Manual tranny swap

[odskaggs2]

Okay guys looks like I'm going to go against the grain here. About a month ago I picked up a 2002 ($500) really cheap with no rust for my dad. Odometer shows 142,000. Well it wouldn't start and compression was non-existant so now it has a 2008 motor with 18,000 on it.(runs perfect by the way).
I pulled the engine and replaced it but my dad handled the axles. He calls and tells me it wont go into third and just grinds. Along the way I find out someone at some point left the snap rings off the axles and it wont hold fluid without leaking. I can't find a decent source for the 5speed to replace so I plan on swapping it to the 3speed auto tranny. I picked up the shifter,shift cable,and down shift cable today for $25. My dad doesn't like shifting anyway so it works out well. Other than the tranny,torque conv,and flywheel,does anyone know of any problems or issues with switching to the 3speed auto? I'm looking at less than $300 to do the switch to auto. Any market for the 5speed shifter and other parts I take off?

[Bdub215]

Originally Posted by odskaggs2

Okay guys looks like I'm going to go against the grain here. About a month ago I picked up a 2002 ($500) really cheap with no rust for my dad. Odometer shows 142,000. Well it wouldn't start and compression was non-existant so now it has a 2008 motor with 18,000 on it.(runs perfect by the way).
I pulled the engine and replaced it but my dad handled the axles. He calls and tells me it wont go into third and just grinds. Along the way I find out someone at some point left the snap rings off the axles and it wont hold fluid without leaking. I can't find a decent source for the 5speed to replace so I plan on swapping it to the 3speed auto tranny. I picked up the shifter,shift cable,and down shift cable today for $25. My dad doesn't like shifting anyway so it works out well. Other than the tranny,torque conv,and flywheel,does anyone know of any problems or issues with switching to the 3speed auto? I'm looking at less than $300 to do the switch to auto. Any market for the 5speed shifter and other parts I take off?

two that i can think of. automatic ECU and dont get a 3 speed. you will tear that new motor apart, kickdown cable. so thats 3 ()

[Milky]

the 3spd is a hydraulic transmission. i know i used to have one. it can be run on a 5spd ecu just fine as the 3spd ecu does not look for the trans. as for the parts you are looking for, i have them.

as for the 5spd parts you could sell them on here to someone wanting to do a swap.

[odskaggs2]

Thanks for the info guys. Only issue I see now is I see the parts lookup shows a front and back spacer for the flexplate. The 2008 motor I put in had a flexplate and only a front spacer. Can anyone confirm it should have a front and back flexplate spacer on 98-2002 ?
I really hate pulling a tranny at the junkyard just to find out that info and get thoses spacers.

[Milky]

Originally Posted by odskaggs2

Thanks for the info guys. Only issue I see now is I see the parts lookup shows a front and back spacer for the flexplate. The 2008 motor I put in had a flexplate and only a front spacer. Can anyone confirm it should have a front and back flexplate spacer on 98-2002 ?
I really hate pulling a tranny at the junkyard just to find out that info and get thoses spacers.

nope just need the one. mine only had one.

[odskaggs2]

Thanks Milky. That's going to save me alot of work. I've looked at the PROS and CONS of the 3 speed auto. Fact is it took my dad 14 years to put 100,000 on his last vehicle. Looks like the 3 speed should hold up well for that. Plus I can get extremely low mile 3 speed autos pretty easily. By the end of the week he'll have an 02 with less than 20,000 on the drive train. Thanks for all the help on the forum.

[huangxin]

honestly, the only thing i have against the 3 spd is the gearing. the rev on the highway is too high... 65mph would put me at about 3300 rpm. the local driving is fine. i get about 28 driving 100% local with my 3 spd