Howdy.
What you are about to embark on with me is a journey through the wonderful land of converting a 2004 Nissan Frontier 3.3L V6 Crew Cab Frontier from automatic to manual. Fun, huh? I hope to make this as comprehensive as possible, replete with prices as of March 2013, and how to get everything working again as it was before the transplant - namely cruise control, reverse lights and CEL-free operation.
Why am I doing this?
Good question, I'm glad you asked. There are a few reasons, but this is primarily event-driven as opposed to impulse-driven. Well what the hell does that mean? Some background first.
I purchased my truck from a window licker back in May of 2009 with approximately 80K on the dial. Because the previous owner was an assclown and didn't maintain the truck, I had to rebuild the engine at approx 115K on the dial. No biggie. I screwed up re-installing the transmission and cracked the pump on it which caused me to purchase a new (used) transmission with 45K on the dial and install that. I've also replaced the C200 rearend with an H233B. She's got new shocks, wheel bearings, ball joints and idler arm. I also fabbed new exhaust from the primary kitties to the tailpipe that I'm really happy with. Interior is spotless, no rust on the exterior, and aside from pisspoor gas mileage and no power, I really like the truck.
Direct cause
On about 9-10 March of this year, I started to notice a weird shudder when going in to OD. I thought it was AC related at first because the first time I felt it was when I mashed the AC button. Nope that wasn't it because it happened a few more times. On 14 March I decided it was transmission-related and went to drop the pan to replace the filter in preparation to flush the transmission.
When I pulled the drain plug this lovely strawberry milkshake poured out of the pan.
Boy is that fun.
It means that my transmission fluid is contaminated with antifreeze because the transmission cooler lines in the radiator have failed due to corrosion or some other reason. Doesn't matter why, the result is the same. The clutch packs in the transmission and the lock-up clutch in the torque convertor are water soluble and that means there's about a 98% that my transmission needs to be rebuilt and torque convertor replaced.
Wee.
I hate automatic transmissions. I could buy a new/used transmission and torque convertor, and a new radiator or transmission cooler and replace what I've got.
Boring.
I'd rather swap this to a manual transmission because that's more fun. Here we go.
Parts List (Complete)
This is everything I think I need as of today. I may need more stuff once everything gets here and I go to install it, but I know where the edit button is. Big thanks to our forum sponsor RockAuto for being spot on with prices on this stuff
Part - Price - Source
o 5-spd tranny - $750 - Junkyard
o Shift lever and knob - w/tranny
o Clutch and brake pedal - $75 - Junkyard (you can cut down the auto brake pedal if you have the manual pedal cover, I did)
o Interior trim piece - $25 - Junkyard
o Cab boot - w/trim - Junkyard
o Clutch kit - $143.79 - RockAuto
o Flywheel - $57.70 - RockAuto
o Clutch Slave Cylinder - $9.65 - RockAuto
o Clutch Master Cylinder - $31.99 - RockAuto
o Output Shaft Seal - $4.20 - RockAuto
o Transmission fluid - 2.89L of 80W90 - $15
o 1x JAP351 3/16" universal metric 20" brake line - $4 - Advance Auto Parts
o 1x JAP351 3/16" universal metric 51" brake line - $7 - Advance Auto Parts
- Nissan clutch (and brake) fittings are M10x1.0
o Brass M10x1.0 union - $2.50 - Advance Auto Parts
o Braided stainless clutch line (flexible line off the slave cylinder) - $23 - eBay
o Shift knob (optional if the stock one is still there) - $43.40 - eBay
o 6 x pressure plate bolts - $33 - ARP P/N 151-2801 (they are spec'd for Ford Pintos but are the length and thread pitch we need. Has a 5/8" 12-point head)
0 manual driveshaft - $150 - local junkyard
o manual ECU - $140 - local junkyard
Total spent - $1711.75
Notes
- You must use a manual ECU or you will throw at least two codes - P0600 and P1605 and trip the CEL. For '04s, the auto ECU is MEC07-551-B2-#### and the manual ECU is MEC07-541-B2-####.
- You must use a manual driveshaft from the same bed and cab size of your truck. The input yokes are a different size and the driveshaft lengths are different.
- You must use longer bellhousing and starter bolts. The old starter bolts are the right size for the manual bellhousing and you need 75mm length ones (two of them) for the starter. Size is M10-1.50. Standard Lowes bolts are fine.
- You can use your existing auto wiring harness and just disconnect what you don't need.
- It's easier to install the pedals if you pull the dash first
What you are about to embark on with me is a journey through the wonderful land of converting a 2004 Nissan Frontier 3.3L V6 Crew Cab Frontier from automatic to manual. Fun, huh? I hope to make this as comprehensive as possible, replete with prices as of March 2013, and how to get everything working again as it was before the transplant - namely cruise control, reverse lights and CEL-free operation.
Why am I doing this?
Good question, I'm glad you asked. There are a few reasons, but this is primarily event-driven as opposed to impulse-driven. Well what the hell does that mean? Some background first.
I purchased my truck from a window licker back in May of 2009 with approximately 80K on the dial. Because the previous owner was an assclown and didn't maintain the truck, I had to rebuild the engine at approx 115K on the dial. No biggie. I screwed up re-installing the transmission and cracked the pump on it which caused me to purchase a new (used) transmission with 45K on the dial and install that. I've also replaced the C200 rearend with an H233B. She's got new shocks, wheel bearings, ball joints and idler arm. I also fabbed new exhaust from the primary kitties to the tailpipe that I'm really happy with. Interior is spotless, no rust on the exterior, and aside from pisspoor gas mileage and no power, I really like the truck.
Direct cause
On about 9-10 March of this year, I started to notice a weird shudder when going in to OD. I thought it was AC related at first because the first time I felt it was when I mashed the AC button. Nope that wasn't it because it happened a few more times. On 14 March I decided it was transmission-related and went to drop the pan to replace the filter in preparation to flush the transmission.
When I pulled the drain plug this lovely strawberry milkshake poured out of the pan.
Boy is that fun.
It means that my transmission fluid is contaminated with antifreeze because the transmission cooler lines in the radiator have failed due to corrosion or some other reason. Doesn't matter why, the result is the same. The clutch packs in the transmission and the lock-up clutch in the torque convertor are water soluble and that means there's about a 98% that my transmission needs to be rebuilt and torque convertor replaced.
Wee.
I hate automatic transmissions. I could buy a new/used transmission and torque convertor, and a new radiator or transmission cooler and replace what I've got.
Boring.
I'd rather swap this to a manual transmission because that's more fun. Here we go.
Parts List (Complete)
This is everything I think I need as of today. I may need more stuff once everything gets here and I go to install it, but I know where the edit button is. Big thanks to our forum sponsor RockAuto for being spot on with prices on this stuff
Part - Price - Source
o 5-spd tranny - $750 - Junkyard
o Shift lever and knob - w/tranny
o Clutch and brake pedal - $75 - Junkyard (you can cut down the auto brake pedal if you have the manual pedal cover, I did)
o Interior trim piece - $25 - Junkyard
o Cab boot - w/trim - Junkyard
o Clutch kit - $143.79 - RockAuto
o Flywheel - $57.70 - RockAuto
o Clutch Slave Cylinder - $9.65 - RockAuto
o Clutch Master Cylinder - $31.99 - RockAuto
o Output Shaft Seal - $4.20 - RockAuto
o Transmission fluid - 2.89L of 80W90 - $15
o 1x JAP351 3/16" universal metric 20" brake line - $4 - Advance Auto Parts
o 1x JAP351 3/16" universal metric 51" brake line - $7 - Advance Auto Parts
- Nissan clutch (and brake) fittings are M10x1.0
o Brass M10x1.0 union - $2.50 - Advance Auto Parts
o Braided stainless clutch line (flexible line off the slave cylinder) - $23 - eBay
o Shift knob (optional if the stock one is still there) - $43.40 - eBay
o 6 x pressure plate bolts - $33 - ARP P/N 151-2801 (they are spec'd for Ford Pintos but are the length and thread pitch we need. Has a 5/8" 12-point head)
0 manual driveshaft - $150 - local junkyard
o manual ECU - $140 - local junkyard
Total spent - $1711.75
Notes
- You must use a manual ECU or you will throw at least two codes - P0600 and P1605 and trip the CEL. For '04s, the auto ECU is MEC07-551-B2-#### and the manual ECU is MEC07-541-B2-####.
- You must use a manual driveshaft from the same bed and cab size of your truck. The input yokes are a different size and the driveshaft lengths are different.
- You must use longer bellhousing and starter bolts. The old starter bolts are the right size for the manual bellhousing and you need 75mm length ones (two of them) for the starter. Size is M10-1.50. Standard Lowes bolts are fine.
- You can use your existing auto wiring harness and just disconnect what you don't need.
- It's easier to install the pedals if you pull the dash first