99 PSD Auto 4x4 to 2WD ZF5 Swap

1983idi

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Ok so I have done a ton of searching before posting this so please don't bash me if the info is out there I just missed it. Would be great if this swap had been done and documented before but I can't seem to find anything out there. I am going to try and document this as well as I can. If this actually works it can really save some guys a bunch of money that want to go from auto to manual but dont have thousands to spend on a transmission set-up.

I have a 99 7.3 PSD with the 4R100. Trans is out and its going to cost 2500 or so for a rebuild. I was looking at a ZF6 swap which was about 2800 when I added the cost up. Not bad BUT i stumbled across a ZF5 2WD truck in the junkyard when getting other parts and pulled it out. Cost me 150 bucks. So to swap the ZF5 into the powerstroke truck I think I have it mostly figured out except for the pcm.

PCM Swap- Is this actually needed and why?



Besides that I think I have what I need or know what I need listed below but if something looks wrong please let me know and thanks for any help!


HAVE
-ZF5 2WD Trans
-ZF5 Slave Cylinder & Hydraulic Line
-ZF5 Inspection Cover
-IDI Adaptor/Sandwich Plate
-OBS Cab floor pan for manual trans (I am betting on having to weld/cut/bend this to get it to work in the SD cab)

NEED TO GET
-95-97 PSD Flywheel & Clutch
-99-03 Super Duty Clutch Pedal & Bracket
-99-03 Master Cylinder (Possibly hydraulic line)
-Custom Driveshaft
-Manual PCM (Maybe)
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u2slow

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You really need the 4wd ZF5... it will mate direct to the NV271/273 tcase.

 

1983idi

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You really need the 4wd ZF5... it will mate direct to the NV271/273 tcase.

AH.... I probably should have looked at the transmission for a minute or two and I might have realized that it didn't have a removable tailshaft. I think I'll just go 2wd then. Trying to keep cost down and 4x4 zf5 hard to find and usually cost enough that a zf6 swap would make more sense.

Still needing to know about if the PCM swap in 100% necessary and why it's done so I can decide if thats something i need to do or not.

Thanks for the reply u2slow..... for real tho I2slow.... as i should have figured that out. It's blindingly obvious now.
 

u2slow

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4wd ZF5's are very common around here, so there's cheap ones now again. (Usually from dead or rusted out IDI trucks.) Mine were $100-200. 2wd is tough to find though.

ZF6's cost a fortune as you say - plus you need the matching-spline tcase.
 

greenskeeper

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The auto PCM can be flashed by any tuner to make it work as a manual trans PCM.

You will get a ton of codes for the missing auto transmission sensors, and the engine will act weird around 40mph or so when it's looking for the TC lockup.
 

1983idi

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The auto PCM can be flashed by any tuner to make it work as a manual trans PCM.

You will get a ton of codes for the missing auto transmission sensors, and the engine will act weird around 40mph or so when it's looking for the TC lockup.
Thanks for that info! I also found that some people are saying to change the wiring harness for the swap? Does anyone know if this is necessary? The only things I could see needing to be re-wired would be the reverse switch and the neutral safety switch changed to a clutch switch. But i'm not sure if a zf6 would have any other sensors as I have never dealt with one.
 

greenskeeper

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That's it. I wouldn't even bother with the clutch safety switch IMO.
 

u2slow

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It's a good idea to wire the neutral safety... I was very lucky to not have my knee crushed from a truck starting in gear. I only got pinned between vehicles and very badly bruised.
 

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