A pile of parts to get started. Flex plate to suit my Td42Ti, Compushift TCU and wring looms, Skyline R34 shifter, and a sand cast aluminium high volume oil pan. Not in this photo is the custom torque converter, which is already in the box.
And a rebuilt RE5.
First thing to do is make sure your bank account is looking healthy, as this conversion is more expensive than the old RE4 - 4 speed auto. No way around it at the moment, it is not a cheap exercise. This may change with time, if other parts suppliers become available. But at this point, your conversion parts will cost about $5k, not including the gearbox itself.
The other major factor is how much torque your engine makes. An RE5 in good, standard specification is good for 650-700nm of torque, approximately. It is rated at 700nm in the US Titan. If your engine makes much more than 700nm of torque, then standard spec is not likely to last very long. Rebuilding the gearbox with uprated clutch packs etc, and heat treated internals will increase that a fair amount. As an estimate, it is thought to about 900nm. But that is an expensive exercise, if you are paying for the service, just like any auto rebuild.
Like the RE4, much of the Nissan parts are interchangeable, so the job is much the same in terms of the hard parts. Bellhousing bolts up to the TD42, you just need to re-drill for the starter motor. Gearbox mounts are the same, and in the same spot, at least for my GQ crossmember. Three of the lower bellhousing bolts were too long, and I had to get shorter ones, so they did not hit the sump. The bosses on the bellhousings are shorter on the RE5 compared to the manual box, so the bolts stick out further.
If you have a GU, and your RE5 and genuine GU shifter, then you are ready to get the spanners out. If you have a GQ, you have more work to do – you need a GU transfer case (GQ box has the transfer case linkages bolted to it, but the RE5 has no provision for them. GU transfer case does not have external linkages), and despite what you may read elsewhere you cannot bolt it straight in either. The shifter is designed to suit a GU, so that will need moving I reckon, but I have not got that far yet to know for sure. What I do know for sure is that the sensors in the 3l GU transfer case I bought will not activate my 4wd dash switch. Speed sensor bolts in though. The GU T case has two switches in it – one on the top of the case at the front near the shifter, and one on the left side at the rear. From what I can work out, the front switch is for a T case neutral light, and the rear switch is for the 4wd activation switch. The only problem for a GQ, is the switch provides a closed circuit in 2H, but nowhere else. If you fit the GQ switch it does the same. The switches are the same. But the activation inside the case is different. The solution is to remove the neutral switch, as you can’t use it anyway, and fit it to the 4wd activation location in the case. The switches are opposite, so now your switch provides a closed circuit in 4H & 4L instead of 2H. Easy!!!! Took me while to figure it out though. LOL
So, out with the old box and transfer, and in with the new RE5. Use the sandwich plate as a guide for drilling new holes for the TD42 starter, and remove the old lugs to provide clearance around the bigger starter unit. And measure your converter to flex plate clearance. You must have clearance between the two components, or the converter will compress the oil pump and damage it. About 2-3mm is the norm I am told. When this is all good, bolt it in.
In my case I am using a shifter out of an R34 Skyline, which has an RE5 in it. It works, but will need modifying a little to match the Compushift TCU software. The main shifter positions show "3" and "2" but there is no software for them and it goes into failsafe mode. So the shifter body needs changing to prevent this. Easy to do. Tiptronic mode gives you manual control over all gears anyway, which is what the Patrol shifter does.
So I have the RE5 bolted up now. Few more bolts to go, and then the T case can be fitted.
And a rebuilt RE5.
First thing to do is make sure your bank account is looking healthy, as this conversion is more expensive than the old RE4 - 4 speed auto. No way around it at the moment, it is not a cheap exercise. This may change with time, if other parts suppliers become available. But at this point, your conversion parts will cost about $5k, not including the gearbox itself.
The other major factor is how much torque your engine makes. An RE5 in good, standard specification is good for 650-700nm of torque, approximately. It is rated at 700nm in the US Titan. If your engine makes much more than 700nm of torque, then standard spec is not likely to last very long. Rebuilding the gearbox with uprated clutch packs etc, and heat treated internals will increase that a fair amount. As an estimate, it is thought to about 900nm. But that is an expensive exercise, if you are paying for the service, just like any auto rebuild.
Like the RE4, much of the Nissan parts are interchangeable, so the job is much the same in terms of the hard parts. Bellhousing bolts up to the TD42, you just need to re-drill for the starter motor. Gearbox mounts are the same, and in the same spot, at least for my GQ crossmember. Three of the lower bellhousing bolts were too long, and I had to get shorter ones, so they did not hit the sump. The bosses on the bellhousings are shorter on the RE5 compared to the manual box, so the bolts stick out further.
If you have a GU, and your RE5 and genuine GU shifter, then you are ready to get the spanners out. If you have a GQ, you have more work to do – you need a GU transfer case (GQ box has the transfer case linkages bolted to it, but the RE5 has no provision for them. GU transfer case does not have external linkages), and despite what you may read elsewhere you cannot bolt it straight in either. The shifter is designed to suit a GU, so that will need moving I reckon, but I have not got that far yet to know for sure. What I do know for sure is that the sensors in the 3l GU transfer case I bought will not activate my 4wd dash switch. Speed sensor bolts in though. The GU T case has two switches in it – one on the top of the case at the front near the shifter, and one on the left side at the rear. From what I can work out, the front switch is for a T case neutral light, and the rear switch is for the 4wd activation switch. The only problem for a GQ, is the switch provides a closed circuit in 2H, but nowhere else. If you fit the GQ switch it does the same. The switches are the same. But the activation inside the case is different. The solution is to remove the neutral switch, as you can’t use it anyway, and fit it to the 4wd activation location in the case. The switches are opposite, so now your switch provides a closed circuit in 4H & 4L instead of 2H. Easy!!!! Took me while to figure it out though. LOL
So, out with the old box and transfer, and in with the new RE5. Use the sandwich plate as a guide for drilling new holes for the TD42 starter, and remove the old lugs to provide clearance around the bigger starter unit. And measure your converter to flex plate clearance. You must have clearance between the two components, or the converter will compress the oil pump and damage it. About 2-3mm is the norm I am told. When this is all good, bolt it in.
In my case I am using a shifter out of an R34 Skyline, which has an RE5 in it. It works, but will need modifying a little to match the Compushift TCU software. The main shifter positions show "3" and "2" but there is no software for them and it goes into failsafe mode. So the shifter body needs changing to prevent this. Easy to do. Tiptronic mode gives you manual control over all gears anyway, which is what the Patrol shifter does.
So I have the RE5 bolted up now. Few more bolts to go, and then the T case can be fitted.