How To: 5 Speed Swap in Convertibles (and other S13s)

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nab911
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You can do it... ive done it but it is not fun. I sat on the engine and "hugged it" to get back there. Easier way is use a lot of extensions and swivels. And old friend that worked at Nissan said that was the shop trick, you can get any bolt with enough swivels and extensions . Getting to those bolts on my friend pathy was helarious because the set of swivels and extensions we used was at least 5 feet long.


tak-
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Car: 89,90 240sx
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tenkawa_akito wrote:which is why you don't use the harness. The only plug from the trans harness that gets plugged back in is the speed sensor.
Hey, first off let me tell you that this thread is a godsend, what I really needed.

Now I would like to pick your brain for a few minutes if possible.

I am swapping a DOHC tranny into my SOHC car (fastback) When I look at my passenger side fuse box, and trace wires to the tranny this is what I get:(warning! pictures are large!)

1 grey plug that contains 7 wires that goes to the gear changing mechanism in the auto tranny.wire harness, and "mechanism": http://www.sidewayscrazy.com/p...s.jpgI am assuming this to be the INHIBITOR SWITCH, unless im wrong and its the red one below.Picture #2: http://www.sidewayscrazy.com/p...s.jpg

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1 plug located BELOW my fuse box with 2 wires coming out of it. These wires ran back to the harness above, and tied into the "shifting mechanism" on the tranny.From what everyone has told me, and I have read, these are the wires that I need to cut & splice. Done.Wires: http://www.sidewayscrazy.com/p...s.jpg

--------------------------Next to the said grey 7 wire plug above, I have:1 Redish plug that contains 7 wires that go to a silicon sealed plug into the side of the tranny.Do i need any of this at all, or can i disconnect it from the fuse box, and toss it in the trash?The Plug: http://www.sidewayscrazy.com/p...g.jpgPlug & the sealed "thing" that went into the side of the auto Tranny: http://www.sidewayscrazy.com/p...g.jpg

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Now I have a smaller plug here at the fuse box. It is a 3 prong plug and when traced back to the tranny,The sensor is a silver cylinder, and i am not sure what it is or if I need it.The Plug: http://www.sidewayscrazy.com/p...g.jpgThe sensor from the AT it goes to: http://www.sidewayscrazy.com/p...2.jpg

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That is it for the fuse box, but when I take a deep look down into my engine bay, I find what I believe to be the speed sensor plug.This top right plug fits the speed sensor: http://www.sidewayscrazy.com/p...s.jpgBut what I do not know is what the other plug is, the bottom left one. I have cleaned it up since the picture, but it looks to have enough residue and grease on it that it may have never been plugged in. It is possible however that i got it dirty degreasing the engine, and what not because i dumped alot of the dirty down and it fell all over that area.

These 2 plugs are not connected directly to the fuse box, but they sit down near the Starter, and tie into one of the harnesses down there, and then I think move up to the fuse box.The unknown plug looks to have a black and a red wire from what i can see.

When searching through the garage, i did find a plug that would fit it. The only problem is I have no clue where it came from!Here is the plug of unknown origin: http://www.sidewayscrazy.com/p...g.jpgYeah, it pretty much looks like all the plugs on the M/T tranny.

That is all I have.

What I need to know is what one of the big plugs is the INHIBITOR switch(grey or red) and what should I do with the other one? (unplug it?)And do I need that 3 prong sensor from the Auto Tranny? Or just unplug it, or tie it up somewhere.And lastly but most importantly, any clue what this mystery plug is, I dont want to miss anything.

Anyways, i appreciate all the help!

tak-
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Car: 89,90 240sx
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Well I just took a look at my other car, and it seems as though this mystery plug was not plugged in on that one either. Tons of weight lifted off my shoulders.

Now just to figure out what is what with the 3 wire sensor, and the 2 main harnesses/connecting plugs(red/grey)

thanks!

S13GG
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Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2005 8:02 pm
Car: 1995 S14 kouki clone SR blacktop and stuffs
1987 Toyota Supra, 1JZ-GTE and stuffs
1995 Toyota Crown Royal Saloon - JZS143
1993 S13 Vert - next project
1995 Q45 - Parts for above project

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I have a manual SR & harness.

the shift lock plug (2 wires near fuse box {engine}), what colours are the wires that need to be spliced.

I haved a black/white and black/yellow spliced together. But when I look the proper 2 wire plug is still intact (someone else did the wiring for me), the black/yellow becomes the black/white, and there is another wire (white on both sides).

which wires get spliced together? colours please. Could someone also edit the first post to included these colours

EDIT: Double check 2 ATM conversions. the shift lock wires are black/yellow and black/white on one side and black/white, tan (brown) on the tranny side. Hope this helps someone cause my plugs weren't where they were supposed to be.
Modified by S13GG at 7:51 PM 4/18/2005

Drftwell
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Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2005 3:13 am
Car: 1993 Nissan 240sx Convertible SE

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hey everyone, k i got a question. Im 17 with not very much mechanical expierence but im doing the 5 speed swap in my vert. Im through with wiring and everything i just need to get my new pilot bearing in.....ive tried almost everything...... there is like some type of spacer or something that is before the pilot bearing..... i went back and looked at the 5 spd car , the one in the junkyard which my new tranny came from , and there isnt this spacer , its just the pilot bearing in the crank shaft. I was just curious of what to do with this spacer. I personally see no use of it. Im thinking that it was just there to connect the torque converter to the crank. Is this correct of is it important? Please reply asap , my baby is sitting on stands just waiting to hit the road to break traction and get sideways. Thanks everyone. If you can please email the response as to im not on here very much <[email protected]> Thanks once again. Joshps- im doing alot of this on my own in my uncle's garage because i want to learn and i see no better way than to just jump in there and do it. I have help if i need it but i want to do this myself. <but everyone around me is old muscle car guys and the dont know about this spacer thing. > thanks

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Hijacker
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Car: '92 240sx Convertible
'94 F-150
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the pilot bushing in our cars is nothing more than a metal sleeve. I don't believe you'll need the spacer. The input shaft of the AT never reaches the pilot bushing since it stops inside the torque converter.

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daz1320
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Car: '93 vert

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this may be a stupid question,but oh well.I am doing my 5 speed swap in my vert with the engine(SR) from my last car and i am wondering about swapping lower harnesses.Is this an option?

nab911
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Im not sure but i think the lower harness would be different because the transmissions are the same but the RHD cars had the battery on the other side of the car.

nab911
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Ok question for you guys, what are the fitting sizes for the ends that go from the master cylinder and the end that goes into the slave cylinder. Im going to have to order a stainless line to hook up for this and it would be good to note in this guide

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daz1320
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in doing my 5-speed swap I realized that my friend cut my lower harness where all the wires come together.My question is do i need to reconnect these wires when doing my wiring or should i just say f it?

nab911
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You definatly need to hook up all the sensors on the tranny. I have a harness that is cut right where it goes into the battery terminal if you want it.

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daz1320
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Car: '93 vert

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when you say hook up all the sensors,y0u mean on the manual tranny right?I only plan on hooking up the speed sensor and reverse lights.is more needed?...in my previous post I was really asking this: if when doing the wiring do i just need to connect the wires together or do they also need to be connected to the tranny?....btw e-mail me your phone # if you dont mind i have a few more detailed questions about this crap...

TJ_GT
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Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2005 7:32 pm
Car: 1989 240SX Coupe w/silvia conversion and SR20DET

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ok i have a ?, i have a 89 coupe with the auto to 5sp swap done and my speedo isnt working, i put the vehical speed sensor from my other tranny in and still nothing. Any suggestions?

nab911
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I have the same problem with my ca18det car. No speedo working If anyone can figure that out that would be great and anyone who could tell me the fitting size for the clutch master and slave cylinder would help me out too!!

nab911
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I have a little to add to this. When putting the brake pedal back in, as you slide the bracket onto the 4 bolts from the booster, MAKE SURE YOU LINE UP THE FORK. Mine is still not attached because i didnt want to pull the **** back out. Ill fix it tonight

240droptop
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Car: 93 240sx Convertable

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SO I have everything done in my vert 5 spd swap but I don;t understnad how to bleed the clutch line? Do I fill the clutch master cylinder then pump the cluth and trhen unhook the hardline down by the tranny or what and how many times do I do it thxs

nab911
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Lol Ok here are the steps Note: Takes 2 people

1. fill the master cyl full2. have someone pump the pedal 3 times then hold it down*3. If you still have the dampener (little black box) bleed here first. With the pedal held down, turn the bleeder until fluid squirts out then tighten before it stops. If it has any air at all (bublles, spurty) then do that until its a smooth stream. Inbetween openings pump the pedal 3 times and hold it down.4. Repeat the same thing for the bleeder on the slave cylinder until its a smooth stream.

nab911
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Question for you guys. I finished the swap, and the top works and i still have to wire up the reverse sensors... but i realized... I didnt use a wiring harness. The speed sensor i just hardwired the auto plug onto. I have to run wires for the reverse sensor but thats it. The alternator and starter were on a seperate harness unlike in a stock 5 speed that has them all in one. Is this right?? What are the other sensors on the tranny for?

240droptop
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I'm haveing trouble finding my passenger fuse box I see the ecu so is it above that behind the heat??

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Hijacker
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no. the passenger side fuse box is located on the left side of the engine bay. for people with right hand drive cars, it would be the driver side fuse box.

nab911
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Bart, did you not use a wiring harness at all? I have nothing running from the tranny but the speed sensor and i will evntualy hook up the reverse sensor. The alt/starter were on their own seperate harness.

240droptop
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Car: 93 240sx Convertable

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I'm haveing trouble getting my tranny on is there a trick to doing this ???

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Florida240sx
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Be more specific?Won't slide on can't get it to go up in place.You have to have tranny sidewayz then you turn it.It doesn't slide straight on.I jacked up the front of my motor because space wouldn't let me do it.Be careful of your lines if you do this.

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Hijacker
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'94 F-150
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nab911 wrote:Bart, did you not use a wiring harness at all? I have nothing running from the tranny but the speed sensor and i will evntualy hook up the reverse sensor. The alt/starter were on their own seperate harness.
The only original harness plug I use is the speed sensor. The reverse light is hard wired into the inhibitor plug on my car. As far as the rest of the lower harness goes, the alt/starter stuff is hooked up like original, just not the extra harness stuff for the gear sensors.

240droptop
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Car: 93 240sx Convertable

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so
Florida240sx wrote:Be more specific?Won't slide on can't get it to go up in place.You have to have tranny sidewayz then you turn it.It doesn't slide straight on.I jacked up the front of my motor because space wouldn't let me do it.Be careful of your lines if you do this.


so did you just jack the motor at the fron of the oil pan?

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Hijacker
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'94 F-150
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you can put a jack under the front of the oil pan or the crank pully and jack it up. That will cause the motor to tilt backwards since it'll still be attached to the engine mounts. If you do that, please put a block of wood between the motor and the jack.

nab911
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We just did mine last weekend. I had to call a friend that works with diesel trucks to help though . This is the worst part of the swap. We jacked up the front of the motor with a jack and a block under the oil pan. Doesnt do much but jack until the car starts to lift with it. Then we put a jack under the front of the transmission and a crate under the rear. We jacked it up and slid it forward just a little bit at a time. Once you get it on track (like the input shaft is aligned verticly with the hole in the clutch but just not there, jack up and it will eventually pop in. Do this gently because if you bend anything your fuct.

Tenkawa... is the reverse sensor the last on on the back of the tranny because i wired the speed sensor by splicing the origional plug but my reverse sensor had the wires cut when i bought it.

mylevy
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Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2005 5:07 am

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hi:i live in baltimore, looking to have a swap done (more power, get rid of AT)can anyone reccommend a shop?what is the cost for this modappreciate any help you guys could give.

levy

nab911
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Shops usualy charge in the 750-1000 range including parts. It cost me just under $500 to do mine and thats with a $300 11lb flywheel.

240droptop
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Car: 93 240sx Convertable

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ok here we go k I have everything thing in and I go to turn the key and what do you know she won't start heres whats going on the car is trying to turnover and I can ehar the starter spinning. The battery is getting enough power cause I hooke dmy booster up to it for a bit more umpf. I curenntly don't have any of the 3 sensors plugged in becosue my lower wireharness has disapeared are these sensors needed to jsut start the car let me know thxs


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