Converting an auto trans to a stick shift - its possible!

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eightyfive4WD
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Re: Converting an auto trans to a stick shift - its possible

Post by eightyfive4WD »

marlinh wrote: Fri Jan 24, 2014 12:05 pm Image

The green relay on the top right is what I swapped from the manual donor car to the automatic. There is a space on the relay panel for it. The only other wiring to do is connect or jumper the safety switch at the pedal. The wiring harness has a short connector below the steering wheel. The wires were a different colour but it worked.
marlinh,

Do you remember what the function of this green relay was specifically? Reverse lights, neutral safety, etc.?
Doing lots of forum research as I prep for my own auto-to-manual surgery.
I will try to refer to FSM diagram(s) but wondered if you know as well.
Last edited by eightyfive4WD on Sun Oct 16, 2022 12:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1985 Toyota Tercel DLX 4WD 5 spd wagon (manual swapped, daily driver)
2007 Toyota Tacoma TRD 4WD access cab long bed (road trip/adventure-mobile)
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eightyfive4WD
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Re: Converting an auto trans to a stick shift - its possible

Post by eightyfive4WD »

rer233 wrote: Sat Aug 03, 2013 8:26 pm I completed the 'sex change' operation on my '87 a/t car a couple months ago. Like you noted, the a/t floorpan seemed too "wimpy" to support the 4wd shifter and the whole top of the floorpan was shaped differently, so i cut it out of the donor car and screwed and glued it into the '87. The finished result came out great- well worth the effort. At 70 mph the engine turned 4200 rpm with the a/t and now turns 3100 rpm at the same speed (i went with the 3.73 gears out of my '84.)
Feel free to ask for any needed advice.
Did you have any advice to give on splicing the wiring harnesses together, between the automatic and manual transmissions?
I've read through tons of great helpful advice here on the forum but that remains my last hurdle to comprehend; how to get the wiring correct between my automatic Tercel and donor manual transmission.
1985 Toyota Tercel DLX 4WD 5 spd wagon (manual swapped, daily driver)
2007 Toyota Tacoma TRD 4WD access cab long bed (road trip/adventure-mobile)
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eightyfive4WD
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Re: Converting an auto trans to a stick shift - its possible!

Post by eightyfive4WD »

Image
Well, all that's left to do is everything. I've got my main prize removed from my parts car.
Image
I've been reading through the posts here about cutting out & stitching in the transmission tunnel.
My issue is spacing, I want to make sure I get the tunnel stitched into my automatic car appropriately.
Is the location of the parking brake the same on auto & manual Tercels?
If so, then I am sure I could take a measurement from the mount bolts of the parking brake to 4WD lever hole in my parts car, and match the dimensions in my auto when I stitch the plate in.
1985 Toyota Tercel DLX 4WD 5 spd wagon (manual swapped, daily driver)
2007 Toyota Tacoma TRD 4WD access cab long bed (road trip/adventure-mobile)
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SirFoxx
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Re: Converting an auto trans to a stick shift - its possible!

Post by SirFoxx »

im not sure why you cut the trans tunnel out. i converted my auto 2dr to a manual, and everything bolted up. if the trans tunnel was different, then why did toyota include all the bolt holes for the manual pieces?
1988 DLX 4wd Tercel Wagon w/ weber (RIP)
1985 4wd Tercel SR5 (RIP)
1986 Base 2dr Hatch (RIP / PARTS)
1986 DLX 4wd Tercel Wagon with ???
1985 DLX 2dr Tercel Hatch w/manual swap
1981 2dr Toyota Tercel w/7age (RIP)
1981 3dr hatch Toyota Tercel w/Turbo 4AGE
1981 3dr hatch Toyota Tercel SR-5
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rer233
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Re: Converting an auto trans to a stick shift - its possible!

Post by rer233 »

Your car wasn't 4WD...
if it aint there, there's a good chance it won't break!
83 SR5 Silver/Blue (Snowmobile/work beater)-totaled but drivable
85 SR5 Blue
88 SR5 White (the 'good' one)-not anymore-totaled
87 fwd silver wagon a/t
87 4wd dx Cream (a/t- not anymore- now m/t)
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eightyfive4WD
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Re: Converting an auto trans to a stick shift - its possible

Post by eightyfive4WD »

marlinh wrote: Fri Jan 24, 2014 11:57 am Image

Tunnel I cut from donor car, placed for tracing.

Image

Holes roughed out. Did some extra grinding before final assembly.

Image

Trial fit before welding. I wanted to make sure the 4WD shifter worked without binding.

Image

It worked!
Looking at the rear of the tunnel plate, I see both the auto and manual tunnel have the same ellipse shaped hole. Is this what you used for reference in creating the cutout holes for both shifters?
1985 Toyota Tercel DLX 4WD 5 spd wagon (manual swapped, daily driver)
2007 Toyota Tacoma TRD 4WD access cab long bed (road trip/adventure-mobile)
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SirFoxx
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Re: Converting an auto trans to a stick shift - its possible!

Post by SirFoxx »

rer233 wrote: Mon Oct 17, 2022 11:01 am Your car wasn't 4WD...
that doesnt answer the question...
1988 DLX 4wd Tercel Wagon w/ weber (RIP)
1985 4wd Tercel SR5 (RIP)
1986 Base 2dr Hatch (RIP / PARTS)
1986 DLX 4wd Tercel Wagon with ???
1985 DLX 2dr Tercel Hatch w/manual swap
1981 2dr Toyota Tercel w/7age (RIP)
1981 3dr hatch Toyota Tercel w/Turbo 4AGE
1981 3dr hatch Toyota Tercel SR-5
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marlinh
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Re: Converting an auto trans to a stick shift - its possible!

Post by marlinh »

Hi eightfive4WD. It's been so long since I did that conversion. I seem to remember the car wouldn't crank until that relay was installed but I'm not sure anymore.
For the wiring harness, both the automatic and standard plug into the same connector in front of the distributor. I did not have to do any splicing.

There is a difference between the warning lights on the auto and std. Easy swap.

The parking brake is in the same location for both auto and std. Yes, I used that ellipse shaped hole at the front of the tunnel as a guide to rough cut the holes for the shifters. To be absolutely sure everything would line up, I installed the transmission before I welded the plate over the tunnel. I wanted to use the factory anchors for the boots instead of using self tapping screws or such.
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Re: Converting an auto trans to a stick shift - its possible!

Post by SirFoxx »

you have to jump the neutral safety switch on the car side harness for it to crank. i ended up cutting the plug off the trans and using that for my connections.

I ran a single wire up from the trans to the car harness for the reverse light as well.
1988 DLX 4wd Tercel Wagon w/ weber (RIP)
1985 4wd Tercel SR5 (RIP)
1986 Base 2dr Hatch (RIP / PARTS)
1986 DLX 4wd Tercel Wagon with ???
1985 DLX 2dr Tercel Hatch w/manual swap
1981 2dr Toyota Tercel w/7age (RIP)
1981 3dr hatch Toyota Tercel w/Turbo 4AGE
1981 3dr hatch Toyota Tercel SR-5
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eightyfive4WD
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Re: Converting an auto trans to a stick shift - its possible!

Post by eightyfive4WD »

marlinh wrote: Mon Oct 17, 2022 12:56 pm Hi eightfive4WD. It's been so long since I did that conversion. I seem to remember the car wouldn't crank until that relay was installed but I'm not sure anymore.
For the wiring harness, both the automatic and standard plug into the same connector in front of the distributor. I did not have to do any splicing.

There is a difference between the warning lights on the auto and std. Easy swap.

The parking brake is in the same location for both auto and std. Yes, I used that ellipse shaped hole at the front of the tunnel as a guide to rough cut the holes for the shifters. To be absolutely sure everything would line up, I installed the transmission before I welded the plate over the tunnel. I wanted to use the factory anchors for the boots instead of using self tapping screws or such.
The relay we are discussing here - is it this green one under the dash, in the top right?
Image
My donor car is pretty stripped so it's possible if we are talking about a different location, it is missing for me.
1985 Toyota Tercel DLX 4WD 5 spd wagon (manual swapped, daily driver)
2007 Toyota Tacoma TRD 4WD access cab long bed (road trip/adventure-mobile)
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eightyfive4WD
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Re: Converting an auto trans to a stick shift - its possible!

Post by eightyfive4WD »

.
1985 Toyota Tercel DLX 4WD 5 spd wagon (manual swapped, daily driver)
2007 Toyota Tacoma TRD 4WD access cab long bed (road trip/adventure-mobile)
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Re: Converting an auto trans to a stick shift - its possible!

Post by marlinh »

The relay I photographed was under the kick panel near the fuse box. I honestly don't remember what it's function was anymore.
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eightyfive4WD
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Re: Converting an auto trans to a stick shift - its possible!

Post by eightyfive4WD »

marlinh wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 1:03 pm The relay I photographed was under the kick panel near the fuse box. I honestly don't remember what it's function was anymore.
Ah, I'll have to check the kick panel location next time I am at the parts car, thanks.
No worries, I'll have another look through the forum info here - maybe its function was discussed, cannot recall.
Will have to review the wiring diagram in the FSM again but I don't think I found anything on my last search, as far as the relay & its function.

I've got 90% of the items removed from my donor car; clutch cable, rear diff/rear axle assembly and a couple of wiring connectors are still remaining.

At this stage I think I'm planning to go for a two-stage surgery.
Stage 1: Remove & overhaul engine in my running car, replace auto transmission with manual, test drive in 2WD.
Stage 2: Replace rear diff/rear axle with appropriate gears from donor, connect driveshaft, test drive in 4WD.
1985 Toyota Tercel DLX 4WD 5 spd wagon (manual swapped, daily driver)
2007 Toyota Tacoma TRD 4WD access cab long bed (road trip/adventure-mobile)
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SirFoxx
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Re: Converting an auto trans to a stick shift - its possible!

Post by SirFoxx »

eightyfive4WD wrote: Tue Nov 15, 2022 10:32 am
marlinh wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 1:03 pm The relay I photographed was under the kick panel near the fuse box. I honestly don't remember what it's function was anymore.
Ah, I'll have to check the kick panel location next time I am at the parts car, thanks.
No worries, I'll have another look through the forum info here - maybe its function was discussed, cannot recall.
Will have to review the wiring diagram in the FSM again but I don't think I found anything on my last search, as far as the relay & its function.

I've got 90% of the items removed from my donor car; clutch cable, rear diff/rear axle assembly and a couple of wiring connectors are still remaining.

At this stage I think I'm planning to go for a two-stage surgery.
Stage 1: Remove & overhaul engine in my running car, replace auto transmission with manual, test drive in 2WD.
Stage 2: Replace rear diff/rear axle with appropriate gears from donor, connect driveshaft, test drive in 4WD.
You cannot run these transmissions with the driveshaft disconnected or itll dump gear oil all over the place.
1988 DLX 4wd Tercel Wagon w/ weber (RIP)
1985 4wd Tercel SR5 (RIP)
1986 Base 2dr Hatch (RIP / PARTS)
1986 DLX 4wd Tercel Wagon with ???
1985 DLX 2dr Tercel Hatch w/manual swap
1981 2dr Toyota Tercel w/7age (RIP)
1981 3dr hatch Toyota Tercel w/Turbo 4AGE
1981 3dr hatch Toyota Tercel SR-5
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rer233
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Re: Converting an auto trans to a stick shift - its possible!

Post by rer233 »

All you gotta do is install the front half of the driveshaft, and you're good to go! (Trust me, I've done it.)
if it aint there, there's a good chance it won't break!
83 SR5 Silver/Blue (Snowmobile/work beater)-totaled but drivable
85 SR5 Blue
88 SR5 White (the 'good' one)-not anymore-totaled
87 fwd silver wagon a/t
87 4wd dx Cream (a/t- not anymore- now m/t)
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