switch. As long as you don't let idiots or people unfamiliar with manual transmissions start the truck.

All that switch does is keep it from cranking with the clutch up, and kills the cruise when the clutch goes down, if you have cruise.

 

[97Thad]

No cruise. So the absence of the switch won't prevent the truck from starting once I swap over the manual trucks ECM?

 

[adsm08]

No, because the computer has nothing to do with cranking on that year. The clutch switch is an interrupt in the line between the ignition switch and the starter relay.

Although, if you have both complete trucks you should be able to look at the one that is already a manual and trace the wires for that connector back to the main harness and find the plug on the other truck that way.

 

[97Thad]

I've tried tracing the wires on the manual truck, except they immediately go into a 1 1/2 inch diameter set of wires that are taped together. I'd have to cut all that all apart and follow the wires in that very cramped area.

I've been all over the auto truck. I pulled the trim under the steering wheel, pulled the fuse block on the side, I've pulled the gauge cluster, all to get a better view to follow the wires to find this plug. Still nothing.

 

[adsm08]

They might not be there on the auto truck.

 

[97Thad]

That's what I'm starting to believe. But thanks for the advice. What you said about the truck starting makes perfect sense ?

 

[Denisefwd93]

would you not take the harness from the manual truck anyway?

 

[97Thad]

I'm trying to avoid swapping the entire harness as that is a whole lot of work. From what I've read, and what I've seen on my trucks, I simply just need to unplug the auto trans harness, and plug in the manual trans harness. There are two plugs at the top of the bell housing that separate the engine harness from the trans harness. From there, you just swap ECM, as both of mine are 97 this should work fine. I've also read that the plug to plug in the clutch switch is also there, which would make things even more simple, but I cannot find it. I'm hoping, like was stated above, that I won't need the clutch switch to make this work smoothly.

 

[Denisefwd93]

I'm trying to avoid swapping the harness as that is a whole lot of work. From what I've read, and what I've seen on my trucks, I simply just need to unplug the auto trans harness, and plug in the manual trans harness. There are two plugs at the top of the bell housing that separate the engine harness from the trans harness. From there, you just swap ECM, as both of mine are 97 this should work fine. I've also read that the plug to plug in the clutch switch is also there, which would make things even more simple, but I cannot find it. I'm hoping, like was stated above, that I won't need the clutch switch to make this work smoothly.

It IS ALL, allot of work. no matter how you go about it. getting the clutch pedal in there is hard work, , switching the harness should be pretty easy. unless I'm mistaken, you have to pull the dashboard anyway
We were going to do the same on my 4.0 4wd auto.. I just got another truck that is already manual.

 

[97Thad]

I'm not sure why I'd have to pull the dash to get the pedals out. I can see all the bolts on the bracket pretty easy. Unless I'm missing something. I'm still in the research phase of this whole thing. My manual truck needs a motor, so I could always swap motors from the auto truck, but the body and interior are much nicer on the auto truck. Also the auto truck is stepside, which I like better. The manual truck is fleetside. Really unsure which direction I want to go at this point.