I did my swap and it was VERY easy. Total swap cost me $1450. It can be done for less, or if your impatient and not a good shopper, you can easily spend $3,000. The most important thing is to make sure you have everything you need, and that it is the right part, before you start the project. You can sell your 4r70w for 500-900 bucks on ebay. My 90K mile one got me $700.
You will need:
Haynes manual!!!!
Flywheel
Clutch
longer bolts for the 5spd flywheel (dealership)
5spd transmission wiring harness (dealer)
clutch/brake pedal set. I got mine off ebay for $150 shipped
Clutch cable
Go ahead and get an aftermarket clutch quadrant and firewall adjuster. They're cheap, and make clutch adjustment an easy one person job
5spd Driveshaft for your tranny
Tranny (i got a used tr3650 for $500 with 5K miles on it)
shifter (get a nice aftermarket one. I have tri ax and like it.)
Lower shifter boot
5 spd center console for shifter OR use your auto one and glue in a aftermarket shifter boot. Use contact cement. Its what I did. Looks completely stock. and only cost $15.
Removal:
1. Remove exhaust crossover
2.Drain tranny fluid.
3.remove driveshaft.
4. support tranny with a jack and remove the tranny crossmember
5. lower rear of tranny to gain access to mounting bolts
6. remove starter bolts (top one is a pain, get LOTS of extensions/universal joints and thread them through the space just under the pass side engine mount. Do not re-install this bolt)
7. disconnect shift linkage and wiring
8. unbolt tranny from motor
9. support the front of the motor (either by the balancer or under the oil pan)
10. unbolt torque converter and remove tranny
11. remove auto shift linkage
12. remove brake pedal set
13. remove auto tranny wire harness. (the connector is on the pass side firewall just behind the 2 heater hoses that seem to "hump")
14. Remove flex plate
Fab work:
You need to cut out the hole a little bigger for the shifter. I cut off 1/2" all the way around and it fit great.
Install:
1. bolt up flywheel
2. install clutch
3. install wire harness
4. install pedal set and clutch cable
5. Bolt up tranny (shifter removed)
6. install starter (don't use the top bolt)
7. install clutch cable/wiring harness connectors
8. install driveshaft
9. fill tranny with 3.3 qts dextron III fluid through shifter hole
10. install shifter
11. install lower shifter boot. (may require some bending to fit. Fasten to car with small self tapping sheet metal screws spaced 1")
12. adjust clutch
13. install upper boot
14. check everything again
15. Check everything AGAIN
16. Start car and check the following: clutch function and adjustment, reverse lights, listen for noises.
17. if all is good install cross over pipe and your done.
I would HIGHLY suggest the use of a lift and tranny jack.
This can be done without a lift, provided you can support the car on jackstands/ramps high enough to slide the tranny out from under the car. Make sure you have lots of friends to help.
Took me 10 hours, working slowly, taking a beer break every hour
Any questions, feel free to ask.
