Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Best way to swap Auto to stick

[TMilliard]

I am so sick of my slushbox it isn't funny. Last sunday went out to fire truck up, puddle of red underneath. Ran down to Napa, got a pan gasket and atf+3 50 dallars and an hour later i was up and running. Today, had an appointment at 11, got there, noticed atf pouring outa I cooler line. I def need to get rid of the auto. I tow quite a bit and just dont want to have the headache. What is gonna be the cheapest way to swap?

 

[JKinney]

I think the easiest is to swap, trade or sell and buy what you want. Verses conversion.

 

[AKaiser]

I asked a truck mechanic at a local shop that deals with commercial vehicles about this several years ago. He said that he had done it once, and would never do it again. The biggest problem is getting the right parts. He said even within a model year, there may be more than one set of parts, and you don't always know which to get even with a VIN.

 

[TMilliard]

I would like to sell the transmission, t-case, coolers lines, coolers, trans temp gauge, etc because it all has only a few thousand miles on it, I had the trans and coolers/lines replaced at the dealership. I should have saved my money and bout the stick instead, but its done now. If i could sell all that i think i would have enough to but the required parts

 

[SnoKing]

I would like to sell the transmission, t-case, coolers lines, coolers, trans temp gauge, etc because it all has only a few thousand miles on it, I had the trans and coolers/lines replaced at the dealership. I should have saved my money and bout the stick instead, but its done now. If i could sell all that i think i would have enough to but the required parts

Wait a minute, you had a dealer do the transmission and lines, and now you are having issues, and you are not parked in his service bay????????



Also I think someone that goes to a dealership to get work done may be out of their league in doing a transmission conversion!!!!!!!!!!!!



SNOKING

 

[TMilliard]

I went to the dealer for warranty purposes, Chrysler wouldn't pay for the transmission unless the dealer installed it... Long story. the dealer up here sucks, been there done that, sick of having the truck there for a week for a minor issue. Took them three weeks to put a transmission in, should have been out and in by noon.

Doing the conversion is not out of my league, not much is, I'm a truck tech by trade, so its nothing new to me, what I was asking is about is the details, such as the ecm, steering column, driveshafts and such, just looking for some insight from those who have done a simalar swap

 

[SnoKing]

Do a seach, there have been a few threads on conversions and the issues. SNOKING

 

[AMikesell]

I have personally done this conversion and it is not as bad as everyone is saying and I am only 22 years old. The main problem is finding all the parts or going and finding a donor truck to swap everything over, thats what I did. I went with a 5spd and love it, I still have to original steering column but with everything removed and replaced with other plastic pieces that would come with a manual, ecm and pcm are still original but I did lose my cruise control, the driveshaft will need to be modified. You will need to cut a hole in the floor for the shifter and maybe in the carpet but I did not need to do that since I was in the process of changing out my interior. Also the pedals will have to be hung but if you have a helper its not to bad . If you go with a 6spd the only difference is there is a spacer on the starter. If you have any questions PM me. Thanks Andrew

 

[TMilliard]

you kept you ECM, and PCM, but lost the output speed sensor on the back of the auto, I could probably find a tone ring and mount it to the trans output on the 5 speed, that way I get to keep the cruise, just a thought, did you have to shorten the rear shaft of lengthen it?

 

[BTighe]

i saw a truck in a lowes parking lot that had a stick conversion and still had the shifter on the column. i thought it would be great for theft prevention.

 

[MarkMiller]

I have not done an auto manual swap on one of these critters but I have some experience in things like this. Do the autos have the tone ring on the rear axle? If they don't, swap in a manual rear with the tone ring to drive the speedo/CC and switch the ECM so that it will work with the rear axle drive. The trans and axle rings may use the same signal pattern, if so a company like U. S. Speedo would be able to tell you that info or build you a converter so you don't have to put in a new ECM if they use a different signal.

 

[TMilliard]

good reason to swap to a D-80 I'll probably just go without cruise for a while, looks like getting the stick under the trucks gonna cost some bucks, but I think its well worth it.

 

[SnoKing]

Have you ever driven a truck with a custom DTT, GB or other quality Auto?? They are sweet! Love my DTT transmission. SNOKING

 

[TMilliard]

No I haven't, not many modded trucks up here in Maine, really only a handfull that I can think of. I dont mind the auto, just prefer a stick, I think it would suit me better for towing, and possibly sledpulling, if that ever happens round here



I started the process of collecting the parts for the swap, plan is to get everything together, pedals, t-case hydraulics bellhousing clutch, flywheel, etc, while saving some cash and then buy a reman NV4500, does anyone know if any remans have the 5th gear nut fix or any other upgrades?

 

[AMikesell]

The only plug on the manual trans is the one for the backup lights. My speed sensor is on the axle. I think I may have it wired so the truck thinks that it is trying to start all of the time or I may need a pcm for a 5spd but I am not sure its just been to cold and there has been too much snow on the ground to crawl around and tinker with it but I will later this spring. Before I decided convert my truck to a manual I was really close to buying a full build DTT transmission but it was either leather seats and a new color interior(it was tanand traded for dark grey) and a manual or just a transmission upgrade, I choose not to get a transmission since I would get a lot more the other way.

 

[SnoKing]

No I haven't, not many modded trucks up here in Maine, really only a handfull that I can think of. I dont mind the auto, just prefer a stick, I think it would suit me better for towing, and possibly sledpulling, if that ever happens round here



I started the process of collecting the parts for the swap, plan is to get everything together, pedals, t-case hydraulics bellhousing clutch, flywheel, etc, while saving some cash and then buy a reman NV4500, does anyone know if any remans have the 5th gear nut fix or any other upgrades?

If you are going to all this trouble, why would you not install a NV5600 or G56????????? SNOKING

 

[Partyat33]

I was not all that hard to swap a six speed to auto. My only question would be about how the ECM/PCM talks to the auto. I did not talk to the manual so I just use switches for OD/Lock Up.



Works Great

 

[TMilliard]

SNOKING... aren't the six speeds about twice the price of an NV-4500? I have had a few nv-4500s in my off-road rigs and such, found them to be dead reliable, can the same be said for the six speeds? I havent heard the best about the NV-5600, but thats just my limited experience with them.

 

[SnoKing]

SNOKING... aren't the six speeds about twice the price of an NV-4500? I have had a few nv-4500s in my off-road rigs and such, found them to be dead reliable, can the same be said for the six speeds? I havent heard the best about the NV-5600, but thats just my limited experience with them.

The NV5600 is a good transmission and has a gear spaced in the missing spot in the NV4500 gear spacing. SNOKING

 

[TMilliard]

I would love a six speed, I just got the impression that they were like twice the price, 3200, compared to 1700 for the 5 speed, I guess I'm just gonna have to see what I can get a deal on