How to Convert to T5 (Part 2, Install Manual) *56k Warning*

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Part 1 is removal of the auto. Part 2 (this one) is the installation of the manual, and getting it driveable. Part 3 covers the finishing touches, like killing that thermofan and stopping the fault codes, and limp home mode.

Part 2: Installing the Manual.

Step 1: Arrange goodies.

So after you have removed the automatic, the parts not attached to the car should include an auto, a flex plate, a shifter, some interior plastics, a tailshaft, and a pair of trans cooler lines. The parts to go in should include a gearbox, clutch/flywheel assembly, a manual wiring loom (easily made from an auto loom if you don’t have it), a pedal (and pin), clutch cable, and once again a tailshaft. It doesn’t hurt to remove the bellhousing from the transmission now too.



Step 2: Install pedal

After making up a pin that looks like this (or sending away for a pin kit from Mal Wood in Warwick) you should bolt that into your pedal box in a hole next to where the brake pedal pin is. You can now install the pedal itself, remembering to install the nylon bush. The clutch cable simply pokes through the firewall near the brake booster (it has a tube on it, you will recognise it) and comes out near the pedal. The other end of the cable hooks into that elongated d clip that goes on the pedal, the hard bushes will need to come out for this. After the cable is in the clip, the bushes are re inserted into the clip and then it is slid onto the pedal. The R clip from the gearbox end of the shifter relay rod fits nicely to hold the whole lot in place.







Step 3: Clutch and flywheel installation.

First up inspect them, if they look anything like mine, go over them with a wire wheel (lightly on the clutch, heavy as you desire on the metal), then go over everything with sandpaper. If you can close your eyes and feel the rusty spots, sand some more. After they feel smooth, they are ready.





The spigot bearing is a snap to install. Get a socket the same (or slightly smaller) as the outside of the bearing. Gently tap the bearing into place in the centre of the crankshaft.

The flywheel can be slid onto the end of the crankshaft, and all the bolts hand tightened. If two don’t go in, it’s ok, just make the two line up (one hole is out on the crank, and another on the flywheel, when they line up, there is no problem) by removing the bolts and spinning the flywheel on the crank. Hold on tight, it’s heavy and has sharp edges. Tighten the bolts fully (I used our ¾ drive rattle gun, but not at full power and not for very long, stripping the crank thread would be a very painful exercise).



Now you can install the pressure plate. The thick side of the clutch centre goes towards the pressure plate, getting this wrong is a bad thing. The pressure plate is now hand tightened. Note that I have an EA/EBI style clutch and flywheel. Ideally you will have an EBII onwards 6 bolt clutch. If you have a spare input shaft, pull it out of the cupboard now, and put it through the clutch into the spigot bearing. I didn’t have one, so I had to line up by eye. I missed (more on the solution later). Tighten the clutch bolts fully.



Step 4: Install Bellhousing.

Now the entire bell housing and everything attached to it, goes on. Start with the 6 bolts that go into the block, these are the same as the auto ones. Then put the two upper bolts that hold the inspection cover on, then reattach the block-bellhousing braces. The starter motor can also be attached. Run the clutch cable behind the drivers engine mount, and underneath the engine, and connect it to the clutch fork. You now have a start-able car. Don’t, under any circumstances, press the clutch pedal, yet.



Step 5: Manual Loom.

Remove your automatic speedo sender, and install it into your manual box, unless you are changing the final drive ratio, in which case keep the speedo sender for that diff (or at the least, the gear, as the gear in an E-Series falcon depends solely on the rear axle ratio). Remove the auto loom. There are two plugs at the back of the manifold, one is round and large, and the other is flat and wide. The manual loom plugs into the flat plug. The plugs at the other end can wait.



Step 6: Install Gearbox.

The fun bit. Remove your spare input shaft now if you didn’t when you did the bellhousing. Also take the shifter extension off the gearbox. Get your jack, and put the gearbox on it, and jack it up to clutch height, with the two bellhousing-gearbox surfaces parallel. If you lined up the clutch properly, pushing the gearbox towards the engine (minor jiggling involved) should result in you being able to re-attach the gearbox and bellhousing. If not (like me), this becomes a painful exercise. My solution was to get a friend to step on the clutch pedal while I did some major jiggling of the gearbox. Only when the input shaft was in the spigot bearing and the first bolt was in was the clutch released. After you have done up the four gearbox-bellhousing bolts, you can now move on to the crossmember. Jack the gearbox up further, and re-use the old crossmember bolts.



Step 7: Tailshaft, and More Wiring.

Push the (same as auto) tailshaft into the rear of the gearbox, and then bolt up the tailshaft. The plugs that we didn’t plug in earlier can now go on. The two plugs that are closest to the engine (ie have shorter wires) go to the switch on top of the gearbox. This is the neutral starter lockout. The other two similar plugs go to the lower switch; this controls the reverse lights. The three-pin plug goes to the speedo sender.

Step 8: Oil

There are a few ways to do this; a plunger type pump is the best. I had to make do with a hose and a funnel. The hose went from the cabin, down beside the shifter, and into the hole half way up the gearbox. A plug that needs a hex key usually occupies this hole. 1.9 litres of Dextron III and 150ml of lubrizol later, your car has gearbox oil.

Step 9: Interior.

Reinstall everything you removed in Part 1, except the auto shifter surround. You can now re-attach the shifter extension. Adjust the clutch too, by pulling on the cable at the firewall end and turning the nut. Ideal hight is brake pedal hight, if not slightly higher.

You can now lower the car, and re-install the battery. The car is now driveable again, but in limp home mode. No extra lights will be on the dash, and the economy light will never be seen again (except on key-on, for about a ¼ of a second).



Part 3 will cover limp home mode, shift boot installation, and some other electricals. There is now no more greasy work.