6-Speed manual tansmission conversion

[Bolt-on]

I just finished installing a 6-speed on my '03 Expedition (former cop car). I put headers on too while I was in there. The headers were twice the work of the tranny swap. I had to modify Pacesetter 70-2227 headers to clear the frame and drive shaft. Two header bolts were sheared off. The bolts are almost impossible to get to, and all the threads in the heads needed to be chased.

As far as I know, the only manual transmission that Ford used with the MOD 5.4 is the ZF 6 speed. Unfortunately, it is 4 3/16" longer than the auto and has a larger output shaft. I discovered this after I started taking things apart.

This is the output shaft on the auto.



I could have used a transfer case from an F250, but I wanted the all-wheel-drive and I figured I might as well stick with the electric transfer case shifter. I measured carefully and decided the extra length would not be a problem. The fuel tank looks like it was made for the longer tranny.

I called Moser Engineering to see if they could re-spline the 6-speed output on the main shaft to fit the Borg Warner T/C. The answer was "$65" so I disassembled the tranny and sent off the shaft. I disassembled the transfer case too and sent the input for matching. They said turnaround would be a couple of days.

Meanwhile I installed the clutch pedal and cut a hole in the floor for the shifter.

I had ordered a pedal assembly for an '03 F250. The brake master cylinder holes and an alignment pin lined up with the Expedition perfectly. There were two upper mounting bolt holes in the F150 pedal bracket that didn't have holes in the Expy. I scribed and drilled holes, then put access holes next to them for the clip nuts. It was a cramped and nasty job. I removed the steering column to do it.



My Expy had electrically adjustable pedals. I could have made a heroic effort and saved that feature, but I ditched it.

Pedal assemblies side by side.



The peg for the master cylinder rod on the brake pedal was too high. I relocated it. The clutch slave cylinder arm on the right side of the pedal assembly interfered slightly with the steering column, so I ground the arm for clearance.

The clutch slave cylinder location had a rubber plug in the firewall, and mounting holes for the reservoir. It went right in. The hydraulic line I got for an F150 had the wrong lower end for the F250 6-speed. The F250 has the clutch master to the left of the brake master. The F150/Expy is on the right. The stock lines are hard plastic so they don't re-shape very well. I got fittings and a line from Summit Racing. Russell 641001 and Aeroquip FPBA0049-36.




Doing the layout for the hole.



Cut out. I used the empty transmission housing to check the location. It was nice and light. The 6-speed weighs 240 pounds assembled.



From the bottom.




I installed a real flywheel and the clutch.



The fuel lines needed to be moved because the 6-speed is taller and wider at the top. I bent the return line in place, but had to remove the feed line and heat it to bend it without crimping.



Meanwhile, the mainshaft came back. Here's the re-spline.



Here's the gear cluster going back together.



Here's the tranny and transfer case all put back together and stacked.



I needed to relocate the transmission cross member back about a foot. I cut the original mounts off.





The original cross member was not long enough and too tall for the 6-speed. I used a piece of 1/8' wall 2" x 4" rectangular tubing for a cross member. It fit the mounts I had cut off. I trimmed the mounts to fit and welded them back on.

6-speed installed!



I reshaped the oil cooler lines from the auto to fit the new locations on the manual. When I tried to hook them up I found they were 5/16" tube, and the manual took 3/8". The original lines went to 3/8" at the radiator so I made new lines that went to the front.



Oil cooler fittings. Auto on left, manual on right.



The ecu has three connectors. The one on the left goes to the auto transmission. I unplugged it and left it with the auto. There was one other connector for the auto near the ecu. There were two wires that needed to be connected for the starter to work, and two others that run the reverse lights. I still need to get a connector for the reverse switch.

Also, I am still working on the connection for the vehicle speed sensor. There was on on the auto, and it looks like there may be one on the T/C. It seems to drive fine without it, except no speedo. I may try using a salvage ecu from an '03 F250 5.4 manual trans truck. I don't use ABS, and I may use a pulse generator from one of the hubs for the VSS.

I will probably make a strangely curved shift lever to clear the cup holders, but here it is as it drives. I love having a manual tranny!

 

[Soldier777]

looks awesome great job!

 

[99 Expy]

Congrats on the swap!! Hopefully you can get all the bugs worked out soon. Any videos?

 

[toms89]

Very cool and congrats! Clydesdale also did this swap in a 98 expy. You two should get together and share info.

http://expeditionforum.com/showthread.php?t=12336&highlight=tranny+swap

Very interested in the long tube header install. Did you take any photos. There has been much interest in long tubes here but it seems no manufacturer list any available for the expys. F150s yes but no expys. I would be interested in seeing what was done to make them fit.

 

[Bolt-on]

Headers

I ordered three sets of headers trying to find something to fit. I thought F150 headers would bolt right on. Wrong. Even a set of shorties wouldn't fit. The engine mount frame horns seem to be different, or maybe the block mounts place the engine lower. I have made equal length long tube headers before. It's a lot of work even if the body is off the frame. These Pacesetters seem to be well made even though they are not equal length. I had to move two tubes on each header.

Here is the passenger header with the original tube location.


Here it is with two tubes cut out. I had to make the front tube have a sharper bend to clear the spring support on the frame. The third tube needed to be closer to the head and higher up.


Here I am starting to put it back together. I used 1.75" U-bends and some of the original header pipe. I switched the way the tubes went to the collector.


There was a dipstick boss on the passenger side head that was not used. I cut it off for clearance.




Here's the driver side header. I thought I could just move one tube. Once I had the transmission installed I found that I needed to move two. It almost cleared the driveshaft. I ended up switching the way the two tubes went to the collector on this one too. I didn't take pictures when I re-did it, so this only shows one tube cut. It is very difficult to cut out just one tube. There is no way to get a saw in.






I sandblasted and painted the finished headers with POR 15 header paint.


Driver side header installed with two tubes moved. I trimmed the sway bar bracket about 1/2". In order to weld the inner part of the tubes I cut holes then patched them. The header is close on the top of the engine mount frame horn, the sway bar bracket, and the front drive shaft and U-joint. The front drive shaft is 1.75" tubing. I need to get it lengthened 4 3/16" and the local shop had to order the material. They had 2" but I'd rather keep my clearance.


I had to chase the header mount threads on the heads. It was very tricky starting the tap since there is no room. I made a small tap holder shown on the right.


This is a shot of both headers before I re-did the drivers side.


I had to massage the Pacesetter Y pipe only because of the larger transmission. I think it would fit a stock Expy. I shortened the front pieces about 4" to move the crossover forward to clear my transmission crossmember. I increased the bend on the crossover to give clearance under the fat 6-speed. I lengthened the output and used the connector from the original Y pipe to connect to the stock muffler. I can bolt on a cat-back exhaust if needed.


Running.

 

[Bolt-on]

Fixed the speedo

I fixed my speedo today. The ZF has no VSS. Neither does the B-W transfer case or the rear differential (like on an F250?). I took the sensor off the auto and looked in the hole. There is a metal ring with six holes in it about 7/16" dia.

I also took off a front ABS sender and counted the teeth on the sender ring, thinking of using it for a VSS. There were 55 teeth. The rear axle is a 3.73. That means the six tooth VSS had just over 22 pulses per tire revolution (6 x 3.73). Even if the ABS wire had enough output, the speedo would read over twice actual speed.

I think the computer must correct the speedo for low range since the VSS is on the trans output. Haven't checked that yet.

I ended up moving the VSS sensor to the output housing of the ZF and made a ring to go on the trans output shaft. Then I pulled the wiring harness off the auto and stripped out all but the two VSS sender wires and hooked it up. Speedo works!

VSS sender mounting holes.



Sender installed.



I made the sender ring from a piece of nylon splined to the output shaft with a steel pressed on and ring screwed to the outside. Here are the pieces partway done.



Using a vintage "jumping jack" vertical slotter to cut the splines.



Drilling the sensor holes and screw holes in the steel ring.



Finished ring.



Ring installed. I have .021" gap between the sensor and the ring. I think it used to be about .030" but it was hard to measure inside the auto. The ring is pretty tight on the spline - I had to tap it on. It is located by the end of the splines on one side and the T/C input on the other.

 

[Explor2Exped]

Breathtaking & amazing job!

I wish I had all of that mechanical knowledge...

 

[pooleo8]

nice job. I have had this thought cross my mind. I did this on my 97 ranger. That was cake, the adpater plate between trans and t-case were made acording to the trans. T-case location is not changed either for auto/manual. I would have expected the expy to be cake like the ranger, glad you did it first! lol

 

[Bolt-on]

I keep wondering if I did it the hard way. Thanks for the comments!

I got my shift boot on and the shifter arm pretty close to where I want it. Need to put one more piece of trim back on in front of the boot.

 

[BakerEdition]

Man this is sooo cool...You have a real custom talent going on there...my hats off to you..great job...