Transmission Swap Inquiries

[Trinker]

Hey Guys, I'm plucking away at getting a blown auto tranny out of my new tercel and putting my old 5 speed in there. I dropped the auto trans out today and was just looking for any tips on the swap. I have spent some decent time researching prior to the project but still have some last minute questions:

Going from an 87 to an 86, are the rear diff ratios different? (I know the 5spd diffs are the same in those years but wanted some clarification if they are different from the auto to the 5speed) (And I realize it's 6speed but you all know what I mean)

What seals/gaskets would you suggest changing?

Tips and Tricks?

Also will probably be scrapping the old tercel when the projects over, It's a pretty rusty beast and the engine burns more oil than gas but still runss.. not sure what I'm keeping but hit me up if your looking for something obscure and we will work something out, Tercel 4wd owners UNITE!

[Petros]

welcome to the list;

It is best that you keep the donor car for the various parts you will need to swap over. I think the auto trans diff ratio is different so you will have to swap the third (center) member assembly that carries the diff (not that difficult, you have to pull the right and left axle shafts and unbolt the carrier from the housing). Swap the whole assembly, do not remove the ring and pinion from the center carrier, you will mess up the gear clearance.

You will likely have to swap out the driveshaft as well because it is most likely a different length. You will need the pedal assembly and clutch cable as well, this should all bolt in once you get the dash taken apart. If you are parting out an SR5 you should swap over the instrument cluster (with the tach) and the cloth covered seats as well.

It is a big job, but everything should unbolt and bolt up just fine.

Where are you located?

Good luck.

[dlb]

welcome, trinker. you should take pics along the way and write a guide to this, as many members have talked about doing it and would surely find a guide useful.

good luck with it!

[ARCHINSTL]

Inactive member tooldudetool did this back in late 2005, and did a good writeup on it (I now made it into a Sticky in the Repair Guides Forum).
See https://tercel4wd.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1443 No photos, though.
Another inactive member, fingers, also did this, but made very few comments.
See https://tercel4wd.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=2125
Tom M.

[marlinh]

I have looked into doing one of these conversions myself too. I believe the cross members of both transmissions bolt in different places and you will need to change drive shafts. Holes will have to be drilled in the firewall to mount the pedals and route the clutch cable. Neutral safety switch is another concern although most people think it is unnecessary. It is a great safety feature and I have had my car lurch forward unexpectedly when you forget to put your foot on the clutch to start the car. OK if there isn't a small child standing there or your poor mechanic friend helping you out when you crank it over and run him down. It's happened. Why do you think they are installing cameras in new cars now...to prevent Murphy from running over the family dog, or worse...

The wiring under the hood looks like it is just plug and play. The connectors are universal and I think when the swap occurs some wiring becomes redundant from the automatic. You will need to swap flywheels, install a pilot bearing etc. I cut out the floor around the shifters from a donor car because I wasn't sure how accurate the new holes need to be for fitting everything. I read somewhere where another member just hacked away at the floor and made it work.

Good luck with your swap.

[xirdneh]

i did it about 7 years ago
not to bad of a job if you have some auto working skills
when i enlaged the hole in the floor for the two shifters i measured the cutout location on a 4wd tercel
had to make a part for the clutch cable where it enters the firewall
that was made from scrap metal and pipe i had lying around, had to weld it a little
the wire plugs on tranny can be connected but i believe i snatched the correct wire harness section off a parts car 4wd
different lights light up on the console vs the 4wd version to let you know your in 4wd but it gets the job done
i did not reconnect the clutch/start safety switch as i drive an 83 that does not have it so i was used to not having it
the auto tercel i did had 3.73 gear ratio differentials
not sure what year tercel it was
but i can find out

[xirdneh]

found this in my records
also believe the car i did was an '84 but i will check to be sure

Parts Required to Switch from Automatic to Manual Transmission
1. Manual transmission with mount attached to aft end (2 bolts for attaching mount to car body)
2. Dirt shield between engine and tranny (with two screws)
3. Drive line (two piece including carrier bearing with heat shield and two bolts and 4 bolts & nuts & lock washers for attachment to rear axle).
4. Flywheel (6 bolts) (replace/add pilot bearing if bad)
5. Clutch plate (replace if badly worn)
6. Pressure plate (8 bolts)
7. Throw-out bearing with spring retainer
8. Manual tranny wire harness
9. Shifter (6 bolts)
10. Fwd/4wd shifter and linkage
11. 90 degree fitting for speedometer cable (speedo cable can be connected without this)
12. Manual brake pedal assembly
13. Clutch pedal assembly
14. Through firewall clutch cable fitting (may have to make one)
15. Clutch cable
Interior parts
16. Shifter boot (includes mounts for driveline well cover plastic part)
17. Axle well cover plastic part (4 sheetmetal screws)
18. Shifter knobs (2)

Maybe needed
19. Rear differential (to match gear ratio of front differential)
20. Cardboard template of holes in driveline well for shifter and fwd/4wd shifter


The 3.7 ratio is from 8/82 - 8/84. So, if you are in a junkyard check
the metal tag inside the drivers side door (on the body, not the door).
It will have the month and year of production. After 8/84 they are 4.1.
Also check numbers stamped on firewall in engine compartment
Z52F is 3.7 to 1
Z54F is 4 to 1

[Trinker]

Hello again, thanks for all the tips! I have both the trannys out and will be installing the manual this weekend. Luckily I own both cars so I don't need to worry about forgetting stuff from a wrecker. A few things that I'm still curious about..

They are both post 84 so should have the 4/1 gear ratio, but I just need clarification if the auto and manual rear diffs are the same?

And so far I have just followed the FSM for removal, they come out easy enough. Shifter stick was royally stuck though, due to a broken boot and accumulation of water in the (forgive my lack on names) place where it goes. Good to know is just do what the FSM says and then attach some vice grips and use a pry bar and she'll pop. Plus you won't see the vice grip marks if you grab down low..

And along with the parts listed above I recommend having these tools:

A full socket set with different sized ratchets, a lot of metric sockets and a breaker bar
Wrenches (10,12,14,17m), the ratchet ones will make your life way easier in tricky spots
Pry bar, breaks those 26 year old seals
Oil pan, for gear oil, atf and coolant
Saws All, Cuts holes, and gets rid of exhaust pipe thats bolts have become part of.. well, the exhaust pipe
Impact gun, just makes life easier and gets the cv's out in 5 minutes. (30m socket needed as well)
Jack stands are a must, you will need your jack to lower the tranny out/put it in
A friend to help you pull it, and put it back in, you can prep solo no problem though
Beer and good tunes, it's a big job, with lots of crappy bolts to get at, plus innumerable amounts of set backs.

Good Luck! Hopefully next week I will be driving around in a 5-speed Tercel
Tercel 4wd Owners UNITE!

[TURTCEL]

Actually if you have an '84 it will be a 3.73 ratio...stock.

Peace

[dlb]

Actually if you have an '84 it will be a 3.73 ratio...stock.

he said they are both post '84.

They are both post 84 so should have the 4/1 gear ratio, but I just need clarification if the auto and manual rear diffs are the same?

the auto and manual rear diffs are not the same. according to old tercel brochures and the experiences of forum members xirdneh and john, automatic t4s came with either a 3.909 or 3.73 gear ratio but we don't know the year this changed. there is a thread which covers this here.

https://tercel4wd.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4& ... tio#p56471

but regardless, neither gearing of automatic rear diff will match your 4.11 front diff so you will need to swap the rear diff from your donor car.

good luck, and please take pics if you can!

[Petros]

swaping the rear diff it not that bad, I did it once in 45 min, but I had done it before and knew what I needed to pull. You just swap the center carrier assembly from the housing, only hard part is pulling the axles and even that is not that bad if the bearings are not rusted in place.