Can we get a 5 speed swap sticky?
03-29-2005, 12:25 AM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 476
Can we get a 5 speed swap sticky?
'cause I've seen way too many questions on the subject that could be answered by a nice sticky thread.
It would make things much easier if you have access to a parts car. Running to the junkyard and back is what I did and it sucked, but may be cheaper. It would be nice to have the two cars side by side so you can see where everything goes and so you dont have to go back for some little widget you left behind at the junkyard.
Off the top of my head, this is what you need:
-Tranny (duh)
-Tranny mounts (I think the rear is teh same, but you will need the front mount for sure. Or maybe it's the other way around.)
-Clutch disk
-Flywheel
-Pressure plate
-Clutch master cylinder
-Clutch pedal assembly (pain in the *** with that air duct in the way, but it will come out with enough swearing and propper application of violence)
-Clutch line including that little block and loopy thing
-Shifter assembly including both rods
-Shifter bracket. I dremmeled the damn bolts out after much frustration and got new ones at the hardware store. Other years may be easier to remove, IDK
-Interior trim peice and boot unless you want it to look really ghetto
-Metal plate between engine and tranny
For the love of Jebus keep track of all the nuts and bolts~!! I ended up with two cars worth of bolts on my driveway and thats just no fun.
You will need a good metric toolset, sockets and combination wrenches. 8,10,12,14,16,17,18,19,20, probably a few others, along with a 36mm axle nut socket. A torque wrench is mandatory, and a breaker bar with a big ol' pipe to stick on the end really helps.
One of the other guys will have to explain how to wire up the neutral saftey switch, I somehow did it weird so now my car only starts in reverse. Anti-theft feature I guess.
You should really have a Chiltons or Hayne's manual to help with things that may seem a bit unintuitive. You need it for the torque specs anyways.
Heres a quickie guide that will improve when it's not 2:30 AM:
0.5. Drain tranny fluid (it's probably black and funky smelling by this point), break loose the axle nuts and lugnuts
1. Jack up your auto car high enough for the tranny co fit under the bumper
2. Remove shifter and cable (should be pretty obvious how once you remove the center counsol. You will have to remove the heat sheild above the catalytic conveter, but probably not the cat it's self.)
3. Remove wheels
4. Remove axles. This can be fun. For the driver side take off the 36mm nut, tap the axle with a mallet and a block of wood to break it loose. Hopefull you can just pull the steefing knuckle off the end of the axle. Have someone hold it out of the way and tug the axle straight out. If it dosnt want to budge you could use a prybar to pry it away from the tranny, but it should just pull out with a good tug. Try not to bend the CV joints as you pull and dont let the axle hang by the inner CV joint while it's in the tranny. Run all over the garage looking for rags because you forgot to drain tranny fluid.
Now for the passanger axle. Oh boy. There is a bracket on the rear of the engine with 3 bolts connected to a bearing. This part is easier if you have a u joint and an assortment of extensions. And small girlish hands. Once the 3 bolts are off use a block of wood and a hammer to tap sideways on the tab on the axle that one of the bolts goes through untill you can hit that with a long screwdriver and a hammer and tap the bearing out of the bracket. Just look at it and hopefully it will make sense.
TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW WHEN IT'S NOT 2:30 AM
Removing the Automatic tranny from your car:
0. Remove the battery, battery tray, air box, CAI and resonator.
1. Remove the cooler lines (two small rubber lines that go to the bottom of the radiator). Be prepared for some ATF to come out. Also remove the shifter cable if you havnt already and unplug all the wires going into the tranny.
Hayne's says that you have to remove the engine/tranny as a unit to remove the automatic tranny. This is bunk. It may be easier or harder, but I didnt feel like messing with all the fuel and vaccum lines and wires and cables. I removed the cover on the top of the tranny and pulled out the valvebody or whatever it is that sticks up about an inch. I undid the two front crossmember bolts and lowered the front of the crossmember about 1.5-2 inches with a jack. Support the tranny with a wheel floor jack. Support the oilpan of the engine with a small jack and a block of wood to avoid stressing the motor mounts and exhaust. Undo all the bolts holding the bellhousing of the tranny to the engine block. Use a pair of prybars to pull the tranny away from the engine while a friend manipulates teh jack to keep the tranny supported. You should be able to wiggle it out enough to clear the torque converter. Dont worry about letting it hang down at a small angle to the engine if you dont care about messing up the torque converter, flexplate, or tranny input shaft (Dont see why you would). With enough cursing and wiggling the tranny will clear the torque converter and you can lower it down. That was the hard part.
Now you need to remove the torque converter from the flexplate. You will need an open end wrench, dont remember what size. There are several bolts near teh perimiter of the flexplate and torque converter, remove them. You will probably have to turn the engine over a bit to reach them all.
Now the bolts holding the flex plate to the engine are visable, remove them. You will not need them or the spacer ring, the manual flywheel to crankshaft bolts are longer. You may have to wedge a prybar or something in the teeth of the ring gear on the flexplate to keep it from turning when you undo those bolts.
TO BE CONTINUED......
Note I am doing this from memory. It's been about 3 months. Some details may be left out.
Hopefully others who have done the swap can chime in with their ways of doing things.
It would make things much easier if you have access to a parts car. Running to the junkyard and back is what I did and it sucked, but may be cheaper. It would be nice to have the two cars side by side so you can see where everything goes and so you dont have to go back for some little widget you left behind at the junkyard.
Off the top of my head, this is what you need:
-Tranny (duh)
-Tranny mounts (I think the rear is teh same, but you will need the front mount for sure. Or maybe it's the other way around.)
-Clutch disk
-Flywheel
-Pressure plate
-Clutch master cylinder
-Clutch pedal assembly (pain in the *** with that air duct in the way, but it will come out with enough swearing and propper application of violence)
-Clutch line including that little block and loopy thing
-Shifter assembly including both rods
-Shifter bracket. I dremmeled the damn bolts out after much frustration and got new ones at the hardware store. Other years may be easier to remove, IDK
-Interior trim peice and boot unless you want it to look really ghetto
-Metal plate between engine and tranny
For the love of Jebus keep track of all the nuts and bolts~!! I ended up with two cars worth of bolts on my driveway and thats just no fun.
You will need a good metric toolset, sockets and combination wrenches. 8,10,12,14,16,17,18,19,20, probably a few others, along with a 36mm axle nut socket. A torque wrench is mandatory, and a breaker bar with a big ol' pipe to stick on the end really helps.
One of the other guys will have to explain how to wire up the neutral saftey switch, I somehow did it weird so now my car only starts in reverse. Anti-theft feature I guess.
You should really have a Chiltons or Hayne's manual to help with things that may seem a bit unintuitive. You need it for the torque specs anyways.
Heres a quickie guide that will improve when it's not 2:30 AM:
0.5. Drain tranny fluid (it's probably black and funky smelling by this point), break loose the axle nuts and lugnuts
1. Jack up your auto car high enough for the tranny co fit under the bumper
2. Remove shifter and cable (should be pretty obvious how once you remove the center counsol. You will have to remove the heat sheild above the catalytic conveter, but probably not the cat it's self.)
3. Remove wheels
4. Remove axles. This can be fun. For the driver side take off the 36mm nut, tap the axle with a mallet and a block of wood to break it loose. Hopefull you can just pull the steefing knuckle off the end of the axle. Have someone hold it out of the way and tug the axle straight out. If it dosnt want to budge you could use a prybar to pry it away from the tranny, but it should just pull out with a good tug. Try not to bend the CV joints as you pull and dont let the axle hang by the inner CV joint while it's in the tranny. Run all over the garage looking for rags because you forgot to drain tranny fluid.
Now for the passanger axle. Oh boy. There is a bracket on the rear of the engine with 3 bolts connected to a bearing. This part is easier if you have a u joint and an assortment of extensions. And small girlish hands. Once the 3 bolts are off use a block of wood and a hammer to tap sideways on the tab on the axle that one of the bolts goes through untill you can hit that with a long screwdriver and a hammer and tap the bearing out of the bracket. Just look at it and hopefully it will make sense.
TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW WHEN IT'S NOT 2:30 AM
Removing the Automatic tranny from your car:
0. Remove the battery, battery tray, air box, CAI and resonator.
1. Remove the cooler lines (two small rubber lines that go to the bottom of the radiator). Be prepared for some ATF to come out. Also remove the shifter cable if you havnt already and unplug all the wires going into the tranny.
Hayne's says that you have to remove the engine/tranny as a unit to remove the automatic tranny. This is bunk. It may be easier or harder, but I didnt feel like messing with all the fuel and vaccum lines and wires and cables. I removed the cover on the top of the tranny and pulled out the valvebody or whatever it is that sticks up about an inch. I undid the two front crossmember bolts and lowered the front of the crossmember about 1.5-2 inches with a jack. Support the tranny with a wheel floor jack. Support the oilpan of the engine with a small jack and a block of wood to avoid stressing the motor mounts and exhaust. Undo all the bolts holding the bellhousing of the tranny to the engine block. Use a pair of prybars to pull the tranny away from the engine while a friend manipulates teh jack to keep the tranny supported. You should be able to wiggle it out enough to clear the torque converter. Dont worry about letting it hang down at a small angle to the engine if you dont care about messing up the torque converter, flexplate, or tranny input shaft (Dont see why you would). With enough cursing and wiggling the tranny will clear the torque converter and you can lower it down. That was the hard part.
Now you need to remove the torque converter from the flexplate. You will need an open end wrench, dont remember what size. There are several bolts near teh perimiter of the flexplate and torque converter, remove them. You will probably have to turn the engine over a bit to reach them all.
Now the bolts holding the flex plate to the engine are visable, remove them. You will not need them or the spacer ring, the manual flywheel to crankshaft bolts are longer. You may have to wedge a prybar or something in the teeth of the ring gear on the flexplate to keep it from turning when you undo those bolts.
TO BE CONTINUED......
Note I am doing this from memory. It's been about 3 months. Some details may be left out.
Hopefully others who have done the swap can chime in with their ways of doing things.
03-29-2005, 01:34 AM
#3
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: EU Scandinavia
Posts: 4,323
Originally Posted by MrGone
I'll put it in the stickies, but dont want to make a new one as I just combined a bunch yesterday 
03-29-2005, 04:35 AM
#4
Originally Posted by MrGone
I'll put it in the stickies, but dont want to make a new one as I just combined a bunch yesterday
03-29-2005, 12:31 PM
#6
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Originally Posted by twinkle
the writeup is looking good so far, as far as the tranny mounts go, you need the front and the lower half of the rear
the rewire is pretty straight forward but the way i did it might be different compared to those who did the conversion or it might be the same method.
all i used for my re-wire is a jumper wire which i put inside of the harness can't remember which one and just connected it and the car starts in neutral. i still have to figure out how i can make my reverse lights come on and make my damn cruise control work as well
. so, if any of u guys did this please shed some light on it.
03-30-2005, 07:19 PM
#11
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Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 476
yep, same procedure. However, if you are putting a VE tranny (which has VLSD unlike the VG tranny) you will need the axles and hubs from the VE car. Vise versa if for whatever reason you were to put a VG tranny in a VE car. They use different size splines. VG tranny into VG car, you can just re-use your auto axles. I think this is true with VEs but I'm not 100% sure.
03-30-2005, 08:42 PM
#12
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Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 103
if someone feels a need to make one - there should really be a page up about the tranny swap complete with pictures and stuff. In highschool auto, I did a lot of engine work, but never really touched transmissions. I've heard the tranny swap is quite the challenge
03-31-2005, 04:14 PM
#14
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Originally Posted by floods943
if someone feels a need to make one - there should really be a page up about the tranny swap complete with pictures and stuff. In highschool auto, I did a lot of engine work, but never really touched transmissions. I've heard the tranny swap is quite the challenge
03-31-2005, 04:30 PM
#16
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i was hopin' Fugi43 would have done the write-up on this but i guess he doesn't have the time or hasn't gotten around on doin' it. plus i still need to know how to get my reverse lights and cruise control to work again.
03-31-2005, 04:48 PM
#17
I did my homework on Fugi43 and here is some valuable info on the rewire
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=241365 Click the link he posted for specifics on what he had done.
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=241365 Click the link he posted for specifics on what he had done.
Last edited by Greeny; 10-13-2007 at 05:19 PM.
03-31-2005, 04:58 PM
#18
I really do no know how different the 3rd Gen max is from the 4th Gen Maxima 5 spd conversion but here is a link that i found.
http://www.dynomagic.com/maxima/5spd_conversion.htm
i forgot where!
. but this is what i was going to follow as soon as a get all my parts together. i was really looking fo an entire parts car it would be a lot easier than what i am doing now having to buy part by part. I might just forget to buy a much needed part. But i know its a challenging job. 
http://www.dynomagic.com/maxima/5spd_conversion.htm
i forgot where!
. but this is what i was going to follow as soon as a get all my parts together. i was really looking fo an entire parts car it would be a lot easier than what i am doing now having to buy part by part. I might just forget to buy a much needed part. But i know its a challenging job.
03-31-2005, 05:28 PM
#19
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Miami, FL. / Indianapolis, IN.
Posts: 2,610
Originally Posted by maxima92se
I really do no know how different the 3rd Gen max is from the 4th Gen Maxima 5 spd conversion but here is a link that i found.
http://www.dynomagic.com/maxima/5spd_conversion.htm
i forgot where! . but this is what i was going to follow as soon as a get all my parts together. i was really looking fo an entire parts car it would be a lot easier than what i am doing now having to buy part by part. I might just forget to buy a much needed part. But i know its a challenging job.
http://www.dynomagic.com/maxima/5spd_conversion.htm
i forgot where!
. but this is what i was going to follow as soon as a get all my parts together. i was really looking fo an entire parts car it would be a lot easier than what i am doing now having to buy part by part. I might just forget to buy a much needed part. But i know its a challenging job.
03-31-2005, 05:35 PM
#20
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Join Date: Jan 2002
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Posts: 2,610
Originally Posted by VG Ill ridah
I did my homework on Fugi43 and here is some valuable info on the rewire
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=326067 Click the link he posted for specifics on what he had done.
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=326067 Click the link he posted for specifics on what he had done.
04-02-2005, 03:17 PM
#22
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Posts: 2,610
Originally Posted by twinkle
you're cruiseshould just work, mine did, it even cuts off when i push in the clutch (not from a safty switch, i thinkits cause it revs up)
how did u rewire ur tranny???
04-03-2005, 06:42 PM
#25
Originally Posted by bobbydigital450
I swapped the entire wiring harness. It was a pain in the A$$ and you have to become some what of a contortionist but it didn't leave me with questions on wiring for reverse lights and cruise control.
08-10-2005, 02:37 PM
#26
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 465
My time to contribute 
I've done a writeup on the 5spd swap, including the rewiring.
Here it is:
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/749143/3
I've done a writeup on the 5spd swap, including the rewiring.
Here it is:
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/749143/3
08-10-2005, 03:24 PM
#27
Member
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 69
Originally Posted by Phatsta
My time to contribute
I've done a writeup on the 5spd swap, including the rewiring.
Here it is:
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/749143/3
I've done a writeup on the 5spd swap, including the rewiring.
Here it is:
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/749143/3
Man ya'll guys are pro's for real. I'm a rookie like a mug!!
08-10-2005, 11:06 PM
#29
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 465
Originally Posted by camron21
Yo can someone do a thread on the different tools, and there names! This stuff sounds like greek to me sometimes......lol
I'll start such a thread if no one else beats me to it.
*Googling pictures*
08-11-2005, 08:33 AM
#30
Member
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 69
Originally Posted by Phatsta
Actually that's not a bad idea at all, I'd love a thread like that as well since my swedish names on tools tends to be all wrong
I'll start such a thread if no one else beats me to it.
*Googling pictures*
I'll start such a thread if no one else beats me to it.
*Googling pictures*
09-12-2005, 09:38 PM
#32
Um, about putting a VE 5spd w/ LSD into a VG car:
putting in the VE hubs is not necessary. I did not have the VE axles when I did the swap, all i had was the trans. So i just went to the local axle shop, bought some '94 SE 5spd axles and had them put on the ends from an '89. Turns out the actual shafts and bearings are the same so the '89 ends fit on the '94 axles. It works like a charm, my car is rolling proof. That setup has been rolling strong for like 4 or 5 years now.
I'm not sure which way ends up being cheaper or easier, but that's just how i ended up doing it. Granted my car is already an '89 SE 5spd. SO all's that happened was that my trans. pooped on me; and my buddy had a spare lsd trans for his '94 SE 5spd.
So i looked at his, then looked at mine, and well you know...so i put his in and it was all gravy until the axle thing. I didn't want to mess with new knuckles, so i did the axle thing. Hope that was helpful.
putting in the VE hubs is not necessary. I did not have the VE axles when I did the swap, all i had was the trans. So i just went to the local axle shop, bought some '94 SE 5spd axles and had them put on the ends from an '89. Turns out the actual shafts and bearings are the same so the '89 ends fit on the '94 axles. It works like a charm, my car is rolling proof. That setup has been rolling strong for like 4 or 5 years now.
I'm not sure which way ends up being cheaper or easier, but that's just how i ended up doing it. Granted my car is already an '89 SE 5spd. SO all's that happened was that my trans. pooped on me; and my buddy had a spare lsd trans for his '94 SE 5spd.
So i looked at his, then looked at mine, and well you know...so i put his in and it was all gravy until the axle thing. I didn't want to mess with new knuckles, so i did the axle thing. Hope that was helpful.
09-12-2005, 11:33 PM
#33
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 465
Put this in the sticky as well along with that text:
Pulling the auto tranny:
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/749143/2
Installing the manual tranny (including electronics):
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/749143/3
Oh, and if anyone has any suggestions, opionions etc about my writeups and how to make it better and more detailed, please PM me and let me know. I have tons of pictures and that usually makes it a lot easier so let me know if I need to clarify parts of the guide.
Pulling the auto tranny:
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/749143/2
Installing the manual tranny (including electronics):
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/749143/3
Oh, and if anyone has any suggestions, opionions etc about my writeups and how to make it better and more detailed, please PM me and let me know. I have tons of pictures and that usually makes it a lot easier so let me know if I need to clarify parts of the guide.
09-13-2005, 08:47 AM
#34
How much time did it take, collectively. My deal is, once I find a parts car, I have access to a professional shop with lifts, air tools, tranny jacks, etc. The only thing is if I do it there, it has to be DONE over a weekend. It can't be tying up a service bay during normal business hours.
09-13-2005, 09:50 AM
#35
Here is a pic the information plate on the fire wall.....
If the end letter is a V then you have limited slip....If it is A then you do not have LSD...
If the end letter is a V then you have limited slip....If it is A then you do not have LSD...
Last edited by Greeny; 11-12-2007 at 06:18 PM.
09-13-2005, 02:27 PM
#36
Originally Posted by maxitech
How much time did it take, collectively. My deal is, once I find a parts car, I have access to a professional shop with lifts, air tools, tranny jacks, etc. The only thing is if I do it there, it has to be DONE over a weekend. It can't be tying up a service bay during normal business hours.
09-13-2005, 04:29 PM
#37
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 465
Originally Posted by maxitech
How much time did it take, collectively. My deal is, once I find a parts car, I have access to a professional shop with lifts, air tools, tranny jacks, etc. The only thing is if I do it there, it has to be DONE over a weekend. It can't be tying up a service bay during normal business hours.
if you decide to do it then best of luck though
09-13-2005, 10:36 PM
#40
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 465
Originally Posted by maxitech
Hmm...It sounds like I might need a 3-day weekend. I will have one or two other non-certified mechanics helping me too.
if you work effectively you should be able to finish the job in two days. let me know when you're planning on doing it, I'll give you my mail address and stand by to help you out if I can.