swap from auot to 5 speed

alright... is this even possible? I have the 4.0L OHV with the auto. One of the worst things I hate about the X is it is an auto. Well... It might be up for a $1500 rebuild so I figured what the hell.... maybe I can just make it a 5 speed manual. So... What do you guys think? Is it even possible? How much money are we talking here?

 

[Sandy]

Yes!
No idea!

Determine what the rebuild will cost compared to a good salvage yard engine with all of the manual trans stuff attached. Try to get the computer also and maybe the computer wiring harness.
Someone a little more knowledge than myself may have to help you with the parts list but I think you need the computer and the harness too.

I agree with you about the manual trans, the only way to go. There is also a sound that the manual trans vehicle has that is not there with the automatic.

Another idea, why not go the 5.0L route; get an engine/trans/tc/computer/harness from a late model Explorer/Mountaineer/F-150 an tranplant it to your vehicle.

Good Luck on your choice.

 

[JDraper]

It's definitely doable. You will need the tranny, flywheel, pressure plate, clutch, clutch master cylinder, lines and mounting brackets, clutch pedal, brake pedal, clutch and brake pedal support bracketry, computer harness (including clutch and brake pedal sensors), tranny mounting bracket, gearshift, gearshift boot.

I've changed a couple of vehicles (but never an Explorer) over from auto to stick. USUALLY, if the vehicle had both types offered from the factory, it is pretty much bolt up. Your best bet is to take a good look at an X of the same model/year as yours that has a stick, and see exactly where things go. If you do end up going to a salvage yard to get the parts, make sure you go out and either get it yourself, or watch the guy take it out so he doesn't cut wiring harness's that you need. It will also help you to see where things go.

Good Luck.

 

[JoshC]

Yeah boy it's possible, cause i just did it to my 97. Best mod i've ever done, the power difference is unreal. There are alot of little things you will have to have and alot of time and patience. I don't know if you even messed with a tranny job but i did it myself for about $1500. I had a guy build the tranny for me for 600 with the extension housing. Here is a list of parts you are going to need:

-wiring harnesses are the same along with the computer, but you may have to rig up some wire like i did for reverse lights, no big deal
-shifter boot
-plate that goes between the carpet and floor board
-shifter, bolt and nuts
-clutch petal assembly, comes with brake petal all together ready to bolt up
-clutch start switch which mounts to petal
-cluth master cylinder, have to bench bleed it before you put it in
-slave cylinder
-hydralic line, i'd buy it new from ford
-clutch set itself(disk, throw out bearing, pressure plate
-new flywheel with pilot bearing
-plate that is between transmission and motor is different too(found that out the hard way)
-starter is different
-going to have to cover up the gear letters on dash(did it with electrical tape) and probably take out your "OD off" light cause it will flash
-extension housing is different between the 2 but the mount IS the same
-going to have to take out your auto shifter abviously and get the piece for the lock cylinder, key switch, from a manual ranger or x to replace yours cause you'll have a big hole in there
-flywheel bolts ARE the same too!(bolts it to the crank)
-need bolts that bolt pressure plate to flywheel, metric

There are no cables to mess with so that a good thing.

Right off the top of my head that's all i can think of. I did mine about 2 weeks ago i wasn't in a hurry when i did it cause i had a company truck, and i had to wait on parts so it took me about 3 weeks, the biggest part like i said was waiting on parts. But like i said i did mine myself in my drive only because i'm in college, i'm getting married and i just replaced my auto back in feburary, which equals--I'M BROKE!

If you have any questions at all please email me or i'll even give you my phone number if you are going to try this and i'll tell you a few tricks, it's no easy task at all but it is possible and the out come for me was great, i love have a standard and i love the power difference! Good luck
jot017@aol.com

 

[XLT_66]

what about a 5.0?

 

[BonesDT]

JoshC, was there any welding involved? any expensive special tools needed? did you have the center console plastic trays, metal rails, and wires running where the shifter would be placed?

here is my crude plan so far:
1. install clutch/brake pedals and clutch cylinder. how hard was that?
2. rip out plastic trays/metal rails, and relocate wires. cut shifter hole.
3. bolt on wheels/plates, starter, transmission

did any of those cause you any problems? i think the hardest part is finding the stuff. it would be ideal to take it out of a donor so i know how it goes back on, i would get ALL the parts, and its cheap. my friend swears i would be able to get the tranny, starter, clutch, everything for only $100-200. even if i believe him, how am i going to find a 4.0L manual???

how are parts from different year ex's? can i use the same trans, clutch pedals?

also, do you have to drain the transmission fluid if you are only removing the auto trans? i have never done any transmission work, so i just want to take my auto out, take a couple measurements and look around, and then install the auto back on. the CD made it seem as if you were simply just removing it, you dont have to drain the fluid.

oh yea, and why does everyone say auto's are better for trucks/off-roading? i think someone said because the torque converter produces more torque. but isnt the more torque produced from a downgearing by the fluid, which is then raised by higher transmission gear ratios?

thanks for your time

 

[JoshC]

Hey Bones. I'll help you out the best i can.

There is no welding involved. Everything is bolt up. I suggest you have something else to drive while doing this, cause it's going to take some time.

The brake/clutch petal assembley was the hardest part for me. It only has 4 nuts holding it on, but it's tight. I did not have the full floor center console, so i can't help you with that. I'd say that since you have to pull the carpet back anyways, you re run the wires under your seat somehow.

The parts are all the same from year to year, including the rangers, 92 and up. You do not have to drain any fluid in the auto transmission, but there will be some that comes out of the torque converter. I would also suggest that you find or rent a transmission jack, it will make your life much better, trust me!

You just need to cut a small X in the carpet for the shifter, no need to get cut happy with a razor down there.

If at all possible get all the parts before hand, that's something that took me a while, finding the parts. There is no way in the world you will be able to get tranny, starter and clutch for 200, if you want it to work right anyways. Buy new parts if you can. Things that actually have to work like the starter, cylinders and hydralic line.

When do you plan on starting this? Feel free to email me or just post questions here, i don't mind to help someone.

You said something about pulling the tranny out, taking some measurements and putting it back in. Well, i wouldn't worry about that. It's a real pain to line the tranny back up and get it bolted. Trannys are very heavy and will "roll" over very easy because of there funny shape.

 

[BonesDT]

thanks for the weight concern. i was planning on just putting a wood block and some rope on my floor jack, but maybe now im considering investing in a tranny jack.

like i said, i have never even really seen a transmission in person plus its my daily driver. because of my inexperience and the complexity of this project, i like to go about it with good plans. i figure a good place to start is to make sure i can remove the subsytems and auto tranny and replace them with no problem, before i start investing in all the manual parts. im also doing this on the SOHC, so i would feel better making measurements to make sure the M5OD fits perfect.

another thing is, i blew out my first gear and the tranny is shifting harder each day. i really want to get it out and take a look, or at least bring it to a shop taken off.

im going to start practicing and learning about the auto tranny and subsystems, and start looking for donors, or get a full list of parts once it starts getting warm out. i will begin the full process in the summer. i am prepared to leave my daily driver on jackstands for a month. i figure i can do a lot of work especially the clutch pedals and cylinder while the autos still in so i can still drive around.

that list above, is that a complete list? how much would everything cost if i bought it new? what should i def buy new?

what did you do to the computer???

 

[JoshC]

ohh, you're going on the SOHC. I don't know how much of that stuff will be the same like the computer, extension housing, clutch hydralic line. I don't know anything about that tranny.

I would by as much new as possible. Computer, flywheel, cylinders, hydralic line.

 

[BonesDT]

well according to haynes, the 97-up OHV and SOHC use the same auto. so im assuming that the manual used on the 97-up OHV will also bolt right on the SOHC.

the CD manual says that there are 9 trans to engine bolts while the auto has 8. this is why i want to get under there and make measurements.

i saw a site that said that the SOHC had a M5OD-R1HD, but everything says differently.

what do you mean by the plate between the tranny and engine? is that the ring gear? does that come on the flywheel, do i need heat to install it?

the bolts that connect the flyheel to the crankshaft, are those the same used on an auto, should i just use mine?

new computer??? how would i do that? im sure its really expensive. plus, how am i going to buy a SOHC manual computer? what did you do to yours? maybe i can figure something easier out. worst comes to worst, i can design a circuit that sends appropriate input signals telling the computer that the tranny is fine.

 

[JoshC]

There is a plate, like a big ring around the back of the motor that follows the contor of bell housing for the transmission and it is either thicker or thinner, i can't remember, but they are different.

Yes the bolts are the same.

I just went to ford and told them what year i had, what motor and that i needed a computer for my truck with a manual tranny. The computer is under the hood on the fire wall, just follow the wires to it. It was expensive, like $450. But you need it, not sure how well it will run without it, and for how long.

 

[BonesDT]

wow! im going to have to get a new computer??? that sucks, theres no way around that?

do you by any chance have a more complete list of parts and/or part numbers from when you did yours? its annoying because the CD manual doesnt show all parts or give all part numbers. and haynes has some discreprincies.

do you have any pictures, especially of your clutch pedals and shifter?

here's my new plan:
1. make sure ford can make computer
2. find a manual and make sure it will be bolt-on
3. buy flywheel and plate and make sure it bolts on crankshaft
4. buy entire clutch assembly, install clutch on flywheel and cylinders and check operation
5. install clutch pedal
6. buy and install man tranny, starter, and extra stuff. fool computer that auto is in park, and check engine start with clutch in.
7. cut crude hole for now and install shifter
8. get computer and drive!

does anyone know any good sites to find part numbers? im using www.ford-auto-parts-dealer.com for now, but they dont show the part numbers.

 

[BonesDT]

by the way, how do you remove the flywheel bolts? from the pictures they look more like rivets. are these just screws?

pretty much everything seems bolt on to me. manual bolts on, flywheel/clutch bolt on, computer bolts-on, cylinders might need some drilled holes, but thats it, pedals might also need drilling, and shifter will just need a hole cut in the body. is this true?

 

[JoshC]

I don't have any part numbers for you. All i have is the list above. I just went to ford for what i needed and told them and they ordered it for me. I don't know how to get part numbers. I don't have any pictures sorry.

Everything is bolt on. No cutting (except a little bit of carpet). The master cylinder for the clutch petal slides right through the firewall. If you look up at your petals, look at the firewall and you'll see a round black rubber groment, it's about 1" round. That is where the cylinder goes through. That thing just pops out. That sucker is a pain in the rear too. I suggest you practice putting the cylinder on the petal assembly while you have it in your hands before trying to get it to work while everything is bolted up.

You don't need to cut a hole in the body, just un bolt the plate under the carpet, and get one from a junked truck or explorer 5 speed. It will bolt back up. That is the 3rd part on my list above.

 

[xploda01]

hey josh, my 4R55E trans is starting to fail on me and i was debating rebuilding it or replacing it with a 5 spd manual, since the 5 spd explorers are kinda rare, and i doubt i'd be able to find all the parts at the junkyard, why cant i just use all the parts off a 4.0 5 spd ranger?, all should be the same, right?, and i'm scared of the wires and electronics and computers and stuff, can you explain how you wired the trans a little more?......thanks in advance.

 

[JoshC]

I didn't do any wiring on the tranny. It isn't electronic like the auto. You'll have to buy a new computer like i said. The only electronic thing in the tranny is the reverse lights. You can use stuff from a ranger, everything will bolt right up.

 

[SVO]

I have the donor vehicle, I'll get you price as quick as I can.

Thanks

 

[IAmTodd]

Don't know if this was mentioned above, but how are you going to get around the center console. I see you have an EB, so it has the full length console...correct?

 

[BonesDT]

i have the full length console too. I took it all out, and there is a plate you can unscrew for the shifter in the floor. all you have to do is cut the carpet a little and get the shorter manual console and a plate to cover the air conditioning vent. you're going to have to sacrifice the rear air and rear stereo controls and the factory cd changer.

 

[SVO]

Michigander,

There are somethings I would like to talk with you about, if you are truly serious about this conversion, if you would please call me on the phone so I can discuss this with you, there are some varibles that I need to know about your vehicle, as so that I know that the interchange in my computer is 100% correct.

254-715-7361 ask for Jeff, if for some reason that I'm not able to get to the phone, due to being knee deep in the hoopla, please leave me a message with your phone number where I can get ahold of you, and I will call you back very promptly.

THANX!