Transmission rebuild/ replacement

[NickD85]

So a family friend recently blew out the automatic transmission on his 01 pathfinder. Being the owner of a 2001 Qx4, I jumped on the opportunity to acquire the otherwise functioning $500 pathy. If nothing else, it's worth it to have around for spare parts. The current plan, though, is to rebuild or replace the transmission, and give the car to my little brother. Any of you guys done this? I think if I decide to replace the transmission, I'll put a manual in it. Otherwise I just plan on rebuilding the automatic. I've found lots of literature on the subject, and this looks like a good summer project. Any pointers from you guys who've dropped transmissions out of R50's, or for that matter, rebuilt them?
Thanks,
-Nick

[Towncivilian]

You can't put a manual transmission in an automatic PF AFAIK, there are two variants of the VQ35DE. Manual has no power valves, automatic does.

Other than that, I've no other knowledge about your endeavor. Sorry. Hopefully someone else will chime in. You may also want to post on NPORA for their input.

[NickD85]

The valves in the intake runners? I'm not positive what they're for (I'm sure someone can fill me in), but a few hypotheses I can think of are...
a) some kind of choke for starting
b) simulating longer/ shorter runners for better torque or power depending on rpms
c) switching intake between two sets of runners, one shorter than the other, for the same reasons as above (I know the later VQ30's had this)

I can't see why or how any of these would be linked to the transmission, but I could definitely be overlooking something. Pending some weird connection (maybe a vacuum link or something) between power valves and transmission, I can't see why changing transmissions would make a difference.

[Towncivilian]

The manual transmission R50s physically have no power valves. The transmission control module controls opening and closing of these valves as said in the thread.

[Chuck Tribolet]

The valves in the intake runners? I'm not positive what they're for (I'm sure someone can fill me in), but a few hypotheses I can think of are...
a) some kind of choke for starting
b) simulating longer/ shorter runners for better torque or power depending on rpms
c) switching intake between two sets of runners, one shorter than the other, for the same reasons as above (I know the later VQ30's had this)

I can't see why or how any of these would be linked to the transmission, but I could definitely be overlooking something. Pending some weird connection (maybe a vacuum link or something) between power valves and transmission, I can't see why changing transmissions would make a difference.

c, sorta. The long runners are always open. The short runners are open at only high RPM. EDIT: I got it backwards before. It's now correct.

The manual transmission models have the long runners, and may also have the short runners. Dunno if the short runners are blocked
off.

[NickD85]

very interesting. In that case, I can't see it being a problem to fix the valves in one position for the manual (though this would probably cause a slight loss of high end power). We'll see though, I'll probably just end up trying to fix the automatic transmission anyway. Thanks for the input guys.