Transmission Swap

[SGT_MERC]

I have an 05 GM and would like to receive some feedback. I want to either swap to a 5 speed auto from an Explorer or do a manual. Can the computer be flashed to operate a 5 speed? If not what do I have to do to run a 5 speed auto? What has to be done to the computer for the car to run properly when going to a manual? I'm old school and did trans swaps before computers. If this subject has been brought up before, I apologize, but I just want the facts and others opinions that have done these swaps. Thank You.

[babbage]

You need a tune to remove the auto trans items. Any SCT dealer can do it.

[SGT_MERC]

I already have an SCT. So I need to have the auto trans items removed for a manual, what about the 5 speed auto?

[RF Overlord]

I think you'll need an external transmission controller for a 5-speed.

[ntd]

The factory pcm cant run a 5R55 trans(5 speed auto) you would need a Ford Explorer/Mercury Mountaineer 4.6 5r55 pcm and modify the harness. On a side note the 5r55 is a weaker trans than the 4r75 and the top gear ratio is about the same the only real advantage is a lower 1st gear in the 5r55. Most high hp S197 mustangs swap to a 4r75 trans that should tell you something

Tuners can disable the automatic trans parameters in the factory pcm so you could use any manual trans with a modular bellhousing. You would need to fabricate the crossmember, shifter and clutch control system. CV.net has a lot of members that have swapped to manual trans my want to try and contact them

[SGT_MERC]

Thank You ntd

[ntd]

Thank You ntd

:up: no problem if it were me I would get a built 4r70/75 trans with a good torque converter. Secondly (due to the needed fabrication) a TKO 600 or T-56 magnum, All of the above which will have plenty of capacity to live behind a high HP & TQ car.

[justbob]

The ideal ECM would be from a Lincoln Aviator with the dual cam 4.6 5sp. auto. But take NTD's advice, that trans is so weak that Mustang guys can't wait to upgrade to ours. The manual will require a fabbed pedal assembly, crossmember, speedo conversion most likely (DR had an issue with it being different, can't remember exactly what, but easy fix), driveshaft, shifter assembly tweaked, and ECM moved a few inches. Don't let this scare you as have the stuff I mentioned are quite easy and fun to fab.

There is another choice however on automatics, one that has me slobbering and checking my checkbook quite often. Look up the new TCI 6sp available for the modular family. At a cost near $7 grand for all the parts....

[LANDY]

you can also consider the 4r100 from the ford trucks, there are lightnings running 10's on a stock tranny and torque converter.
Brian (FordNut) did the swap and he is very happy with it.

[ntd]

The ideal ECM would be from a Lincoln Aviator with the dual cam 4.6 5sp. auto. But take NTD's advice, that trans is so weak that Mustang guys can't wait to upgrade to ours. The manual will require a fabbed pedal assembly, crossmember, speedo conversion most likely (DR had an issue with it being different, can't remember exactly what, but easy fix), driveshaft, shifter assembly tweaked, and ECM moved a few inches. Don't let this scare you as have the stuff I mentioned are quite easy and fun to fab.

There is another choice however on automatics, one that has me slobbering and checking my checkbook quite often. Look up the new TCI 6sp available for the modular family. At a cost near $7 grand for all the parts....


his car looks to be an 05 and up grand marquis(2v 4.6L) idel pcm would be as I stated


While the TCI 6x trans seems like a fun idea it's 1st gear is slightly better but it's 6th gear would give us worse gas mileage:(

The 6r's really low 1st gear would pull like a monster:D and 6th gear would be a little better for gas mileage. We could leave the 3.55 and get 1 or 2 mpg better on the freeway. Physically it will fit but there is currently no aftermarket control module that I have found yet

4r70/75,--- -1st-2.84 2nd-1.55 3rd-1.0 4th-.70

4r100 ,----- 1st-2.71 2nd-1.54 3rd-1.0 4th-.71

6r75/100, ---1st-4.17 2nd-2.34 3rd-1.52 4th-1.14 5th-.87 6th-.69

TCI 6x-4l80e 1st-2.97 2nd-2.23 3rd-1.57 4th-1.18 5th-1.00 6th-.75

Tremec T56 1st-2.90 2nd-2.07 3rd-1.43 4th-1.00 5th-.84 6th-.57 __________________

[SGT_MERC]

I currently have 4.10's in her.

[SGT_MERC]

I'm trying to figure how many greenbacks I'm going to need to get started. I'll have to work at it a little at a time.

[SGT_MERC]

The manual would be more fun to tackle and drive, but I have to weigh the price between the manual and auto.

[RF Overlord]

Paul's High Performance did a manual conversion and kept breaking it. I saw that car at MVII in Indy and it was beautifully done, but remember how much these cars weigh. Launching a 4100+ lb car with a manual transmission is some serious punkin-chunkin'...

[SGT_MERC]

Couldn't I take the whole ECM from an explorer and put it in my car with an upgraded wiring harness to run my 4.6 with the 6r75? That would be sweet.

[FordNut]

No. Why would you want to switch to the weaker Exploder transmission?

Edit... sorry, I thought the question was for the 5 speed 5r55... The 6r75 might be a good option but there is not a controller presently. PCS (powertrain control solutions) has a standalone controller that works very good and has enough output channels to control it, but they don't currently have a program for it. You may be able to write a program yourself, the controller is pretty simple to program.

[justbob]

his car looks to be an 05 and up grand marquis(2v 4.6L) idel pcm would be as I stated


While the TCI 6x trans seems like a fun idea it's 1st gear is slightly better but it's 6th gear would give us worse gas mileage:(

The 6r's really low 1st gear would pull like a monster:D and 6th gear would be a little better for gas mileage. We could leave the 3.55 and get 1 or 2 mpg better on the freeway. Physically it will fit but there is currently no aftermarket control module that I have found yet

4r70/75,--- -1st-2.84 2nd-1.55 3rd-1.0 4th-.70

4r100 ,----- 1st-2.71 2nd-1.54 3rd-1.0 4th-.71

6r75/100, ---1st-4.17 2nd-2.34 3rd-1.52 4th-1.14 5th-.87 6th-.69

TCI 6x-4l80e 1st-2.97 2nd-2.23 3rd-1.57 4th-1.18 5th-1.00 6th-.75

Tremec T56 1st-2.90 2nd-2.07 3rd-1.43 4th-1.00 5th-.84 6th-.57 __________________
I should stop skimming thread titles :)

[ntd]

Couldn't I take the whole ECM from an explorer and put it in my car with an upgraded wiring harness to run my 4.6 with the 6r75? That would be sweet.

Nope any explorer/mountaineer with a 6r75 is a 3 valve engine. If you were so inclined to use a ford 6r trans, I would use the 6r80 but again there is no aftermarket control module or any factory pcm that used a 4.6 4v and a 6r75/80

[FordNut]

Nope any explorer/mountaineer with a 6r75 is a 3 valve engine. If you were so inclined to use a ford 6r trans, I would use the 6r80 but again there is no aftermarket control module or any factory pcm that used a 4.6 4v and a 6r75/80

I wonder how difficult it would be to have dual PCM's? The one for the MM could be programmed for a manual trans so it ignores the 6r... similar to my 4r100 setup and the manual trans setups. The exploder PCM could be configured to ignore everything except transmission specific functions and spliced in to the wiring harness, similar to the standalone controller I got from PCS. It would probably require two separate SCT programmers, one for each PCM.

[ntd]

I wonder how difficult it would be to have dual PCM's? The one for the MM could be programmed for a manual trans so it ignores the 6r... similar to my 4r100 setup and the manual trans setups. The exploder PCM could be configured to ignore everything except transmission specific functions and spliced in to the wiring harness, similar to the standalone controller I got from PCS. It would probably require two separate SCT programmers, one for each PCM.

The trans actually has its own controller that is part of the main control called a TCM(trans control module) the biggest hurdle is that the TCM uses the CAN network(2 wire network) to receive information from other modules - Engine speed, Engine torque, Engine Coolant Temperature, Engine Oil Temperature, Throttle Position, Accelerator Pedal Position, Brake Pedal Position & ABS wheel speed. You would have to splice in the Explorer PCM get it to communicate to the CAN and get it to ignore every other aspect but sending the needed info to the TCM. I think it would be easyer to get a company like PCS to make a standalone controller

[SGT_MERC]

WOW, had no idea this would be such a pain in mine and everybody's arse. To bad there isn't a strong 5 speed auto tranny that does not require a computer.

[babbage]

WOW, had no idea this would be such a pain in mine and everybody's arse. To bad there isn't a strong 5 speed auto tranny that does not require a computer.

Actually there is, Its called a gear vendors overdrive unit. Install it and now you have an 8 (eight) speed!

4R70 - Ratios

1st 2.84 X.78 = 2.21
2nd 1.55 X.78 = 1.20
3rd 1.00 X.78 = 0.78
4th 0.70 X.78 = 0.54

.78 is the ratio of the Gear Vendors over drive.

With 3.73 gears X 0.78 (and gear vendor unit) = 2.90 final
with 3.27 gears x 0.78 (and gear vendor unit) = 2.55 final

Unit shipping = total.
$2695.00 - $45.00 = $2740.00


The unit is 13.5" longer, so you need to shorten drive shaft or get a carbon fiber unit. Install is easy to do yourself, they recommend you install it like a foot switch, like the old highbeam switch on older cars.There is also a 12V power cable that goes to the unit. The speed sensor comes out of the transmission and plugs into the Gear vendor unit, so no PCM VSS issues.

[SGT_MERC]

Babbage, I think I'm misunderstanding something. If I would go with the gear vendors unit, I would still have the same gear ratios of 1st through 4th, correct? What would be the purpose, unless the unit gears down the whole transmission except for the OD ratios?

[99SVT]

It'll gear up every gear, effectively giving you a gear in between each gear of the original tranny.

[SGT_MERC]

Wow, That's sweet. So how would I have 8 gears, if it gears up every gear. I would still have 4 gear ratios, in the trans itself, with an overall effect by the gear vendors unit.

[LANDY]

Actually there is, Its called a gear vendors overdrive unit. Install it and now you have an 8 (eight) speed!

4R70 - Ratios

1st 2.84 X.78 = 2.21
2nd 1.55 X.78 = 1.20
3rd 1.00 X.78 = 0.78
4th 0.70 X.78 = 0.54

.78 is the ratio of the Gear Vendors over drive.

With 3.73 gears X 0.78 (and gear vendor unit) = 2.90 final
with 3.27 gears x 0.78 (and gear vendor unit) = 2.55 final

Unit shipping = total.
$2695.00 - $45.00 = $2740.00


The unit is 13.5" longer, so you need to shorten drive shaft or get a carbon fiber unit. Install is easy to do yourself, they recommend you install it like a foot switch, like the old highbeam switch on older cars.There is also a 12V power cable that goes to the unit. The speed sensor comes out of the transmission and plugs into the Gear vendor unit, so no PCM VSS issues. this setup would be sweet on on a higher HP car with some 4.30 or maybe 4.56 gear ratio.

[babbage]

Wow, That's sweet. So how would I have 8 gears, if it gears up every gear. I would still have 4 gear ratios, in the trans itself, with an overall effect by the gear vendors unit.

Floor it, 1st gear, winds out, hit the foot switch then you have 1st over, shifts to second, wind out, tap foot switch, second over.... etc. You would have an overdrive available in every gear..

Ok so now do it.

[FordNut]

Floor it, 1st gear, winds out, hit the foot switch then you have 1st over, shifts to second, wind out, tap foot switch, second over.... etc. You would have an overdrive available in every gear..

Ok so now do it.

Not that simple. 1st then foot switch and 1st over then when it shifts automatically, you would have to hit the foot switch to get out of over and let it wind up, then hit the foot switch for 2nd over.

Much simpler to add a standalone trans controller that has extra output channels to control the od unit. Then it can do both shifts 1st over- 2nd and od off- at the exact same time.

[babbage]

Not that simple. 1st then foot switch and 1st over then when it shifts automatically, you would have to hit the foot switch to get out of over and let it wind up, then hit the foot switch for 2nd over.

Much simpler to add a standalone trans controller that has extra output channels to control the od unit. Then it can do both shifts 1st over- 2nd and od off- at the exact same time.


Interesting, what stand alone trans controller would you use to this and how much is it?

[FordNut]

Mine is from PCS... http://www.powertraincontrolsolutions .com/tcu.php

List price 750.00

[Ktorres1]

I waited 7 yrs for my 03 marauder and within 10 miles of driving in my opinion the transmission was the weakest link. thanks to lidio I've been able to cope but had the marauder came with a 6 speed auto , I believe it would have stepped into European performance territory .