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5 Speed Conversion (RENIX)

Ted Young

NAXJA Forum User
Location
NJ
I'm looking to convert an '89 4.0 XJ to a 5 speed using a '90 4.0 5 speed donor car (AX-15).

Do I have to put the whole '90 wiring harness in the '89, or can I just swap the computer, TPS, trans, and pedals/hydraulic clutch parts, clutch, flywheel and pressure plate from the '90 over the the '89?

I know the autos have extra stuff in the harness for the trans control unit and I'm not sure if the 5 speed and auto main wiring harnesses are, infact, different.

Thank you for your help.
 
the only electronics on the ax15 is the shift light and who really needs that but every thing should work it might even plug in I think the clutch stuff is all the same but not 100% you can prolly just swap trans. but while your in there you might as well do the clutch.
 
mjdavis31 said:
the only electronics on the ax15 is the shift light and who really needs that but every thing should work it might even plug in I think the clutch stuff is all the same but not 100% you can prolly just swap trans. but while your in there you might as well do the clutch.

me thinks he'll most definitely have to do the clutch-- as he's going from an auto to a manual:eeks1:
 
Electronically, the only difference on the engine proper is the TPS - and you don't even have to swap that until it fails later (you use the three-pole plug for the manual, and the four-pole plug can be ignored or just left put.)

The transmission controller is on the backside of the bottom dash trim under the glove box & cargo area, so you can disconnect that. You'll also have to bypass the NSS connection (can't remember which terminals to jump offhand, but it can be looked up fairly quickly if you've an FSM...) so you can start the thing, but you'll be fine otherwise.

Take the clutch and brake pedal from the donor rig - you'll need to swap the brake pedal as well.

The shifter stuff should be fairly obvious. I think there's a blanking plate in the transmission tunnel that closes off where the shifter for a manual would go - if it's rivetted in, just drill out the rivets. A small bit - ~1/8", I think - should serve.

If you're putting in an AX-15, you'll need to bear in mind two things:

1) You've probably got your crossmember in the front set of framerail holes. You'll use the rear for the AX-15 - if those holes are stripped out (they have threaded inserts, but they can rust away...) you'll need to cut "access ports" in the framerail so you can use nuts and washers on the bolts.

2) Depending on when your 1989 body was made, you may have to extend the hole in the transmission tunnel to the rear of the body. Early unibodies would have been set up for the Peugeot that year, which has the shift tower farther forward. As I recall, you need to extend the shift tower hole about two inches toward the rear of the vehicle - takes a few seconds with an angle grinder.

Even though you're not swapping "Peugeot to AX-15," you may find information in this thread useful - http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=70388. Read it over, and you'll get some more ideas to check into before you dig into the swap, I think.
 
Thanks, 5-90. What is the "NSS" - neutral safety switch? I have 1990 FSMs. Do you know where to look on the '89 to determine if its late or early production?

The '90 donor vehicle is complete and running, it was my daily driver until someone ran a red light and crushed the driver's side doors and quarter panel.


5-90 said:
Electronically, the only difference on the engine proper is the TPS - and you don't even have to swap that until it fails later (you use the three-pole plug for the manual, and the four-pole plug can be ignored or just left put.)

The transmission controller is on the backside of the bottom dash trim under the glove box & cargo area, so you can disconnect that. You'll also have to bypass the NSS connection (can't remember which terminals to jump offhand, but it can be looked up fairly quickly if you've an FSM...) so you can start the thing, but you'll be fine otherwise.

Take the clutch and brake pedal from the donor rig - you'll need to swap the brake pedal as well.

The shifter stuff should be fairly obvious. I think there's a blanking plate in the transmission tunnel that closes off where the shifter for a manual would go - if it's rivetted in, just drill out the rivets. A small bit - ~1/8", I think - should serve.

If you're putting in an AX-15, you'll need to bear in mind two things:

1) You've probably got your crossmember in the front set of framerail holes. You'll use the rear for the AX-15 - if those holes are stripped out (they have threaded inserts, but they can rust away...) you'll need to cut "access ports" in the framerail so you can use nuts and washers on the bolts.

2) Depending on when your 1989 body was made, you may have to extend the hole in the transmission tunnel to the rear of the body. Early unibodies would have been set up for the Peugeot that year, which has the shift tower farther forward. As I recall, you need to extend the shift tower hole about two inches toward the rear of the vehicle - takes a few seconds with an angle grinder.

Even though you're not swapping "Peugeot to AX-15," you may find information in this thread useful - http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=70388. Read it over, and you'll get some more ideas to check into before you dig into the swap, I think.
 
Last edited:
NSS = Neutral Safety Switch (it's a fan-shaped dingus on the passenger side of the transmission. If you've not got plans for it, I'd like to try to talk you out of it...)

Check in the driver's side door jamb for a label - up top of that label somewhere, it should tell you the month and year your rig was made. I believe the cutoff for "early" vice "late" was August. Either way, you'll know as soon as you have the hole opened up and the transmission mounted under it. Block off the shift tower hole with masking tape before you start cutting, so you don't get metal filings in the transmission case. Use two layers, and don't overlap the "seams" between pieces of tape.

Electrically speaking, the 1989 and 1990 rigs are very nearly identical, so your 1990FSM should cover both handily.
 
No need to swap the ECM. Just rip out the TCM, unplug the two tranny wiring harnessed up on the firewall, splice in for the reverse light. You'll need to either jumper the two pins on the NSS connector for the starter or add the ground at the relay. You can swap the TPS out, pull the power/cruise switch, and remove the wiring to the brake pedal switch if you're looking to clean up the extra wiring.

You'll probably need to swap the xfer case as well since it's a different spline count. The shift linkage is 3" shorter on the AX15 setup and the bracket on the body-side has it's holes drilled 2" further after than the AW4. Might be easier to swap that little bracket over that redrill. Either way, check it beforehand as it's more difficult to redrill it with the tranny in the way (btdt). Rear driveshaft will have to swap as well. The front might be ok, considering the lift, but make sure you have room for it to compress.
 
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