V6 SOHC Auto To Manual Coversion

[Equnoxe]

hey,

i have a 97 exploder, eb edition, with a v6 SOHC 4.0L and the auto tranny with overdrive, i was just wondering how difficult it would be to switch the auto for the manual and what would require modifications. just general info please

 

[rwenzing]

In addition to the transmission, you'd need the clutch, pressure plate, flywheel, brake and clutch pedals, clutch pedal position switch, clutch master cylinder with pushrod and hydraulic lines.

You would need the PCM made for a manual transmission SOHC Explorer of the same or similar year. This may be a problem: I don't think Ford ever offered the SOHC with a manual in a 4-door Explorer. IIRC, the manual was offered with the 4.0 OHV only so there probably wouldn't be an off the shelf PCM that would work. If that is the case, then it should be possible to have your automatic PCM reflashed to eliminate the transmission functions and trouble codes.

You would also need an engine/transmission harness made for a manual truck. Again, this may not exist for the SOHC/manual combination. In that case, it shouldn't be all that hard to cobble the auto harness to make it work.

The plastic trim is different on the steering column and there is a manual ignition switch blockout lever to replace the automatic's column shifter interlock. You can either swap in a manual column or swap all the necessary bits from column to column.

Under the dash, you’d need to remove the auto truck’s jumper and plug the harness into the clutch pedal position switch (ASSUMING that the EB dash harness even has the connector and jumper. If not, the wiring would need to be added).

The instrument cluster would need to have the gear indicator removed for a clean job. It just gets swapped with a blanking plate from a manual truck's cluster.

Do yourself a BIG favor and replace the slave cylinder assembly with a new one. It is a time bomb on any Ranger/Explorer manual and requires that the transmission be pulled back out to change it.

 

[calmac06]

Anyone know where I can find the write-up where the guy put the 5-speed into his explorer sport? It was like a report he had written for a class and I can't find it anywhere...