auto to 5 speed swap? want your opinion

[judgesblind]

I've got a 97 ECLB with the E40D. The truck currently has ~210,000 miles on it with the factory tranny. I haven't had any problems with the transmission even with loads up to 16,000 lbs in tow. I went to a junk yard today to pull a couple interior parts to my truck and found a '96 CCLB dually with all the parts I would need to do a 5 speed swap. I understand that i would either have to find a driveshaft or have one made and also get a new clutch but besides that everything is there. The guy said he would sell me everything for about $550. My thought is to just buy everything and put it in my shop until my tranny blows and then do the swap. I'd like any and all input that yall have and especially from yall that have done it.
Thanks for reading.

[95_Powerstroke]

Originally Posted by judgesblind

I've got a 97 ECLB with the E40D. The truck currently has ~210,000 miles on it with the factory tranny. I haven't had any problems with the transmission even with loads up to 16,000 lbs in tow. I went to a junk yard today to pull a couple interior parts to my truck and found a '96 CCLB dually with all the parts I would need to do a 5 speed swap. I understand that i would either have to find a driveshaft or have one made and also get a new clutch but besides that everything is there. The guy said he would sell me everything for about $550. My thought is to just buy everything and put it in my shop until my tranny blows and then do the swap. I'd like any and all input that yall have and especially from yall that have done it.
Thanks for reading.

I've often thought about doing the same thing with mine since the auto's are so expensive to rebuild, and as a nice as a BTS would be, $4,500 is a lot of money for me. As long as you can get one parts truck with everything you need for a good price, go for it. If you go around buying parts seperately, you'll nickle and dime yourself to death imo, bringing you up to the cost of a built auto. My biggest problem is I can't find a good deal on a parts rig, so in the mean time I'll just keep saving up for one or the other. That seems like a fairr price to me, though, although I am not a transmission expert in the least.

[backwoodsboy]

Is the donor truck a 7.3?

[judgesblind]

Originally Posted by backwoodsboy

Is the donor truck a 7.3?

Yes it is. The only difference is that the manufacture date is 04/96 vs mine which is an 03/97. And its a CCLB dually vs mine, a ECLB SRW.

[95_Powerstroke]

is your truck two or four wheel drive?

[judgesblind]

Both are two wheel

[backwoodsboy]

Make sure you grab the PCM. This will save you having to reflash yours. An auto PCM will run a manual, but there are issues with rough idle and throttle response.
Other than that it should be fairly straight forward.

[judgesblind]

Ok thanks for the info. I had no idea about that. Are there any other electronic things that will need to be changed out. Also if I change out the gauge clusters will the mileage read what is on my truck or will it be what was on the other?

[backwoodsboy]

Yes. Mileage is stored electronically in the gauge cluster. Ford did not start storing mileage in the PCM until 2003 I believe.

There are a few minor electronic things that need to be swapped out. No harnesses or anything major. I believe there are 4 wires that need to be re-arranged on the gear selection plug in order for the truck to start. Can't remember exactly right now.

[judgesblind]

Ok thanks. Ill try to keep reading up on the threads that people have done about the swap