Topic: auto to 5 speed conversion

[olemisstoy88]

AH ha I finally got a tranny it looks like. Its a 5 speed and I have an auto. Ok so I am gonna do it. I have secured a 5 speed with master cylinder and everthing that I need.  But just to be sure, what all do I need? I will prolly do it but I have never done a conversion like this. Is it real difficult? I have access to a drive on lift and all or can I do it with out that. The tranny cant be that heavy right? I guess the hardest part that I have heard is something about a parking switch and putting the master cylinder in. About how long does it take if you dont know what you are doing, and how long if you do? What else do I need. Thanks

[Stinky]

well...i did mine last summer....my dads a mechanic so i had the tools and a knowledgeable second person, plus a few friends of mine that are toyota junkies...anywaysss....lets see.......the hardest part would be gettin all the auto's linkages n coolers n wat not out, driveshafts, bellhousing bolts, exhaust, speedo cable and all the wiring....i used a tranny jack with the truck just sitting on the ground in the shop.....that would probably be the easiest..that way theres nothing in ure way....u wil need the whole pedal assembly out of a 5 speed truck..the auto from the factory has the mount n hole n all but it doesnt have the studs needed for the master...u could rigg some bolts up, but do it the right way THE FIRST TIME, i did n i have not had a prob with it yet....the hole in the floor needs to be opened up slightly, not much tho...the driveshafts worked fine on mine...u will need a 5-speed computer...mine is still the auto one...and the check engine lights on when u start it...it runs rich...o well...ill get around to it

[Stinky]

also i forgot to mention that if the tranny is from a different year of the truck...get the slave for the year of the tranny...i got the wrong year slave n had issues...had bleeding problems....its a lot of work...but nothing too too ridiculous...have fun...any other ?'s...ask me.....lataa

[olemisstoy88 [OP]]

is there a link anyone can give me for this?

[Jase]

What he said....however try it without switching the computer if it isn't given to you, mine works fine with the auto computer all I did was fool the park neutral switch.  Just dive in anyone here will be able to help if you get stuck.  It took me a day by myself in a dirt driveway.  The part that was the pain was hole sawing the firewall for the clutch master cylinder.

[olemisstoy88 [OP]]

How do I fool the switch?
also I cant find my transmission cooler is it on front near the raditor or am i just blind. Will I have to plug the raditor where the cooler goes.... if i have one?

[Jase]

Where the auto plugs to the wire harness you can just hook the two wires together I'll try to get you the colors on mine (I don't remember).  My cooler lines went into the bottom of the rad and I just unhooked the lines and put a rubber plug just to keep dirt out.

[olemisstoy88 [OP]]

thanks that would be great.

[olemisstoy88 [OP]]

when you say a day is that roughly 8 hours?

[Stinky]

it isnt that long of a job...u could do it in a day if u have ppl helpin out each doin their own part....the pedal assembly took prolly the longest on mine...drillin, measuring, measuring, drilling, measuring.....and its a good idea to get a 90 degree drill thats small enough to get under the dash n at.....theres only 2 plugs that went to the tranny from the main harness....get a wiring diagram in the back of a haynes manual...find wiring for the neutral safety switch....find the plug, sort it out n cover it in tape to keep it clean...and from falling out..(which sucks cuz the truck wont start!!)....n youll have to wire up ure back up lights from the wires on the tranny...theres only one plug on the tranny..that is if u use a w56...i wouldnt worry too much about the time..get a weekend, get allll the parts u need...plan on at LEAST 2 1/2 hours of disconnecting everything before u can even drop the tranny...disc. exhaust, drop the tranny...change flywheel, add clutch, reinstall tranny, trim floor for fit, take out pedal assembly, drill stud holes, drill cylinder hole, put pedal assembly in, put master in, put slave on, run lines(use a piece of flex on the slave end), bleed, put on f/r shafts, put exhaust on, fire it up see if it all works good and go bang some GEARSS!!!!

[miks85yota]

r the bell housings the same?

[olemisstoy88 [OP]]

Still have not finished it yet. It just keeps raining and raining. I have a garage but its full of sheet rock and construction debris, maybe I should only take on one project at a time.
I have the dash disconected but I cant get it out due to my int cage. I am gonna have to cut the dash in half. I have the pedals and bracket. After I get them in and hook up all the hoses and wires, dropping the tranny should notbe that hard right?

[gturismo]

I have the dash disconected but I cant get it out due to my int cage. I am gonna have to cut the dash in half. I have the pedals and bracket.

I didn't have to remove the dash on my 85.  The whole pedal assy can be worked out and the new one put in without removing the dash.  If I remember right, all I had to remove was the large plastic piece underneath the steering column (not the steering column cover itself, the large dash colored piece under that) and one piece of the heater duct.  Maybe your truck is different  

[yotaboy79]

i think the ship weight of my L52HD was 110 lbs

The tranny cant be that heavy right?

[olemisstoy88 [OP]]

thats not that bad. I have started and the w56 I got is about 100 or so. I can pick it up but I wonder if I can push it up when I do the install. thats like a benchpress. and 100lbs is a lot since I only weigh like 30  more than that. I'm a lil guy.


I removed the lower dash and the upper one piece to make it easier to get my sockets and wrenches in. I have swaped in the peddle set and drilled the holes for the Mastercyl.
the studs line up and I attched the clutch master cyl. I have run a few lines. I have to get a new brake booster since mine craped out befroe the swap. once I get one I will finish the easy part of this install. I also have the drive shaft out already and replaced the 3 ujoints in it.
Whats left:
wiring the park/neutral switch.
dropping the transmission
swapping the 5 speed
cutting a hole in the floor
piecing back the dash
bolting the brakes up and bleeding them.
clutch mastercyl. and slave lines and bleed.
what else?

[olemisstoy88 [OP]]

Its really easy to drill the holes in the right spot if the foam mat is still there. the spot is already cut out of the foam. so its like a template.

[Stinky]

ya all i had to do was move the lower heat duct n alot of patience to stuff the pedal assembly in there...the bell housings are the same...actually its all the same engine so they will fit no matter wat...the holw doesnt have to be cut, just opened up a bit to fit the t-case lever.....make sure u put a piece of flex hose on the slave end of the lines, a small 4" piece should do the trick, just enough so the motor can torque since the firewall doesnt.....i dunno wat u have the brakes unhooked for to have to bleed them....unless ure doin something else too........and itd be a good idea to get a tranny jack to assist in puttin the tranny in...cuz u dont want the input shaft bangin into or resting on the pressure plate....thats all for now...any other ?'s just ask...later...have funn

[olemisstoy88 [OP]]

I got the thing on there now I just have to adjust the clutch and make a custom drive shaft. Then put the dash back togehter. the brakes thing was a seperate issuse but I fix it. booster went out and the shock hoops and engine cage would not let me take it out. so I had to cut the studs off. the new one went in no trouble. reverse lights how do I get them to come on?

[olemisstoy88 [OP]]

Oh btw my truck is a 2wd.

[Stinky]

i dunno y ure makin a custom shaft cuz mine worked....but anyways....for the reverse lights..ok theres 3 wires that come off the tranny..on out of the t-case and a plug w/ 2 wires closer to the bell housing...like halfway up the tranny..not sure where but ITS @ WIRES..i kno that...get a test tool power one side n check for continuity on the other wire...the tranny must be in reverse n the key ON....not ACC OR START and put it reverse n check the wires...the wire that works w. the power side, run directly to the battery...and the other wire straight to the backup light circut...thats how mine works.....the sensor only works if the truck is on and theres a sure power source to the lights....its not runnin through a wiring harness n all that trash...got me??   if not just ask me..lataaa

[olemisstoy88 [OP]]

BI think I can figger that out. The shaft problem is becaose My axle is moved back about 4 inches. and the transmission i got is about 4 inches shorter so I am a total loss of 8 inches. Know any good shops that will make or extend me a shaft? toms, highangle and a few others wont cause they says its a 2wd. and they dont do 2wd's only 4xs WTF?

[Stinky]

get another one from the junkyard n cut an 8" section out of it, weld one end of the new section, let it cool off, dump 1/2 quart of atf in it(for balancing) and weld the the end of the shaft on the other end of the new section and install it....ive never done the atf but i talked to a guy who said hes been doin it for years and never had a problem w/ it....just make sure it dont leak...

[olemisstoy88 [OP]]

I got a good deal from truckpro in memphis for an extansion and rebalcing. Thanks for all your help stinky. made the swap lots easier.

[olemisstoy88 [OP]]

I should have it back on the road this weekend!

[Stinky]

no problem man....i wish i woulda had all the advice when i did mine...but i kno iwoulda wanted it so y not help ppl out..ya kno....we all drive yotas so we gotta help each other out....