Topic: Need help on auto to 5speed swap 90 4runner...please

[4runner157]

Hi, ive been trying to gather every bit of info i can, i have a 90 4runner 4x4 AT with signs of tranny going out. i would rahter spend the money putting in a 5 spped then another auto. can anybody help me with a parts list of things i will need and where i can find the and what years i can get them. can i use my at Tcase with a 5 speed or do i need tranny and 5 speed. its a v6 3.0 anyone who can help id really appriciate it. thanks

[11 Bravo]

I did the same swap on a 1990 4Runner and it was way more work than I first thought it would be. This was a daily driver rig and not a trail rig so a lot of the extra work was making everything look and work as factory.

I had a 1992 4Runner that I bought rolled and was parting out so I had a donor rig to get all the little brackets and trim pieces and stuff I needed. That would be my advise to you is try to find a wreck that you can scavenge everything you will need from. Collecting all the pieces would be a pain.

You need an R150 5 speed to bolt up to the V-6. They have a chain driven transfer case. There are adapters to mate up gear driven cases to them. You won't be able to use the transfer case you have now, and it is a chain type anyway.

Where are you located? I have a complete 5 speed and a complete auto that would work for you. If you are close I will sell them cheap. I don't want to mess with shipping big stuff. I have a few of the install parts if you decide to do the 5 speed swap.

[4runner157 [OP]]

i already bought a flywheel. i live in south california. everyone else was like ya its easy takes a day.  what are the small parts needed? its going to be really hard for me to find a donor round here. did you take any pics? the part i was wondering was how hard was it to cut the holes for the mast cylinder?

[89 toy]

the hole should be there should just be a knock out plug.
you need:
tranny and tcase with shifters, boots, and clutch fork
clutch and fly wheel
clutch master cyl,slave cyl and lines
clutch and brake pedals with brakets
those are most of the phisical parts you will need then you need t figure out the wiring for the rev lights and 4wd indicator light

[olemisstoy88]

I just did this on my 88.
you should look at the parts list on my post auto to 5 speed conv,
but this is what I needed:
manuel trans
clutch
master cyl
manual pedel set. ( its easier to swap the whole thing than to add the peddel and stops inside the truck.)
clutch hard lines
6" soft clutch line
slave cyl.
shifter
driveshaft shorting/ lengthing if applicable. Mine I had to do this but Yours you prolly wont.
get a wire connector splicerfor the neutral/park wire
wiring diagram of transmission
8 hours of time
trans jack
long extension like 3 feet. for bolts at top of tranny.
new tranny mount, might as well.
nos flywheel bolts
flywheel ( resurfaced)
the auto flywheel is signifactly thinner than the manuel.
a few bolts for the flex plate ( metric)
grinder to cut a hole in your floor.
that about it.
good luck and if you need help email me at bnbullio@olemiss.edu

[4runner157 [OP]]

thanks i really apprciate it. damn i have to cut the hole with a grinder, i was hoping there was a same size plate for the manual. oh well everything cant be easy. i appriciate the help. now i got some parts i need to search for. you got a link to that auto to 5speed post?

[sactomike]

I just did this on my 88.
you should look at the parts list on my post auto to 5 speed conv,
but this is what I needed:
manuel trans
clutch
master cyl
manual pedel set. ( its easier to swap the whole thing than to add the peddel and stops inside the truck.)
clutch hard lines
6" soft clutch line
slave cyl.
shifter
driveshaft shorting/ lengthing if applicable. Mine I had to do this but Yours you prolly wont.
get a wire connector splicerfor the neutral/park wire
wiring diagram of transmission
8 hours of time
trans jack
long extension like 3 feet. for bolts at top of tranny.
new tranny mount, might as well.
nos flywheel bolts
flywheel ( resurfaced)
the auto flywheel is signifactly thinner than the manuel.
a few bolts for the flex plate ( metric)
grinder to cut a hole in your floor.
that about it.
good luck and if you need help email me at bnbullio@olemiss.edu

This is a very good list to go by. I just swapped out my auto in my 1990 runner last year for a R151, best thing I ever did!! And you do not need the manual ECU, had no problems with mine except the O/D on-off light blinks on the dash. I also found that if you just hard wire in a push button start, you don't have to fool the computer into thinking it's in nuetral. The key will need to be on to start, but the truck can turn over while the keys off!! I would also recommend swapping out the complete pedal assembly because the auto assembly does not have studs on it to mount the slave master cylinder to, so unless you weld them on you're better off just swapping it out. And lastly it only took me and one buddy all day to complete. (8 hours)

Hope this will help some!!

miked.

[4runner157 [OP]]

you kinda lost me on this push button start thing. what you talkin about? what did you have to do electroniclly to get the car to run after the swap without the check engine light on? thanks i really appriciate this. im gettign good info and im on my way wiht half the parts in hand

[4runner157 [OP]]

hey also on the 90 do you really have to cut the hole with the grinder, because if you remove the auto sifter plate theres already a pretty big hole in the floor. will the 5 speed have a boot blate or something that bolts the same on it or am i just wishfull thinking.

[BLACKDOG]

hey also on the 90 do you really have to cut the hole with the grinder, because if you remove the auto sifter plate theres already a pretty big hole in the floor. will the 5 speed have a boot blate or something that bolts the same on it or am i just wishfull thinking.

you may be lucky, I've never done this but in my 91 pickup, the hole for the manual shifter is roughly 6" across?  a little bit less I think.  If it is roughly the same size, you may be alright.  I can't imagine it would be too different, because  they built the bodies to accept most options for that year

[sactomike]

you kinda lost me on this push button start thing. what you talkin about? what did you have to do electroniclly to get the car to run after the swap without the check engine light on? thanks i really appriciate this. im gettign good info and im on my way wiht half the parts in hand

It's really simple, just use a push button type momentary switch. Just a two wire set-up, one

wire goes directly to the starter, the other wire to a power source. What this does is allow the

motor to be turned over at any time, key on or off. The catch is the vehicle will not start until

the key is on and the computers come on. So you could start in nuetral, drive, or reverse

doesn't matter. The only reason I've done mine this way, is that my ignition switch went out

and instead of paying $150 for a new one, I just hardwired the starter...simple fix. I've had no

electrical related problems from the swap, I've had no problem passing California Smog...even

with the auto computer in. It really is a simple project if you have some help and a decent

assortment of tools.

And yes I did have to "open" the shifter hole with a cutoff wheel! Maybe an inch or two on each

side, nothing major!  miked.

[4runner157 [OP]]

what about hte revers lights and the 4wd lights.. also does the cross member have to be changed? you wouldent happen to have any pics so i can get an idea how things are routed or done do you? man they should make this a sticky write up and the conversion. sure would help.