VT_Maverick's 5 Speed Swap

[eternal21]

Chopper - I wear size 13's too so I'll be able to give you a good review when I get it back. Here's a picture with the pedals installed; as you can see the manual brake pedal is smaller than the auto brake pedal, so while it might be a little cramped between the clutch and brake it should actually cut down on the number of times I accidentally hit the brake and accelerator together. I agree that a dead pedal would be nice, I'm actually considering replacing our pedals with 350Z aluminum pedals if they fit.

Small space = perfect for heel/toe shifting

[Buffy]

I have completed the wiring. I tested everything out and it all seems to work perfect. I need to bleed the clutch again to make sure all the air is out. It seemed to be a bit soft after I cranked it up and ran it through the gears.

Here is where I routed the new wire harness through the fire wall.



This is the clutch switch. This is where you connect the starter relay (large red & yellow wires on connector)



This is the neutral switch. This is where you connect the cruise wires.



Don't get these two backwards. The clutch switch completes the circuit when you press the clutch allowing the are to start. The neutral switch comletes its circuit by being closed so when you depress the pedal you break the curcuit thus causing the cruise to disengage.

Here are the wiring notes on the wiring harness...

The first picture refers to the blue wire and organge wire with black stripe...







New harness run under the car and connections about to be made...



I wrapped the wire harness with some heat shielding tape to further protect it from heat...

[Buffy]

Completed interior!!

[eternal21]

Reviving this thread, as there are some questions I have now that I'm finishing up:

a) These wires run into the engine bay. Where do they go from there, i.e., where do they connect inside the engine bay?

Here is where I routed the new wire harness through the fire wall.

[bartmanS4]

Mike,

Those wires run back to the transmission mode switch connector M-25. They are for the clutch pedal switch. If I remember correctly their purpose is twofold: 1) the the starter interlock that doesn't allow the starter to engage unless the clutch pedal is fully depressed, and 2) the cruise control will function when the pedal is out and disengage as soon as the pedal is depressed. One of these uses a N.C. and the other uses a N.O. switch position. I wired my VX differently and did not run any wires through the firewall. In my case I left out the starter interlock because I don't care if I can turn it over without depressing the clutch. To do this you must short pins 1 & 4 at M25. However, this does allow the VX to be cranked over while in gear with the clutch engaged. I just don't find it that difficult to make sure I'm in neutral before cranking the engine just like all manuals in the not so old days. As for the cruise control clutch interlock I ran two wires from the clutch switch behind the dash over to the cruise control module behind the passenger kick plate. This was easier and cleaner in my opinion than running wires out the firewall to the transmission mode switch connector.

Send me your email in a PM and I can send you a word doc with useful notes that I created.
Cheers,
Scott

[eternal21]

Mike,
Send me your email in a PM and I can send you a word doc with useful notes that I created.
Cheers,
Scott

Thanks, Scott. I found your post in this thread about all of that and I had to determine which method I wanted to go: clutch pedal down or not when starting the truck. The alarm I'm installing is remote start, so to me, it bypasses the clutch being down anyway, so, I'm going your route.

Since everything else in the garage is a manual, like you, I just make sure I *ALWAYS* make MT transmissions are in neutral prior to starting. PM incoming, and THANK YOU.

Oh, and another thing: in one of your earlier posts you mentioned swapping out the fuel rails. Is this prudent, as I didn't come across a reason for doing so.

[bartmanS4]

Oh, and another thing: in one of your earlier posts you mentioned swapping out the fuel rails. Is this prudent, as I didn't come across a reason for doing so.

Just to be clear, if I said fuel rails I misspoke. I was speaking of the 5 spd tranny fuel lines.

[bartmanS4]

Thanks, Scott. I found your post in this thread about all of that and I had to determine which method I wanted to go: clutch pedal down or not when starting the truck. The alarm I'm installing is remote start, so to me, it bypasses the clutch being down anyway, so, I'm going your route.

Just be careful to never leave you VX in gear! Can you imagine remotely starting a VX that's in 4Lo with 1st gear engaged? Doh! That would be spectacular!

[eternal21]

Just be careful to never leave you VX in gear! Can you imagine remotely starting a VX that's in 4Lo with 1st gear engaged? Doh! That would be spectacular!

Just to be clear, if I said fuel rails I misspoke. I was speaking of the 5 spd tranny fuel lines.

I've had MT vehicles for 20 yrs now, never had that happen ONCE. Thanks for jinxing me *lol*

And I went back and checked, you said "fuel lines" not fuel "rails", so my bad on that one. Yeah, found out that the fuel lines of an auto won't fit, and I had to hose clamp the new lines, just like you mentioned.