Aerostar manual transmission installation.

[92exp4x4]

Great job! The van looks like it's new. I rarely see any of them without rusted rocker panels. What's the mileage on it? Do you have any other plans for it?

Thanks! It's just the angle of the picture, there is plenty of rust in this van, especially on the driver's side. I will be fixing the body when I get a shop built.

The van has 208,000 on it now. I'm going to keep and drive it. We had a 91 my dad bought new and I've always had a soft spot in my heart for them. It's a really good all around hauler and It rides so much better than the explorers!

 

[92exp4x4]

Tonight I installed the new shroud on the steering column. After looking around on eBay and pictures of various Fords from the 90s, I figured out that the Aerostar, Taurus and F-150 use the same steering column and wheel. Others might have used it too, but these are the ones I was able to compare.

At first I was going to buy a whole column from a pickup, but found a shroud for a '93 Taurus SHO. This shroud did not have the hole for the auto shift lever or the little goofy lock button on trucks with manual transmissions. It works perfectly. In the spring, I'll get some plastic dye to make it match the original cover. For now it's nice just to not have a gaping hole in the column.

The hole for the turn signal is a little off but didn't cause any issues once installed.

The last picture is my worst fear... extra parts!! I guess one screw isn't too bad.

 

[Josh P]

Good work with the clutch pedal fabrication. The way I found the clutch pedal for my van was using car-part.com. I looked to see who was selling a manual transmission and asked for the pedal assembly. I paid $45.

 

[mr cribb]

I found this build interesting, because it is different, hence the reason I liked several posts within in this thread.

 

[92exp4x4]

I found this build interesting, because it is different, hence the reason I liked several posts within in this thread.

Thanks! I'm a big fan of different for sure. I just can't wait to get back on my Jurassic Park explorer build. My plans for building a shop have changed and now I have to come up with something different. I've got several other projects in line too that it's taken a back seat to. Oh well, nothing but time right?

So an update, it's been just a shade over 2000 miles since I completed this conversion. I have to say, I love driving this van. The only thing is I have a pesky vibration from the drive line from 50-to 65 MPH. I think im gonna pull the driveshaft and take it to the shop that built it for some balancing work. Now that it's broke in a little, they can get a little better look at it I think. I'll post here the results after getting it done.

I have to add, even with adding the resistors in the transmission harness, I still get codes for T/C lockup and 3-4 shift during KOEO test. This may be something to keep in mind if anyone reading this is doing a similar conversion of this type. I don't think it will set the CEL just for this, but I can't say for sure because I'm still chasing down some fuel delivery codes that set my CEL randomly. I'll get a better idea on everything once I get to reseal the intake among other things. More to come!

 

[92exp4x4]

Good work with the clutch pedal fabrication. The way I found the clutch pedal for my van was using car-part.com. I looked to see who was selling a manual transmission and asked for the pedal assembly. I paid $45.

You got lucky. I looked at for a long time to try to find some pedals. I even got a part number from Green Sales in Cincinnati and still couldn't find anything. I lucked out in finding a transmission from an aerostar on ebay for it's top cover. The rest of the van was gone, but I got the shifter with the trans. That was great luck on my part!

 

[Josh P]

When I swapped a M5OD in my current van, I had the same issue with the driveshaft being too short, I used a Lincoln Mark VIII aluminum shaft and a slip yoke from a 96 4R70W

 

[mr cribb]

While you’re checking out driveline vibrations via u-joints, don’t ignore the transmission mount itself. I don’t remember if you messed with that or not within the swap.

 

[Josh P]

While you’re checking out driveline vibrations via u-joints, don’t ignore the transmission mount itself. I don’t remember if you messed with that or not within the swap.

That's a good point. Also check the cross member bushings, the right side seems to always be the side that fails.

 

[92exp4x4]

All good points! Thanks! I do have a new trans mount to install and I forgot that one of my cross member bushings is bad. I had searched a little for some with no luck. The ones are "good enough" but not great. I'll have to resume my search.

 

[Josh P]

Energy suspension has a bushing that will fit the cross member, I can find the part number if you need it. Another option is to use window weld and make your own poly bushings.

 

[92exp4x4]

Energy suspension has a bushing that will fit the cross member, I can find the part number if you need it. Another option is to use window weld and make your own poly bushings.

That's a good idea. If you can find that part # though, I would appreciate it. The window weld idea is intriguing. I just wonder how it would hold up over time. I'm guessing you have done that?

 

[BrooklynBay]

You could print bushings on a 3D printer if you have access to one.

 

[92exp4x4]

You could print bushings on a 3D printer if you have access to one.

That would be awesome, unfortunately I don't have access to one of those.

 

[Josh P]

That's a good idea. If you can find that part # though, I would appreciate it. The window weld idea is intriguing. I just wonder how it would hold up over time. I'm guessing you have done that?

Window weld is polyurethane with a durometer of about 60 which is the same as the softer bushings you would press in. I have made bushings with window weld and have had excellent results. The import guys have been doing this since the 90s.

 

[xlt4wd90]

They were a fully electronic all wheel drive system that used a variant of the Dana 28 transfer case (I think). From what I understand they worked fairly well, they did not have a low range and I don't believe they had any type of 50/50 lockup. Someone may know more than I on this.

As for my confidence, I'm a professional mechanic in the industrial equipment field. I draw a lot on the things I have learned over the years working on many types of equipment. I'm blessed to have been able to gain personal experience in so many different things mechanical. Its fun to share thing like this, in the hope that it will benefit someone in some way. Thanks and enjoy!

First of all, amazing work! Very functional upgrade with professional looking result.

I hope you're still watching this thread, as I want to do the same thing with my 1990 Aerostar, and have some questions.

The first is, what is the part number for that Aero-specific top cover/shifter assembly? I've looked high and low, and could not find it.

Second, did you say you used the pedals from a first-gen Explorer, and their pivot rod fits into the Aerostar's pedal frame? I don't suppose you also found the part numbers for the Aerostar's pedals?

 

[Josh P]

First of all, amazing work! Very functional upgrade with professional looking result.

I hope you're still watching this thread, as I want to do the same thing with my 1990 Aerostar, and have some questions.

The first is, what is the part number for that Aero-specific top cover/shifter assembly? I've looked high and low, and could not find it.

Second, did you say you used the pedals from a first-gen Explorer, and their pivot rod fits into the Aerostar's pedal frame? I don't suppose you also found the part numbers for the Aerostar's pedals?

What engine does your aerostar have? I've done a few manual transmission swaps in aerostar vans, I might be able to answer a few questions.

 

[xlt4wd90]

Hi Josh,
I have a 4.0l v6 in a XLT with E4WD. The A4LD recently died, and I wanted to avoid that issue altogether, so I found a M5OD-R1HD out of a Ranger. But the top cover/shifter assembly puts the shift lever near the back of the transmission's main case, which puts it too far back in the floor. I need the Aerostar version of the top cover shifter assembly to put the shift lever under the stock opening in the floor. Apparently that's even more rare than a M5OD-R1HD, and is the biggest problem I'm facing now.

The next biggest problem would be the clutch and brake pedals, and again, they're very hard to find.

I was hoping that if I got their part numbers, I can do a more targeted search.

thanks.

 

[Josh P]

Get a 3.0 M5OD-R1 transmission from a junk yard and transfer the cover to a 4.0L transmission. Shamrock auto salvage has 2 listed. Address is

1317 West Inyokern Rd.
Ridgecrest, CA 93555
Phone:
760-446-5865

 

[Josh P]

Hi Josh,
I have a 4.0l v6 in a XLT with E4WD. The A4LD recently died, and I wanted to avoid that issue altogether, so I found a M5OD-R1HD out of a Ranger. But the top cover/shifter assembly puts the shift lever near the back of the transmission's main case, which puts it too far back in the floor. I need the Aerostar version of the top cover shifter assembly to put the shift lever under the stock opening in the floor. Apparently that's even more rare than a M5OD-R1HD, and is the biggest problem I'm facing now.

The next biggest problem would be the clutch and brake pedals, and again, they're very hard to find.

I was hoping that if I got their part numbers, I can do a more targeted search.

thanks.

When I did my M5OD swap, I used a ranger transmission and the shifter ended up a few inches behind where the auto floor shifter is. For the clutch slave cylinder I used a T5 mustang unit . I was able to get adapters for the master and slave cylinders and used a hydraulic line with AN style fittings. The transmission harness will have to be cut and spliced, the 3.0 manual one didn't work for me, a few wires were in different pins on the harness. It was easier for me to make the splices. The M5OD is great in an aerostar, if I was to do the conversion again I'd have Quicktime make me a bellhousing to run an AX15 behind the 4.0