Automatic Pre-Runner to manual 4x4.

[offroadie]

if I'm looking to do this to my PreRunner, find a donor and swap it out. You didn't need to do more wiring work with the ecu?

Awesome write-up - I've been aching for a 5-speed...and 4wd.

Thanks man, you've given me hope.

[Tacoma4life]

Originally Posted by offroadie

if I'm looking to do this to my PreRunner, find a donor and swap it out. You didn't need to do more wiring work with the ecu?

Awesome write-up - I've been aching for a 5-speed...and 4wd.

Thanks man, you've given me hope.

Nope, that's it, the wiring was very easy. In fact I probably had only 4 hrs into it total, and that was soldering and shrink wraping every connection, and running everything super cleanly as I can't stand wiring hack jobs.

Of course if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to send me a message.

[hytenor]

did you get any pics of the clutch pedal install? I assume everything just bolted up

nice writeup.
added to faq/tech mods section
http://www.ttora.com/wiki/index.php/...les#Drivetrain

[Tacoma4life]

No, but I suppose I could. Also, the donor is just sitting at the shop mostly stripped out, so I could get some clean (inside) shots of the holes that required drilling and the threaded hole that the top of the pedal assembly bolts up to.

[hytenor]

Originally Posted by Tacoma4life

No, but I suppose I could. Also, the donor is just sitting at the shop mostly stripped out, so I could get some clean (inside) shots of the holes that required drilling and the threaded hole that the top of the pedal assembly bolts up to.

just add it to your post.

[Tacoma4life]

Update-

The truck is performing fine and no additional CEL's have been triggered. On a trip to Denver and back a week ago I drove 842 miles on 43.04 gallons, so 19.56MPG. Not bad considering I was battleing a headwind on many stretches and speeding on others. Yes a double cab 3RZ can speed.

So I am super happy with my conversion. I gained all the weight of a 4x4 and maintained about the same mileage I was getting with an automatic Pre-Runner.

[SafetyDang]

Originally Posted by Tacoma4life

Update-

The truck is performing fine and no additional CEL's have been triggered. On a trip to Denver and back a week ago I drove 842 miles on 43.04 gallons, so 19.56MPG. Not bad considering I was battleing a headwind on many stretches and speeding on others. Yes a double cab 3RZ can speed.

So I am super happy with my conversion. I gained all the weight of a 4x4 and maintained about the same mileage I was getting with an automatic Pre-Runner.

So Never swapped the ECU? You still have the Missing Auto Transmission CELs?

[Tacoma4life]

Originally Posted by SafetyDang

So Never swapped the ECU? You still have the Missing Auto Transmission CELs?

Correct, still using auto ECU.

I posted the exact codes thrown in the origional write-up just above the wiring diagram. The codes were thrown immediately upon first starting the engine after the conversion, but no new codes have shown up in several thousand miles of driving.

I had planned on eventually finding a manual ECU, but it's really not a priority since it runs and drives perfect. Maybe some day...

[Yotaoffroad27]

how are you getting it inspected? i was under the impression ALL 96 and new car/trucks had to be hooked up on a computer to pass inpsection.

If nothing else the always turn the key to see all the light come on, and since your bulb is gone it will not light........


or do you know someone

[Tacoma4life]

Ah, I'm in South Dakota. We don't have ANY kind of emissions or inspections. I feel sorry for all of you who do...

[Yotaoffroad27]

Originally Posted by Tacoma4life

Ah, I'm in South Dakota. We don't have ANY kind of emissions or inspections. I feel sorry for all of you who do...

ahhh lucky... i wish you would hurry up and get an ECU so i can see if it will clear the codes... i want a 5speed SOOOO BAD!!!

[Tacoma4life]

Well just send me a 2002 3RZ manual ECU and I'll be happy to test it for you.

[Yotaoffroad27]

Originally Posted by Tacoma4life

Well just send me a 2002 3RZ manual ECU and I'll be happy to test it for you.

lol only if you send me a 1999 3RZ manual ECU

[WiredTaco]

Originally Posted by Tacoma4life

Well just send me a 2002 3RZ manual ECU and I'll be happy to test it for you.

Peter-
I swapped my 96 2.7 from auto to manual back in '02. After living with the CEL for a long time I finally had to get the truck inspected and it wouldn't pass with it on. I tried a manual ECU but they must all have the same logic inside as it threw the same exact codes.

The solution was to read the service manual carefully--it tell you what resistance the computer is looking for at the three shift solenoids. If it doesn't sense that resistance it will throw a CEL. If it sees that resistance the light will go off.

Go out and buy "power resistors" (the kind in the white clay case) of the proper resistance and wattage (do the math, it's been years and I forget!). Wire them in to where the shift solenoids connected to and your CEL will go out! The wattage of the resistor is important here--it's a low impedance circuit and you will burn up a small 1/4 or 1/2 watt resistor if you use them. Not a nice thing to have happen under the truck...

I think I put the resistance and wattage in a post way back when so perhaps with some judicious searching it could be found again.

Enjoy the dark dashboard!

Greg

[Tacoma4life]

That's very cool... Others have talked about doing this but to my knowledge no one had, except you now.

To cure mine, I just pulled the CEL bulb and scan for codes periodically. I'm coming up on the one year anniversary of the conversion and no problems thus far.

[SafetyDang]

Originally Posted by Tacoma4life

That's very cool... Others have talked about doing this but to my knowledge no one had, except you now.

To cure mine, I just pulled the CEL bulb and scan for codes periodically. I'm coming up on the one year anniversary of the conversion and no problems thus far.

Very cool indeed!

[Yotaoffroad27]

Originally Posted by WiredTaco

Peter-
I swapped my 96 2.7 from auto to manual back in '02. After living with the CEL for a long time I finally had to get the truck inspected and it wouldn't pass with it on. I tried a manual ECU but they must all have the same logic inside as it threw the same exact codes.

thats AWSOME!! but i have a question. Here (above) you said you tryed a manaul ecu and you still got a code. I finished my swap and have about 1700miles on it and not one cel. Did you get the correct part number ECU for your truck? just wondering what happend there. Other wise great work. I fugured it would work, but i found a good deal on my ECU.

[Mr Tacomi]

Originally Posted by WiredTaco

Peter-
I swapped my 96 2.7 from auto to manual back in '02. After living with the CEL for a long time I finally had to get the truck inspected and it wouldn't pass with it on. I tried a manual ECU but they must all have the same logic inside as it threw the same exact codes.

The solution was to read the service manual carefully--it tell you what resistance the computer is looking for at the three shift solenoids. If it doesn't sense that resistance it will throw a CEL. If it sees that resistance the light will go off.

Go out and buy "power resistors" (the kind in the white clay case) of the proper resistance and wattage (do the math, it's been years and I forget!). Wire them in to where the shift solenoids connected to and your CEL will go out! The wattage of the resistor is important here--it's a low impedance circuit and you will burn up a small 1/4 or 1/2 watt resistor if you use them. Not a nice thing to have happen under the truck...

I think I put the resistance and wattage in a post way back when so perhaps with some judicious searching it could be found again.

Enjoy the dark dashboard!

Greg

Here's your post from the past:

http://www.ttora.com/forum/showthread.php?t=69438

Did you ever find a cure for the P/N CEL issue?

[sasdreamer]

So first of all I'd just like to thank all of you guys for providing such valuable information on these swaps. I've been gathering parts for the last 6 mos. now and am coming close to the first part of build. I too have a double cab prerunner. Its an '02 with the 3RZ.
I have been able to track down all the following parts:
-Trans/Transfer case from a '98 Taco
-Clutch Pedal and Master Cyl. assembly (installed)
-New Clutch and Flywheel
-Shift lever boot and trim (& interior plastics)
-Front half of rear driveshaft and new carrier bearing
Items left to get are:
-ECM
-Misc. hardware

My plan is to convert to 5speed 4x first, then into a SAS. Would like to do all at once but my garage hall pass is limited due to wild 2 & 3 year old kids.
I posting my question on Tacoma4life's thread since he's through my exact swap, although I'm extremely envious of his complete donor swap vs. having to piece all this shit togather.
Sorry for the long intro but here's my questions.
#1 In your post you showed the two VSS's, one a mechanical and one electronic. Was the electronic one from your prerunner auto tranny or do I need to track down a manual/electronic one since I have a '98 trans to swap into my '02?
#2 Did your speedo cable reach its new destination from its old auto trans mounting point? I know theres not much difference but its still about 5" or 6" by eyeball measuring.
#3 This is just the start of my questions for you guys once I get started I'm sure so do you suggest posting my work/questions on this thread or 1 like SafetyDang's since its a current thread? Or just post my own.
Thanks for your help

[Tacoma4life]

Originally Posted by sasdreamer

#1 In your post you showed the two VSS's, one a mechanical and one electronic. Was the electronic one from your prerunner auto tranny or do I need to track down a manual/electronic one since I have a '98 trans to swap into my '02?
#2 Did your speedo cable reach its new destination from its old auto trans mounting point? I know theres not much difference but its still about 5" or 6" by eyeball measuring.
#3 This is just the start of my questions for you guys once I get started I'm sure so do you suggest posting my work/questions on this thread or 1 like SafetyDang's since its a current thread? Or just post my own.
Thanks for your help

#1 In a 4x4 Tacoma the VSS is located in the transfer case, but since a prerunner doesn't have a transfer case, the VSS is located in the tranny. The prerunner and 4x4 VSS's are NOT interchangeable. What I'm showing in the pic is that a 1995.5-1997 4x4 Tacoma (which has a mechanical VSS) and 1998-2004 4x4 Tacoma (which are electronic) ARE interchangeable.

#2 There is no speedo cable on 1998-2002 Tacoma's. Because my 1997 donor truck was mechanical with a cable I had to find an electronic VSS from a newer 4x4 Tacoma. The newer (1998-2004) elecronic VSS does plug right into the 1997 T-case just fine.

[sasdreamer]

Ok. thanks Peter. Its cold as hell right now and my garage is currently inandated with kid toys. Thanks for your help

[Tacoma4life]

Update- 4/23/12 and 135,518 miles

The conversion is still working flawlessly, even the SECO clutch kit I was so skeptical about. This truck is my daily driver and having had not a single issue, I'd still recommend doing this conversion to anyone.

[x2468]

Will the automatic t-case mate with the manual trans, or no?

The clutch pedal simply mounts to the master cyilnder? no cutting required?

[theredhorseman]

You have to drill three holes in the firewall for the pushrod and two studs.