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.
One thing that I was never happy about, was having to remove the sump in order to get a torque wrench on the converter bolts. You cut the bottom of the sandwich plate off and with the sump off, you can torque them to the proper spec. One of our former members did it without the torque wrench (he is a retired mechanic) and was comfortable doing so. So he just used a spanner. I was not keen on this though, preferring to use the exact spec rather than by feel.
But there is a better way to do it. Unfortunately, despite having the camera in the shed to take a photo of how I did it, I forgot.
There is a spot between where the starter bolts on, and the engine block, where you can put a hole in with a hole saw. This allows access for torqueing the converter bolts, and can be covered with a rubber grommet. Photo would have been handy.
One thing that I was never happy about, was having to remove the sump in order to get a torque wrench on the converter bolts. You cut the bottom of the sandwich plate off and with the sump off, you can torque them to the proper spec. One of our former members did it without the torque wrench (he is a retired mechanic) and was comfortable doing so. So he just used a spanner. I was not keen on this though, preferring to use the exact spec rather than by feel.
But there is a better way to do it. Unfortunately, despite having the camera in the shed to take a photo of how I did it, I forgot.
There is a spot between where the starter bolts on, and the engine block, where you can put a hole in with a hole saw. This allows access for torqueing the converter bolts, and can be covered with a rubber grommet. Photo would have been handy.
Maybe, but not sure. Not much room with the sump still on. But I reckon you may as well drill a hole in the sandwich plate higher up - it needs one somewhere, so may as well be in a more convenient spot. Starter motor needs to be removed for the job regardless, so while it is out you have enough room.
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.
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.
Mate what did you do for the torque converter ? I found myself one out 4.8 and was wonder if that could get mod to fit td or weather would have to get different one ?
Mate what did you do for the torque converter ? I found myself one out 4.8 and was wonder if that could get mod to fit td or weather would have to get different one ?
Physical fitment is one issue, you would need to measure it to determine that. Given that the petrol engine is based on the diesel, it is possible that bolt patterns etc will line up. But the other issue is the way the converter will operate. I doubt that the petrol converter will be particularly good behind the diesel, as it is designed to work to different parameters.
I bought a custom made converter from Wholesale Automatics.
Seems the execution of my alternative torque converter bolt access was not up to scratch!! It was neat, in the right line, painted, and matched a blanking grommet perfectly.
But it was not close enough to the block, and was not centred over the bolts. So you could not get a socket on them. So my neat job then got butchered by the die grinder to open it up enough to give enough room.
Oh well, it is what it is. No point removing the gearbox just to tidy that up. You can't see it anyway, and a bigger grommet fits. Will just need a dob of silicone to hold it in now.
So anyone doing this, you will need the hole to be very close to the block for it to line up. Mine was maybe 10mm away, and 5mm is about right.
Ok, so more work this weekend, but progress has been slow. After the stuff around with the sandwich plate, I decided to fit the section of exhaust I removed to help with the box swap. I had my suspicions that it would need modifying with the new gearbox. And I was right. The mounting bracket was just too close to the oil pan for my liking. It was in a spot where I could not get the welder in as well, so was just a stuff around. Time killer.
Before putting the exhaust back in I figured it would make sense to look at the transfer case shifter. It is shaped to suit a GU, so I figured that it was not likely to fit a GQ with a body lift. Correct again! Anyway I was prepared for this one, so no surprises. The plan was to try and make it fit and work well without modifying the floor plate.
I got there in the end. Plenty of cutting and welding, and three extra sections welded in. Took me a full day of stuffing around with it, but in the end it is in the right spot. I haven't tested it yet, but the factory rubber boot may even fit. Maybe.
nothing is ever easy thats for sure. least your making progress with it. few weeks and a test drive will occur. cant wait to hear your feedback about it.
Yeah, and most of the work over the last week is doing mods to suit the GQ, so a GU conversion will not have to do some of this stuff. Transfer case lever, gearbox shifter, modifying oil cooler lines are all GQ stuff.
Speaking of the transfer case lever, this monstrosity is what happens to a GU transfer case lever when you fit it to a GQ with a body lift! Having modified the standard GQ levers to suit the body lift when I bought the vehicle, I know what a pain it is for even the standard levers, so I suspect the lift was a big part of the problem. I do not have an oxy set, or I would have bought some rod and made a new one, but this works, and you can't see how ugly it is under the car. LOL
Oil cooler lines was my next job. I had the standard GU steel lines, and decided that I should try and use them if I could. JFF45 did a good job of convincing me I should use them when I was intending no to, so he would be pleased.
But the chances of them fitting was low, and so it proved to be. So I decided to use what I could from the gearbox forward, and then cut them at a good spot. Of course the exhaust was in the way (again!), so I have to work around that, by bending the lines, and will need to make a bracket or two to keep them solid.
They fitted ok to a point, but would have ended up right up near the harmonic balancer, so I would have needed to connect the rubber lines to them there. I wasn't keen on that as it is not protected on my GQ, a bit out in the breeze. So the steel lines were cut just behind the engine mount. This allows me to run the hoses from the oil cooler along the chassis until the engine mount, and then connect to the steel, between the engine mount and the turbo outlet. Pretty good spot I think. I have fitted some steel and brass fittings to the steel to take the 3/8 hose, and given them a coat of paint before fitting.
Speaking of the oil cooler, have a look at the monster that Nissan used for this gearbox!!
So I have replaced it with this unit, with a built-in thermo fan. Some googling found this Hayden unit, which is about as big as you can buy in a normal 4wd application, so as big as the large Davies Craig and PWR units. It JUST fits behind the grill, and some grill plastic had to go in the bin too. Wiring is not done yet, as I was waiting to see what I got from Wholesale Auto's in their kit. I figured the Compushift monitors auto temp, and puts it on the Dashboard for you to monitor, it would surely have a switching circuit to turn on a thermo fan, but it doesn't. I am told that will be in the next software update though, so I will hook the fan up manually in the short term.
Rain has continued up here, so with work being cancelled I have made some more progress on the conversion. More GQ specific mods. The filler/dipstick didn't fit of course, so it needed re-shaping and a new bracket. A few subtle bends had it positioned ok, but the standard bracket was no-where of any use at all. So I just cut it off to get it out of the way, while I got the bends right. Then I found a new spot for the bracket and welded it back on. Unlike the T case shifter, this one looks factory.
Now I am onto the shifter. This is the job that I have been concerned about, as any positional change from standard will effect the movement of the shifter, and you may get one or two gears but not all of them. So I will get it to where I think it needs to be, and then start on the electrical. When that is completed I can use the electronics to confirm each shift position on the digital display.
More work on the shifter to do yet, but so far so good.
I think also that anyone considering this conversion needs to think hard about it if you have a GQ. There is a lot of custom stuff I have had to do to make this work, that would not be necessary on a GU.
No it is not, when used with the standard shifter and TCU, or aftermarket TCU. So the shifter moves from Park to Drive, but no further.
However, the linkage on the box can be moved through all positions. I have asked a couple of industry people if the box can be manualised, but the answer is "perhaps not". So you could assume that means "I don"t know".
im now glad ill eventually be doing this to a gu. off the shelf parts will make it so much easier. but least your getting thru everything pretty quick. guess just the wiring is lingering as the headache now.
Ok so I had a Keas Stage II valve body and Keas Torque converter installed by a local shop in Perth, gearbox is fairly fresh from a recent build and drove fine on the way to the shop. After valve body and TC was installed During the workshop test drive the auto would’ve shift out of 1st.
called...
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