project auto to 5spd (longish...)

[maka_RTH]

so yah, i started working on it today. first i pulled the pedals out of the parts car. took a bit.., but i finally kinda figured it out, dropped the steering column and whatnot. then i pulled the battery out, along with the tray(don't need it in that car anymore), and then pulled the starter and dist. for easier access. then i put the car up on stands and drained the tranny, then started to pull the cv joints. thats where i ran into the first couple problems. the pinch fork to lower control arm bolt was siezed on the passenger side, so i ended up taking apart the inner joint and that solved that. on the drivers side, the ball joint had a lil trouble popping off, and in the process the threads on it got kinda messed up. anyways, i got that cv joint out, then i pulled the tranny itself. didn't take long at all once i was ready to actually pull it. i then took the shifter and whatnot out. then, i half put the suspension and whatnot back together to roll it out onto the street to pull my 4dr into the driveway. as i was doing that, since the threads on the one balljoint were jacked up, i couldn't get the castle nut on far enough, so the lower control arm kept falling, so i ended up using the jack for the front to steer it, and got it where i needed it. i then pulled the 4dr in the driveway(it was actually driving itslef), and then pulled the pedals on that, as well as the battery and the dist. and starter. then i put that up on stands and called it a night. i should finish tomorrow, cuz i just did the cv joints recently, so i know i'll have no problems pulling those out tomorrow. hopefully the balljoints will cooperate, and putting the pedals in and hooking up the cables and whatnot will hopefully not be too bad. anyways, yah, just thought i'd let you all know how it's going.

[Strugglebucket]

isn't it funny how fast things get done when it's your only car you can drive?;)
make sure you remember to change that rear engine mount bracket. and watch that the speedo cable doesn't get in the way of the clutch pedal when you operate it.
hope everything goes smoothly.

[maka_RTH]

yah, so, today started out alright. everything was going smoothly until i got to dropping the auto tranny, and the speed sensor would not come out. there was no reason why it shouldn't, i undid the bolt, but it refused to come out, and in the process of trying to get it out, one of the power steering lines to it broke. so, i just disconnected everything from it, then dropped the tranny and set it aside, and started to undo the auto shifter to take it out. and the fraking thing has nut's and bolts, one on each side(in the car and on the bottom), and with the heat shield in the way, its a bitch to get at. anyways, i finally finished that, then i put the pedals in the car. that went surprisingly nise and easy, had no problems. then i put the clutch and stuff on, then i put the 5spd up there. it kinda threw a fit, but i got it eventually. then i was putting the shift rod and stuff up, and it took me forever to get the dang blt through the shift rod and shifter. it was almost impossible to line it up just after sunset and not being able to see behind the heat shield anyways. i finally did get it, and then when i was almost done, the dang distributor was being a bitch going in. it just refused to for some reason. i spent maybe and hour on that, then i finally got it on, finished up a couple other misc. things, to find that the car won't start. my guess is something with the dist. so, i gave up around 9pm, cuz it sucked working in the dark and i figured i wouldn't get it running tonight anyways. kinda pisses me off, i didn't even go vote cuz i KNEW i was gonna be done in just a bit.., but then this, and then that. oh well, a long as i get it running tomorrow, then i'll be happy.

[Strugglebucket]

did you remember to splice together the two thick black wires from the shifter harness?
if it's not turning over that could be your problem.

i didn't even go vote cuz i KNEW i was gonna be done in just a bit..,
oh man... now bush is gonna send us all to iraq:(

[maka_RTH]

yah, it cranks, just doesn't start. the dist. didn't want to go in..., i don't konw why. i even turned the crank to TDC, and the dist. to about where it'd be for #1, and it sill didn't want to go in. i've needed to adjust my valves for a bit though, so i'm gonna do that and and make sure that the dist is in right and everything. that's the only thing i could really think of, since it started just fine before i pulled stuff off.

[thegreatdane]

You have to line up the dist with the cam. The lugs on the end of the dist. axle goes in a hole in the cam that fits the lugs. But if it's in then it's in, it cant be installed wrong. Did you install the sparkplug wires correct?

[maka_RTH]

well, it's running. i know you gotta line up the end of the dist with the cam, and i tried lining it up both ways(0 deg and 180 deg), and it still wouldn't go either way. i then turned the crank to TDC(must've been BTDC.., it was dark...), and then turned the dist to #1 cyl, and then started to put it in. it still threw a fit.., but i did get it in. that was last night, and i just gave up. today, when it was light, since i needed to adjust the valves anyways, i took the valve cover off and turned the crank to TDC(by looking at the cam, then checking on the flywheel), and the rotor was 180 deg off. as much as i hate to admit it, i did somehow get the dist on 180 off. so i know it is possible, but it takes a little bit of persuasion.., which after being pissed off at various items for about 12 hours.., comes pretty easily ;). so, i turned the dist around, adjusted the valves, and then started her up, and she ran quite well. took it for a test drive, and i loving being back to a stick ;)

[maka_RTH]

oh yah, the only thing bad i've noticed is with the speed sensor, the one off my parts car didn't have the little plastic bracket to hold it in place.., so it is possible for it to pop out. if anybody has a spare good one, maybe we can work something out. i've got tons of misc. parts i could trade, or if the price is right, i'll just pay for it. anyways, yah, it's so nice to be driving a stick again :rockon:

[thegreatdane]

You installed the dizzy 180 deg off?? That's amazing, lol :) Normally you shouldnt be able to do that.
Theres a little metal clip that should hold the cable. The rubber boot is not the one that's supposed to hold back the cable.

[maka_RTH]

nonono, not the speedo cable, the whole speed sensor assembly. and yes, the dizzy will go in 180 deg off with a little persuasion ;)

[BITESIZE]

Congratulations! I remember doing my swap, you won't regret it, and you will probably rack up a few speeding tickets in the next two months....BEWARE!

[maka_RTH]

lol, i know what you mean. i thought i sped before, lol, but now, i really am a speed demon :devil: all those things i couldn't do before with the auto, i can now do :D

[BITESIZE]

I got 2 tickets in one week of when i got done with mine, it's been a year now, with no tickets......