Auto to 5 Speed Swap

Problems, ideas and comments specific to engine swaps.
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KaipoDa510
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Auto to 5 Speed Swap

Post by KaipoDa510 »

Hey everyone,
I am doing a swap on my 69 510. Going from auto to a 5 speed dog leg from a 79 200SX
If anyone out there has ever done this and has some sort of checklist,it would be greatly appreciated if you could send it my way. I think I have all bases covered but there is always that one minor detail that could delay things.
Thank you.
There is no feeling like driving a Datsun!!
datzenmike
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Re: Auto to 5 Speed Swap

Post by datzenmike »

Parts needed:

*Clutch arm: may come on replacement transmission, if not you will need one

*200mm flywheel: Get a used one. Has to be a 5 bolt to fit your 510. They were also used on the 521 and early 620 trucks with L16 motor and any L18 cars. If well worn, scored or lightly grooved, have machine shop surface it.

*510 clutch and brake pedal: The clutch pedal will not fit beside the larger automatic brake pedal so replace both or be ready to modify it. With the clutch pedal, be sure to get the master cylinder push rod, springs, clips and any bolts that are used to mount it/them.

Clutch master cylinder: Buy a new one, they are cheap.

Slave cylinder (and hard line between): Same as above and make your own hard line. Replacement tranny may still have one on it.

New pilot bushing: An automatic engine won't have one so put a new one in. About $5 at dealer.

New release bearing: High wear item. If replacement tranny has one on it, remove bearing part from the housing that clips it to the clutch arm and throw away and get new one.

New pressure plate and clutch disc assy: High wear item. Buy a new one. May come with new release bearing and housing and plastic clutch alignment tool as a kit!

All these (*) parts can be collected from other forum members or on line, the rest should be bought new.



Before mounting the flywheel be sure the spacer that was sandwiched between the flex plate and the end of the crank shaft end was/is removed. The spacer looks like this, but 5 bolt holes:

Image


When removed looks like this. It may really be on there, so be prepared to pry it off. You can just see the bronze pilot bushing in the hole in the end of the crank shaft. An automatic motor won't have this, you have to tap one in to get it started and then place a block of wood over it and hammer home.

Image

Don't forget the engine/transmission spacer plate. It goes on before the flywheel. :oops:
"Nissan 'shit the bed' when they made these, plain and simple." McShagger510 on flattop SUs
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KaipoDa510
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Re: Auto to 5 Speed Swap

Post by KaipoDa510 »

Hey Mike,
Thanks so much for this list.
I think I am almost there except that I am not sure about what Master and slave cylinders I should get.
Do I get a 510 set or a 200SX set? They should be a set, right?
And the hose, I want to have a flexible stainless hose made up with the right fittings.
what do you think about that? The shot tranny that came with the L16 motor I bought in Cambridge, remember that one? Well that came with a fairly new clutch kit that I will be using. to be safe i will only replace the bearing and use everything else as the tranny I bought is the same as this one.
This motor came with a match box dizzy. I will also use that one.
Now, the coil, do I replace it? that one that was in there had a ballast resistor, but according to some guys on Ratsun it should not have a resistor. Can I go with just the coil and wire it up?
or do I upgrade to a different coil?
Sorry for all the questions, but I know you know this stuff really well.
Thanks,
Enrique
There is no feeling like driving a Datsun!!
datzenmike
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Re: Auto to 5 Speed Swap

Post by datzenmike »

KaipoDa510 wrote:Hey Mike,
Thanks so much for this list.
I think I am almost there except that I am not sure about what Master and slave cylinders I should get.
Do I get a 510 set or a 200SX set? They should be a set, right?
And the hose, I want to have a flexible stainless hose made up with the right fittings.
what do you think about that? The shot tranny that came with the L16 motor I bought in Cambridge, remember that one? Well that came with a fairly new clutch kit that I will be using. to be safe i will only replace the bearing and use everything else as the tranny I bought is the same as this one.
This motor came with a match box dizzy. I will also use that one.
Now, the coil, do I replace it? that one that was in there had a ballast resistor, but according to some guys on Ratsun it should not have a resistor. Can I go with just the coil and wire it up?
or do I upgrade to a different coil?
Sorry for all the questions, but I know you know this stuff really well.
Thanks,
Enrique

Hey Enrique!

I would buy the 200sx set (probably the same as the 510 but...)

As for the matchbox dizzy:
It will work on any 4cyl L series motors. You can run it with the stock coil if, you keep and use the ballast resistor. But this only makes it a breakerless ignition and does not increase voltage. To make full use of the higher voltage available with this system, remove the stock coil and ballast resister and use a coil from a stock EI dizzy set up, or pretty much any coil after '78 from any Nissan car. Use good quality wires, cap and rotor because of the increased voltage. You should increase the plug gap to around 0.038" to 0.042" too because of the higher voltage and provide a longer length spark.

Here's how it's wired, and no, you don't need a lightning bolt, super duper blaster, wing ding coil. Any EI coil is fine. Spend the money saved on some new wires.

Image
"Nissan 'shit the bed' when they made these, plain and simple." McShagger510 on flattop SUs
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KaipoDa510
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Re: Auto to 5 Speed Swap

Post by KaipoDa510 »

Hey thanks Mike,
I had just come across this write up earlier tonight.
So, if I run this set up, what plugs do you recommend I use.

Could I run the stock coil without the ballast?
What would the wiring diagram look like with the ballast?

Here's a little something for your enjoyment!!! from Zcon09


Image

Image
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KaipoDa510
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Re: Auto to 5 Speed Swap

Post by KaipoDa510 »

One question:
For anybody who has used a 5 speed dog leg from a 200SX, is the reverse light switch normally so tight up against the tunnel?
What do you suggest? I have tried to sort of make a divot to allow a bit more room.
Any other suggestions?
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okayfine
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Re: Auto to 5 Speed Swap

Post by okayfine »

Bigger divot. There isn't really a lot of motion side-to-side at the tranny, so you just need clearance so the wires on the end of the sensor don't get damaged.
Because when you spend a silly amount of money on a silly, trivial thing that will help you not one jot, you are demonstrating that you have a soul and a heart and that you are the sort of person who has no time for Which? magazine. – Jeremy Clarkson
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KaipoDa510
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Re: Auto to 5 Speed Swap

Post by KaipoDa510 »

I like your style okayfine..... but is there maybe a smaller switch?
Just a thought.
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okayfine
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Re: Auto to 5 Speed Swap

Post by okayfine »

No, same switches for the most part. In fact, to get around the connector issue I reused my 1969 L-series 3-speed manual transmission reverse position sensor in my '92 SR20DE 5-speed transmission. Other than the connectors (bullets in the 3-speed case versus a two-prong T plug in the SR case) they were the same.

You shouldn't need a BIG divot, just enough to clear the sensor end by 3mm or so.
Because when you spend a silly amount of money on a silly, trivial thing that will help you not one jot, you are demonstrating that you have a soul and a heart and that you are the sort of person who has no time for Which? magazine. – Jeremy Clarkson
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GREG510
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Re: Auto to 5 Speed Swap

Post by GREG510 »

KaipoDa510
Don`t forget to bypass the NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH !!! I just made a jumper to
connect the two black with yellow stripe wires.
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qwik510
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Re: Auto to 5 Speed Swap

Post by qwik510 »

okayfine wrote:Bigger divot. There isn't really a lot of motion side-to-side at the tranny, so you just need clearance so the wires on the end of the sensor don't get damaged.
I don't recall having to clearance the tunnel for the switch.

I know that you need to use spacers between the body and the stock 510 trans crossmember to set the tail shaft of the dogleg trans at the correct angle to keep it in line with the diff. You can't just bolt it up without spacers. If you do, the tailshaft will be too high up and cause issues with the driveshaft u joints.
Enjoy The Ride!
David
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KaipoDa510
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Re: Auto to 5 Speed Swap

Post by KaipoDa510 »

Thanks to everyone for the advice.
I will definitely look into all this.

I did not use spacers either and i had not thought about the neutral safety switch.
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Three B's Racing
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Re: Auto to 5 Speed Swap

Post by Three B's Racing »

Drive shaft phasing whew!! you really need to check out this website guys.

http://www.clubfte.com/users/jniolon/dr ... asing.html
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qwik510
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Re: Auto to 5 Speed Swap

Post by qwik510 »

Three B's Racing wrote:Drive shaft phasing whew!! you really need to check out this website guys.

http://www.clubfte.com/users/jniolon/dr ... asing.html
Exactly what I was saying. When you mount the dogelg without using spacers, you set up the tailsahaft at an angle exactly opposite of this:
Image

The tailshaft of the trans will be pointing up towards the trans tunnel.

I don't have my dogelg equipped 510 here to look at now (away in winter storage) but I think we used 3/4" spacers.
Enjoy The Ride!
David
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defdes
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Re: Auto to 5 Speed Swap

Post by defdes »

Three B's Racing wrote:Drive shaft phasing whew!! you really need to check out this website guys.

http://www.clubfte.com/users/jniolon/dr ... asing.html
Great information.
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