Auto to manual swap?

Dirthouse

Dirthouse

Bought an X
Location
Murfreesboro, TN
So I'm painfully frustrated with my auto trans and also deeply missing the feel of shifting gears. I did a search on here for a swap but nothing turned up and google just made my head hurt. I did an auto to manual swap on my S13 so I have a good idea of the work involved, BUT since it's 4WD I'm concerned about the driveshaft, transfer case, half shaft, and the ECU being issues.

The items I know I'll need:
Manual transmission w/ shifter
Transmission brace/ crossmember/ whatever way you wanna term it
Clutch master cylinder, hard line, and slave cylinder
Clutch
Flywheel
Pilot bushing
Dust plate
Associated bolts & nuts

With my 240SX I just kept my existing harness and spliced the clutch neutral switch to start the car up. I'm not too sure if I could get away with that again, but I'm sure someone on here either has the knowledge or can point me in the right direction.
 
Prime

Prime

Shut up Baby, I know it!
Admin
Location
Denver Adjacent
Don't forget the pedal assembly. That in and of itself is going to be an interesting swap. You'll also need a slew of wiring. Things like the clutch cutoff switch for the cruise control, clutch starter kill switch (if you want it) etc. I don't know if that means you need a new ecu or can use the existing one.
 
NismoFire

NismoFire

Titan Swapped / SAS'd
Founding Member
Location
Smyrna, TN
Some of the Hardbody's came factory with a clutch bypass switch (if not all of the 5spds). You might could salvage all that from a HB.

My cruise clutch cutoff tends to stick (meaning, I can't set the cruise because the sensor thinks the clutch is depressed), and that's been happening for 3 years.

What year is your X, exactly?
 
xterraminator

xterraminator

Wheeling
Location
Maple Ridge,BC
I have seen a number of occasions guys getting frustrated wishing they had auto instead of manual. Auto is nice when you go slowly over rocks and not having to stall the engine. I guess it goes both ways. I am like you, I prefer manual. Less to break and so much simpler.
 
granitex

granitex

Skid Plates
Founding Member
Location
Columbus OH
NismoFire said:
Some of the Hardbody's came factory with a clutch bypass switch (if not all of the 5spds). You might could salvage all that from a HB.

My cruise clutch cutoff tends to stick (meaning, I can't set the cruise because the sensor thinks the clutch is depressed), and that's been happening for 3 years.

What year is your X, exactly?
Click to expand...

Not all of them had a bypass, i Know because the one in my driveway does not, 97 4x4, 5sp.
 
Silver dude

Silver dude

Sliders
Founding Member
Location
machesney park IL
Transfer cases are different as well between auto and manual. I believe the manual case has a oil catch at the input shaft seal where the auto does not.

Its definitely a piece of work. Though in a underpowered truck the manual trans sure does help. I'd look for trucks in a bad state of repair head gasket issues or maybe even a roll over take two trucks and make one manual Xterra.
 
NismoFire

NismoFire

Titan Swapped / SAS'd
Founding Member
Location
Smyrna, TN
granitex said:
Not all of them had a bypass, i Know because the one in my driveway does not, 97 4x4, 5sp.
Click to expand...

Now that I think about it, my 97 didn't either. My 94 and 95 did, though. The 94 didn't have A/C factory, but by-gobble I could start it without hitting the clutch.
 
P&P

P&P

Need Bigger Tires
Site Sponsor
Location
Middle TN
As a heads up - hanging the clutch pedal will be a GIANT pita. I've pulled a pedal and clutch master cylinder out of a junk yard truck. I can get that to you for a good price if you want it. But I'm not sure it's possible to hang the pedal assembly without removing the dash. You read that right.....without removing the dash.
 
Dirthouse

Dirthouse

Bought an X
Location
Murfreesboro, TN
Prime - Yeah I forgot to list that and hacking the brake pedal.

Nismofire - It's a 2000

Silver Dude - Thanks for the heads up. I would've figured the transfer cases were the same to keep costs down. Go figure.

P&P - I appreciate the offer. Right now I'm just looking into how much it would cost and how involved it would be. I'll definitely get in touch with you if I go ahead with it... tearing the dash off sounds like fun :)
 
Dirthouse

Dirthouse

Bought an X
Location
Murfreesboro, TN
I've also mulled the idea of using the Z32 auto or swapping in the 4WD KA24DE powertrain from a Frontier. I have a decent bit of knowledge about the KA and I have a spare engine and transmission for my S13 laying around that might work.
 
NismoFire

NismoFire

Titan Swapped / SAS'd
Founding Member
Location
Smyrna, TN
Dirthouse said:
I've also mulled the idea of using the Z32 auto or swapping in the 4WD KA24DE powertrain from a Frontier. I have a decent bit of knowledge about the KA and I have a spare engine and transmission for my S13 laying around that might work.
Click to expand...

The 2000s came with the KA24 and were grossly underpowered. All of my Hardbody trucks were 5spd 4wd with the KA and I lost SO much power going uphill. I lived in South Carolina for a while and would travel across the mountains on I-40 and I-26 and just didn't have enough gusto. I'd be over on the right in 3rd gear with the semis going up the mountains. With my VG X, I kept the cruise on 60 in 5th and never had a problem in the mountains.

The KA that came in the 00 XE had ~145hp and only came with a 5MT. Nissan figured out that it was so underpowered and just stuck to the VG33 from there on out, and even bumped up the HP on the VG33 to 180 (from 170hp) in the Gen 1.5.

The HB 2wd curb weight is 2850, which is comparable to the 240 @ 2698.

The 00 X with 5MT 2wd and KA weighs right at 3500. Add another 100lbs to that for 4wd. A built KA MIGHT work, but you'd have to have something better than the 4.6 in the rear to push that extra 1000lbs. Tire size comes into play, too.






{side note: I had to rack my brain on this one. Thanks for helping me knock out the cobwebs}
 
Dirthouse

Dirthouse

Bought an X
Location
Murfreesboro, TN
They have stronger aftermarket support, and I can build a KA ;-)
It's a consideration since I have a spare KA and manual trans laying around for my S13, but that transmission would probably give me a lot of headaches and new scars trying to get it to mate up to the transfer case.

Has anyone heard of swapping in the N/A or TT Z32 auto transmission? It's the only consideration I've had for keeping the slushbox.
 
Silver dude

Silver dude

Sliders
Founding Member
Location
machesney park IL
Never heard of any other trans bolting up to the TX10 transfer case. I guess you could use a divorced transfer case with a 2wd transmission of your choice to get where you want to be. However, it seems cost prohibitive as you'll need to make custom mounts and buy custom length drive shafts.

A long long time ago some one made a kit that used a video game joystick to manually shift the automatic. been searching for it but can't seem to locate it.
 
Dirthouse

Dirthouse

Bought an X
Location
Murfreesboro, TN
I'm gonna have to look into the gearing b/w the X & Z32. No doubt the Z will have shorter gears... maybe 1st - 3rd could be swapped in...

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Prime

Prime

Shut up Baby, I know it!
Admin
Location
Denver Adjacent
Dirthouse said:
I'm gonna have to look into the gearing b/w the X & Z32. No doubt the Z will have shorter gears... maybe 1st - 3rd could be swapped in...

Sent via NSA satellite USDOD-1322
Click to expand...

I'd really like to swap out the 5th great from then tranny. .78 sounds WAY better than .87.
 
Dirthouse

Dirthouse

Bought an X
Location
Murfreesboro, TN
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