annoyingrob

So I bought a W56 several years ago with intentions of swapping out the A340H in my 86 turbo, but never got around to it. Fast forward to about a month ago, and my auto started making terrible screeching noises during 2-3 shift. It was just the motivation I needed to finally do the swap. It took a lot longer than expected mainly due to finding parts. The clutch fork I had out of my W50 didn't work in the W56, so that set me back a few weeks trying to track a new fork down, and my master/slave/hard line that I had lying around mysteriously diappeared (I have this funny feeling I threw it out).

Long story short, I got it mostly done last night and took the truck for a spin. I still need to wire up the reverse lights and 4wd indicator, as well as re-install the front drive shaft, but other than that it's complete. The truck's a heck of a lot more responsive now with the W56 over the A340H, it's so much fun to drive.

Things I've learned:
- Driveshafts and transmission crossmember are the same. Transmission mount ( the rubber part ) is not
- the lower bellhousing mounting brackets are NOT the same. The auto had one of the holes threaded where the manual ones weren't threaded at all. In a pinch you could drill out the auto ones, but grabbing ones off of a manual engine are easy.
- The auto pedal assembly makes an excellent template to trace on the firewall before you remove it so you know where to drill for the clutch master.
- Drilling the firewall requires removing a lot of the dash to get clearance for the drill, but other than that it's really painless and simple.
- Plasma cutters make cutting the transmission tunnel a piece of cake.
- From what I can tell, the rear section of the center console is longer on the auto than the manual. I can't fit the old center console between the seats with the new front center console piece that fits around the shifters. Oh well, time to hit PnP again.
- Lifting the whole transmission, transfer case, crossmember assembly up into the truck to mount it is a pain to do by yourself
- My 18v cordless Milwaukee impact is a life-saver for bolting/un-bolting the transmission crossmember.

All-in-all, the swap was pretty straight-forward and easy to do. I'm just kicking myself for taking so long to get around to it now.

ChefYota4x4

iTrader: (5)

Hey Rob, congratz!

Curious... Did you try to find an R151F? (Turbo Manual Trans)? I KNOW, ..... RIDICULOUSLY expensive and hard to find... just curious. NOT that the W56 is a bad trans... Mine has lasted 280K and is JUST starting to bug me enough with it's 'GRRRRRRRRRRT' into 4th to make me really wanna get on it and swap a new one in/rebuild this one/rebuild another one.... I'd love to do an R151F swap... but just can't find one! (lil lower 1st Gear and maybe a bit stronger, from what I've read on it).

PS> The Clutch Master install section; It was still too tight to use a right angle drill and shorty bit? I've had to get one of each to deal with a Heli-coil on the rear exhaust studs......now another one is giving up the ghost! haha...

annoyingrob

I don't have a right-angle drill, but that would probably fit no problem Now that I think about it, if I tried running the drill bit in my impact it might have worked too, it's a few inches shorter than my drill.

I tried looking for a R151f, but I couldn't find any for < $600. Eventually I caved, and figured the W56 would be good enough. Plus, I actually have a 7M-GE ready to go into the truck in the future, and it's painfully simple to bolt that to a W56.

ChefYota4x4

iTrader: (5)

Really? Hmmmmmmm, now I'm rethinking my 1UZ or 3RZ swap and thinking, "7MGTE" might be a winner-winner-chicken dinner! hahaha. I know, lots of fitment issues... but WOW, I LOVED that motor in my Cressida! VERY mod'able, too! And not TOO bad on the mileage, either. (of course, that was A LOT lighter, but still... THE POWER, AHHHHHHH! )

Too bad you're so far.... maybe we could have a 'SWAPATHON'! lol.

annoyingrob

Not that it's related to the original thread but....

Non-turbo 7M Supras and all 5M Supras ran W58 transmissions. You can simply swap a W58 bellhousing onto a W56, and bolt up a 7M. 5M upper motor mounts will bolt up to a 7M block, and to the 22R frame mounts basically making the 7M bolt-in with the appropriate oil pan (5M or 7M, I can't remember).

The only real issue is the clutch fan.

ChefYota4x4

iTrader: (5)

So...........is E-Fan a Solution? AC an issue? (SORRY< I'll leave it at that) hahaha....

VERY HAPPY FOR YOU, no kidding... I KNOW what it's like to swap in a manual. Did it on my 79 GMC 4WD Shortbed. Went from an auto to a 4Spd Muncie trans... WOW, what a HUGE improvement! (TO ME< anyhow.... many still prefer Auto's in Big Trucks for 4WD...but I've/I'd MOSTLY had Manuals, and just totally prefer the 'FEEL' of having more control. ALSO.... I got better mileage in my Chevy after that swap, NO DOUBT! Notice any mileage gains? 2MPG or so maybe? hehe.

annoyingrob

Yeah, an e-fan in front of the rad would clear up any issues.

This is the only automatic vehicle I've ever owned, I missed having a stick shift when driving it. I've only driven it like 6 miles since I finished the swap last night, so I can't tell you what the mileage is

It should be a heck of a lot better on gas than it was. 4.10 gears + 33" tires + one of the most parasitic autos toyota ever put in their vehicles made for one for one slow unhappy motor.

ChefYota4x4

iTrader: (5)

Yeah, it's bizarre.... My buddy wanted a turbo runner... so I found him an 86, freshly rebuilt by my favorite builder at the time(retired now), 138K original miles, exhaust, beefed head/intake/CAM/turbo swap(some beefier one) and honestly? IT WAS A PRETTY PEPPY TRUCK, even on the hills.... BUT SERIOUSLY... WHEN HE swapped in an R151F(had it done)...... HOLY CRAPOLI! The thing came alive! Especially when 4WD'ing up steeper stuff

Can't wait to see the mileage, Rob.... Enjoy!

Vang530

Bookmarked. Funny enough my 2-3 shift screeches on my A340H too lol... it also hunted through gears constantly uphill. I just gotta save up and find me a W56! I'm relieved to hear that the stock driveshafts work.

annoyingrob

Here, I'll give you a quick parts-list of things you need then:

- Manual transmission (duh) with bellhousing, transmission mount, shift fork
- clutch and pressure plate ( not a bad idea to buy new if you're in there anyways )
- flywheel off of a manual motor
- buy new throwout bearing and pilot bearing
- pedal assembly out of a manual truck / 4runner
- clutch master, slave, hard line
- lower bellhousing brackets off of a manual transmission motor (or drill out the autos)
- a lot of the various bellhousing bolts from the manual motor are needed as well, a lot of the auto bolts don't quite work ( too short ). It you're a Toyota guy, you probably have a box full of extra bolts anyways.
- Interior center console from a manual vehicle unless you want to look really ugly.

Vang530

Sweeeeet, thanks bro.
Now I'll just have to research about the wiring. I do know about the NSS being jumped, but nothing about the 4WD indicator...
Also did you end up ever swapping to an SR5 cluster gauge? Mine doesn't have a tach so I had to buy a tachometer and I've heard its easier to put it in manuals than it is autos (due to the ECT/PWR/AT Temp lights)... if so I'll also be picking one of those up too while I'm swapping it. Thanks again.

Furrunner

Im trying to do the same swap i just need to gather up the parts. i have an 87' Turbo 4runner & i've done some searching around. a lot of post say that you cant use the same ecu??

Vang530

You can use the same ECU. Anyways I've swapped in a 5speed ECU in my A340H when I was troubleshooting what was wrong with my truck before and vice versa with the Auto ECU. They ran pretty much the same.. it's the Neutral Safety Switch you have to worry about.

spideynut

I was just going to ask what about the Clutch Start Cancel button?

annoyingrob

You can use the same ECU.

there are SOME cars that have SLIGHTLY different timing maps for auto ECUs, but in reality it makes no difference.

I got the neutral start and reverse lights wired last week, they were easy. The 4wd isn't. I haven't figured that out yet. I think the signal goes through the ECT ECU.

There are two connectors to the tranny, one with 3 wires, and one with 6. The 3-wire connector has a large white, a large black, and a small blue. If you connect the large black and white wires together, you get your neutral start. This of course eliminates the need for a clutch cancel button, as you aren't even hooking up the cutch switch. If you connect the small blue wire and the small black wire from the other plug to your reverse switch you get your reverse lights.

annoyingrob

The turbo trucks are a step "up" from an SR5 truck. They have all the SR5 trim plus a little more (like nicer door panels). The cluster already had a tach in it.

Utah4Runner86

iTrader: (1)

So I just looked it up, and a 7MGE long block is about a grand cheaper than a 5VZE, and running a w56 would make it $600 cheaper to go duals. I'm suddenly intrigued.

annoyingrob

I replaced the clutch master last night, and replaced the clutch slave last week. The clutch feels good, and the transmission is going into gears much nicer than it was before, and engaging much better.. BUT..... It grinds going into reverse every time. The clutch might not be dis-engaging completely? It's been bled, and pretty much every part I can change has been changed. The next step I can think of is adding some sort of shim between the slave and fork.

ChefYota4x4

iTrader: (5)

Not sure on the reverse in that trans you got.... But even at 100K, when I got my rig(Now 280K or so).... It ground going into reverse on the W56 unless I put it in 1st, and THEN into reverse.

Post up if you try the shim

XtraSlow_XtraCab

Most. Convenient. Tool. Ever. I tore my A/C evaporator out last night in... no joke, 10 minutes.

Working around the Runner's engine bay with one of them? Priceless.