Ok here is the deal, I am getting sick of shifting all the time. Id like to convert from my 5 speed manual to an automatic. I cant find much information on doing this. All of the threads I have found are the same, somebody says, "youll need a transmission and shifter." Well I pretty much understand the basics. I know I need a 3.0L transmission, pcm, and harness. What Im not sure about though is the harness. Is the transmission harness seperate from the engine harness or are they the same?

Here is my basic list so far:

Trans and converter
PCM and harness
Column (unless I went with a floor shifter)
Radiator or aftermarket trans cooler
Driveshaft???
Starter???
Flexplate

I know Im missing a few things like the floor cover plate, and pedal assembaly but Im mostly interested in what Ill need to get it driving. If anybody in the southeast wants to convert from an auto to 5 speed let me know, haha.

 

your also gonna need an automatic trans guage cluster...im not sure if the indicator cann be swapped over or not

 

What are your going to do with the hole in the floor?

 

Either make my own cover for it, or get one out of a stock automatic Ranger, and maybe an Explorer center console.


Not to be smart, but before anybody reminds me that my truck will be slower, I don't care. I don't care about street racing or drag racing it or any of that, I just drive it to work and back. My clutch is original and chatters a bit, the transmission makes a little noise in 5th, and it just doesn't feel as good anymore. I've only had automatic transmissions for about 3 of the 12 years I've been driving, so I'm ready for a little break.

Selling my truck isn't really an option at this time, its not worth enough to get anything else that will be as reliable.

 

Converting a manual to an automatic is just as bad as getting a breast reduction. It's slapping god in the face for creating something so great.

Every time a manual transmission is replaced with an automatic, a seal gets run over by a jet-ski.

anyway, youll need pedals and the jumper plug for the clutch position wiring. Youll also need someone to program the PCM if you have PATS

 

Yeah Im kind of worried about the pats parts. Hell I might be better off buying a different truck.

 

haha ive ran over a hundred animals with a sea-doo. they survive just fine (;

 

Ok, here is another thought. Because swapping the transmission only seems like quite a project, it seems like it would be almost as easy to just transplant an Explorer 4.0L SOHC and the 5R55E. That way I could get the entire harness, PATS module, and everything else.

I'll have to do some more research.

 

at that point i would just buy a new truck.. save time and effort.

 

Why on earth would you be willing to pull a 4 when you could just as easy do a 5?

 

Well I was thinking about that too. I really don't care about swapping engines though, I really just want to swap transmissions. For what I do the 3.0L is fine.

 

Interesting analogy !