I have no idea who to take it to, to get my 5spd swap done. Can someone give me an EXACT list of all the parts i need (Daniel B. Martin) ? And where can i take it. I called Nissan and they had no idea what i was talking about ! lol

 

I think you'll greatly reduce the resale value of you car. You may improve the overall car since a lot of people complain about the Maxima auto tranny after 80,000 miles, but selling a car with a replaced transaxle/tranny makes the car sound like it's got problems. I bought my 97 5-speed for $1,500 less than the auto, I think it's best to just buy a 5-speed stock car...or maybe the 6-speed Maxima.

 

you're be better off just buying a 5spd maxima and selling your car.

 

1) Go on the internet
2) Go to autotrader.com
3) Find a Maxima that you like with a 5-speed
4) Buy it
5) Sell your current Maxima

Alternatively,

1) Go on the internet
2) Go to local dealer's websites
3) Find a Maxima that you like with a 5-speed
4) Trade-in your current Maxima
5) Buy it


The subtle message:

Please don't do this.

 

Man, why is everyone SO Against this. Is it going to hurt my car ? I dont give a **** about my resale value. If I did, I would have never started modifying my car. I want a stick, and I cant sell my car. Ive already put lots of money into my car, and selling it now, there is no point. Whats so bad about this mod ? I really want a 5 speed and I think this is the only way, or just go and wreck my car.

 

It's been done once so I think NOW it's a decent swap. Do a search and try to find that guy who did it and contact him.

Note: I would take great efforts to see if the ecu has to be swapped. From what I remember from that other guy, he doesn't mention it. I would find out.

 

Originally posted by cRedrum


1. It's expensive.
2. It's time consuming.
3. It's complicated.
4. You don't seem to have enough experience to try.
5. It would be cheaper to trade.



Depends on who installs it. But it is a distinct possibility.



That's fine, but there is a good chance the car WON'T run correctly anymore after an inexperienced attempt at a swap.



Looks like you're not getting a stick.

You have thousands to plunk down for the tranny and related hardware but not enough to trade the car and get another one?



Then I guess you're not selling it.



You easily run the risk of destroying your ENTIRE car by making it UNDRIVEABLE if you make ANY kind of mistake. Since you don't seem experienced in swaps, and don't have cash to pay someone who does, it's too much of a risk.

May I suggest finding a nice soft rock to plow into.

Insurance fraud is illegal, BTW.


In conclusion:

Trade your car in for a Maxima 5-speed.

 

Bill. First of all. Im not allowed to sell my car, otherwise i Would for sure. But I dont want to either. Its in great condition, it was well taken care of when I purchased it, and its exactly how I want it (except for auto). Why do I have to have experience in doing swaps ? Also I do have the cash to pay someone who is an expert on this. Why do you assume that I dont, that boggles me because I never mentioned money. This sucks, because its like my dream to have THAT car as a stick, and all anyone does is shoot it down. Do you think that im going to do the swap myself ? NO WAY. I wouldnt even touch it with a 10 foot pole. Im going to pay a professional. All im going to do, is get the parts. Now what is SO wrong with all of this ?

 

Good luck finding someone WILLING to do it...
let alone QUALIFIED...

 

Originally posted by cRedrum


Then I suggest Don's VB upgrade.



I still suggest living with the auto since you are powerless to sell it...



Well, so there is a chance the car will actually run after the swap. I'm just being a realist.



If you have cash to pay for this kind of labor (it ain't gonna cost $200 like you probably theorize), then you have the money to get another car. Saying that you CAN'T sell it makes it sound like you shouldn't contemplate doing anything major to the car anyway.



If you can't trade the car, then money must be a factor.....Yet you don't "control" that. Who does?



Then you should have followed your dream originally and been patient for a 5-speed. It's not my fault you don't have one.



You never really specified.

Nothing is wrong, but you don't seem to have an understanding of the labor cost associated with this. You can't get any "Joe Blow" mechanic to perform this, so that means you have to go to a more "upscale" mechanic. I would be surprised if the labor rate was under $80/hour. And this job would be many hours of installing, fine tuning, etc.

Plus, a real mechanic who does this will know how possible it is and what parts he needs.

 

Im allowed to do anything I want to the car, i just cant sell it. Its my dads. he will not let me sell it because of the good price we got it for. I realize this will be at least a 20 hour job, and i understand how much it will cost okay, that is not a problem !!!!!

 

[squeezes his post in]

Try looking here. Maybe you can drive all the way down to Florida to do the swap.

https://maxima.org/forums/5th-generation-maxima-2000-2003/52951-nead-price-cattman-ss-y-pipe.html

[/squeezes his post in]

 

Originally posted by cRedrum


You're allowed to do anything you want, yet it's your dads? Still



Yet you have the power to do a 5-speed conversion, or are you going to neglect to tell him?

Ok, so:

20 hrs. labor times $80 = $1600
Tranny parts cost (shoots from the hip) $2000

That means you have $3k or $4k laying around.

Trade-in for 97 GLE: $12000 (roughly)

That leaves you with $15 to $16k to find a nice 97 or 98 SE 5-speed.

Financially, that makes a helluva lot more sense.

 

My next "downer" thought revolves around the ECU.......OBD-II could spell trouble.......

 

You know, the problem is, i have had lots of mods done to my car and ive put some cash into it, and I think it is just a total waste to trade it in. Plus, i might have to get the used car inspected, new tags, title, etc and we had a HELL of a time going through that crap. Plus, I have already searched and I cant find an SE exactly how i want it. This seems like the better option to me, and hlh0501 who just successfully had the swap done says its the best thing he has ever done to his car.

 

well. pitty you're all the way on the east coast. if u wer here in so cal. i know of a shop that could do it relatively inexpensive.. something like 2500

i guess i'll tell u all the stuff u need to know when i see u at maxus.

buddddddddddy.

--cheston

 

Give me $4K cash and I'll make it happen.

 

Damn that sucks. How come its so cheap ?

 

here is a thought... just buy an SC... it will be cheaper.

 

Actually It wont. Im going to spend about 15-1600 on parts, and Me and HLH0501 (dude who just swapped his auto for 5spd) Are going to do it probably.

 

nice, make sure to write it up and take lots of pictures... I figure one of two things will happen.

1) We get out own fool just like the acura guy's have their 11 hour CAI install person.

or

2) Lots of people will copy your amazingly cheap 5spd swap.


Good luck

 

if you are gonna switch it up..would it possible to slap in a 6spd????

 

Maybe you should look for a 5 speed maxima that has been T-boned or wrecked from the rear. See if you can buy it and then you will have every possible part in place, the way you'll need it for your car. I really think you'll need the ECU from a 5 speed as well, so finding the whole car is going to be much easier on you.

I definitely think you are wasting your time, and your car will probably suffer from this little mission, but seeing as you are so hell bent on this, have fun.

 

Heh heh. Well, he is going to post HIS write up sometime this week, and we are just going to use his. I think this is probably one of the best options, because he just did it a week ago, dont you guys think ?

 

No.

 

Well of course YOU would say that.

 

Bill, what do you think about a 5spd automatic???

 

5spd swap= You will go to hell.

 

Show me where I implied that.

My underlying opinion is that it will be more $$$$ and time than it's worth. Plus, if you did it as a "fun" weekend project, you would probably screw something up because of time constraints......

 

And my opinion is it is worth the money because i can get a good price, I dont have to trade my car in, and it is worth it because i REALLY REALLY REALLY want a 5spd.

 

Then why was it necessary to post:

"5spd swap= You will go to hell"?

 

couple of things to watch out for
1) make sure the tranny u get is a GOOD one. no point installing a blown tranny.
2) u'll need the drive shaft, ecu, tranny, flywheel, clutch. pedals, center console cut out, shifter, shift linkage, gear box, tranny pan, clutch solenoid, the resivor for the clutch fluid, and a few misc bolts.
3) skimax's conversion went fairly well, and yes. it is much more fun to drive now than it was before.
4) you can sell off ur auto tranny if its still usable for a decent amount, to offset the costs of the swap.
5) Listen to bill. he's right. not worth over a month of no having a car, and the potential problems that might occur down the line.

 

A month, it takes that long ? The dude who just finished his told me it took him all day for a few days. And how do you cut out the center console, dont you just take the dash kit off and remove the auto stuff ?

 

Cheston.. you know im saving up for the day my tranny dies, right?

I also cannot sell my car. Lemme put it this way, my family almost never sells cars off. Even after theyve been hit by DUI fewls, we left the pos on the driveway. (I moved and got my own damn garage) Yes, the car is in my name. Yes, its paid off. My family just doesnt like selling off cars, for a variety of reasons.

A new/rebuild of my tranny would be 1500-2000. For 2500 i can take it to the same guy who did my SC, your sc (cheston), ski's sc, a grip o sc's, and Ski's swap. I'd trust him with my car. (Already did.)

At that point, ill already be w/o the car for god knows how long (no tranny) .. why not spend the extra bit for the manual?

Oh yah.. resale value? You guys crack me up I couldnt even trade in my 97 for a new altima. (i MIGHT be able to if i could sell all my mods & stereo for a decent price) .. Id rather just keep my car forever, till it becomes not worth it to fix. 2500 to keep my car runnin even faster/stronger in the future?

I'm planning on it..

 

Yeah, I read about the Acura CL guy that took 11 hours to do a CAI install, funny as hell.

 

If you are going to do this, fine, but dont try to kid yourself that it will be quick or easy. Once you remove the autoshift, you will have key interlocks and safety measures to bypass, then you will need to fabricate a way to install the 5speed assembly in place. You cant just slap it in, the linkage has to be fairly precise.

You sure you cant convince daddy to let you trade it in for a 5 speed? When I was in High School my old man would have beat my A$$ if I tried to swap a tranny in a perfectly good car, especially with the amount involved in your project. When I swapped in a manual in my 79 pickup, that was one thing, swapping a manual in your 97 is a crapshoot.

 

But one thing that makes me mad is I bought this car with very little money and I am paying for this car slowly. However, many of us do not have the luxury of just "trading" in our Maxima for a newer one or one with and manual in it. So, if the auto tranny is going bad, you need a new one. And since you have to keep the car because you have little money, why not just save up a little more and get the manual. You can do the labor yourself if you have the proper tools (at a garage). I don't want to make anyone mad, I am just saying that some of us "poor" people do not have the option of just trading in our Maxima because some of us do have credit issues to deal with. Also, being 17 and under parents that could give a crap about credit also hurts. So please, before you say "Just trade it in for a manual", think about who you are talking to.

 

Thank you.

 

I kinda get the impression that he is more or less attached to the car than anything else. He mentioned his dad getting the car for a good price. Maybe his dad gave it to him as a gift and there for the value of the car is priceless. I liked my old dodge because it had sentimental value. It was hard to part with and I had a hard time accepting that it wasn't worth the money to keep on having it fix. Now I have my Maxima and I love it even if it's an auto. I'm sure i'll feel the same about my Maxima as I did my shadow. Anyways maybe that is why he would rather do the swap. I would just try to find a 5 speed, but it's his money, his dream, his Maxima. Good luck to him

 

Originally posted by Ramius83


Yet, if you have $2k+ laying around for a swap, then in this case trading for a 95 or 96 5-speed isn't out of the realm of possibility.



Not applicable to this case here, but a good point.



To all newbies reading this:

This isn't easy and can't be done "in a weekend" unless you are REAL experienced in this.



Then a 5-speed conversion or trade shouldn't even be a possibility because of $$$ issues, but rather getting yourself out of debt should be. This topic actually surrounds a bigger issue: Wanting what we can't have because we didn't make a patient decision in the first place.

I have. The same 17 year old shouldn't be doing this swap unless they have several grand laying around, have at least a week to do nothing but the swap, and have at least one well trained mechanic to assist (that's optional, as it's possible the same 17 year old was born with a wrench in their mouth).

This is not a flame, but a statement of reality. Sometimes we don't/can't get what we want. When we force the issue and don't exercise patience, that's when the REAL mistakes occur.