swap question

[pwrranger88]

so i've got all the stuff to swap my automatic to a five speed in my 87 ranger with a 2.3. so far i swapped my pedals and i was gonna do the transmission monday when the kid that was supposed to help me tells me that the fly wheel won't work because he thinks that because I'm putting it on an engine that was originally an automatic that they are balanced differently. i got all the stuff from the same year truck so i don't see a problem. i was just wondering if any one knows if he is right.

 

[razrwild]

I was under the impression that the flywheels went by what transmission it was to not transmission and engine.

 

[Blacksmith1]

if it came from a 2.3 ford truck it will work..no problem.
when i did the swap in my 87 2.3, I got the parts from the junk yard out of an 85(flywheel, pedals), an 86(trans, slave cyl) and an 87(clutch Master cyl), I just bolted the flywheel on, put the clutch assembly in, put the pedals in, bled the clutch, and drove it for another 70-80 thou. the only real difference is in the computer, and as long as you are going from auto to manual it won't care. going the other way you gotta swap the comp. oh yeah I also had to modify the wireing harness a bit to hook up the reverse light. I also got an aluminum driveshaft that I honestly dont know what it came out of that fit perfectly.

 

[pwrranger88]

Thanks my only other question is would the automatic driveshaft work because the the parts truck is an extra cab and mine is a regular cab?

 

[Ozwynn]

I believe if the parts truck is a 2 piece shaft then it should fit the reg cab.

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

flywheels (manual) and flex plates (autos) are balanced to themselves, like a tire, not to the engine. as long as you use a flywheel with the manual transmission and not a flex plate (which just wont work, theres nowhere to bolt the pressure plate on a flex plate), the engine doesnt care what transmission is behind it.

 

[Mutant Pony]

'87 Ranger 5spd and the auto are different length driveshafts. Regular cab and supercab are different length. If you had gone to newer 5spd you'ld be all right. You'll need a drive shaft for a '83-'87 reg. cab, 5spd.

 

[pwrranger88]

what newer rangers would gave it i know they changed to the Mazda M50D-R1 in 88, there is one at the junk yard would i be able to use my driveshaft from my automatic with that transmission?