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97 trooper MUA5 swap questions

16K views 55 replies 8 participants last post by  mudoilngears 
#1 ·
I'm in the middle of pulling the 4L30E from my 1997 trooper in order to swap in an MUA5. I have a few questions I hope someone can help with.

I separated the tcase from the trans, but it hits the exhaust crossover before it gets off the trans. Is there any sort of a trick or do you have to remove the exhaust to get the tcase off?

I've also seen people having check engine codes for the torque converter after the swap. Can this be bypassed by leaving the selector switch in neutral and leaving it plugged in, and then just zip tie it up out of the way somewhere?

Should I have gotten the exhaust off the donor vehicle? I think it's since gone to the scrap yard, so I may have to get a new one made.

Thanks in advance
 
#2 ·
Can't say for sure on a second gen, but on a first gen with auto to manual almost EVERYTHING under needs to be swapped. The 4L30E is LONGER than an MUA5 so driveshafts, (on mine) exhaust crossover, and the crossmember had to be moved. Dennis
 
#4 ·
DSUZU said:
Can't say for sure on a second gen, but on a first gen with auto to manual almost EVERYTHING under needs to be swapped. The 4L30E is LONGER than an MUA5 so driveshafts, (on mine) exhaust crossover, and the crossmember had to be moved. Dennis
Noted. Thank you. The donor car is gone so I'll have to fab a new crossover myself I guess. I have everything else though.
 
#5 ·
mudoilngears said:
Just out of curiosity. What are you removing the transfer case for?
So the transmission weighs less and isn't trying to roll so much when i pull it out. That's all.

In a future day it would be neat to look at everything and see if there was a way to double case it using the soon to be spare transfer case, but that would be a huge undertaking.
 
#6 ·
Yes. On dropping the automatic tranny, it is much easier removing the transfer case first, and then the main transmission. The transfer case causes an off balance situation and if you don't have an actual transmission jack / cradle, it can be dangerous. Dennis
 
#7 ·
DSUZU said:
Can't say for sure on a second gen, but on a first gen with auto to manual almost EVERYTHING under needs to be swapped. The 4L30E is LONGER than an MUA5 so driveshafts, (on mine) exhaust crossover, and the crossmember had to be moved. Dennis
Now that I'm thinking more about this, I'm hoping the existing exhaust will be OK since it is further back, it should go over the drive shaft just like it does with an automatic and not be an issue. Though for a minute I was considering dual exhaust just for fun. Might still replace the muffler while I'm in there.
 
#8 ·
I had started working on a dual exhaust for my 1994 Trooper. I had basically taken a left side tail pipe, cut it along each necessary joint and re-welded it configured for the right side. I had started figuring for the run of the exhaust manifold to muffler pipe and ran into complications with fuel filter and (brake components?) IIRC. Never finished the dual conversion.
On the first gens, there were like 4 sections to the V6 exhaust, and (again IIRC) 3 of them had to be swapped. The first gen had a "T" shaped piece that crossed over BEHIND the transfer case for the manuals. The first gens had the crossover directly under the transmission pan (what were they thinking! :roll: )
I don't remember everything about the second gen (my 1994) crossover, but the front exhaust seemed to be about 5 pieces and they were like noodles. While you are at it, consider removing the restrictors from your down pipes (right behind the manifolds). Dennis
 
#10 ·
No, it appears yours is missing the plate (dust shield). You have to remove the bolts from the front. There is a very narrow "access area" that is at the passenger side if you rotate so that the bolt is just off the edge of the oil pan (IIRC, it's been a while). Another option is remove the starter. The bolts are very difficult to get to and a "flat" 17mm is required. Some of us heated and straightened a 17mm wrench for this purpose. Even with that, you only get about a half turn at a time. Dennis
 
#11 ·
[BBvideo 560,340:3960pvph]https://youtu.be/g5MXj3AxIto[/BBvideo]

[BBvideo 560,340:3960pvph]https://youtu.be/Jg6g1mCPch8[/BBvideo]

Ok, I do have that plate, but I can't get it out. I removed the starter but with that plate still in the way I can't see anything but the teeth on the flywheel through the starter hole in the plate. Do i just need to break the rest of the bellhousing bolts loose?

Attempting to do it from underneath I can see the bolts, but the open end won't do it, and the box end won't fit...

Any tips or tricks? I'm completely lost here...

Thanks again
 
#12 ·
Ok, so I finally figured it out. First off, the plate on mine can't come out until you completely remove the bellhousing bolts because there is a tab that sticks into the bellhousing far enough so that even when it's totally loose and free to move, it can't get enough clearance to come out.

Because of this, accessing the bolts through the opening for the starter is not possible. I'm not sure what other tests share this problem.

I found this thread that helped some :
https://www.planetisuzoo.com/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=67177

And decided to make my own wrench. So I ground a 17mm socket way down, welded it to a long handle wrench, and then kept grinding until it fit. I can only get the tq converter bolts when they are at bottom dead center, but once they are there it's no sweat.
 
#17 ·
Ok, trying to get the wiring sorted out and could use a little help here as well...
Speedometer:
The speedo connector is almost the exact same, I'm pretty sure it will just plug right in, it did in the Amigo MT swap thread.

4WD:
In the amigo swap thread, John says

[tab=30]"The speedo and 4wd indicator switches use the same plugs from the auto harness so no wiring needed there. "

Looking at the connectors on the tcase for the 4l30e, it looks like these are the connectors on the harness for the 4wd switch:
[IMG=left]https://i.imgur.com/OQ9BQmc.jpg[/IMG]
Is the sensor the same on the 4l30E Tcase such that I can swap the whole sensor out? Or should I cut off these connectors on the harness and put on a weatherpack connector? I think it's not the same and I have to do the latter, but if the sensor does swap and the leads look in good connection then I'd rather stay with the OEM fit.
[IMG=left]https://imgur.com/GqfEiwA.jpg[/IMG]

Reverse:
This is where I'm unsure of things. In the amigo thread John says:
[tab=30]"Now you will have to cut 4 wires off the mode selector switch to wire up your reverse lights and your clutch safety switch (if you use one). There is a white/green wire and a red/yellow wire, those 2 are for your reverse lights. You can wire them to the reverse switch in any order, the lights will work either way. Then is a black/white and a black/blue wire that are for your neutral safety switch. You can run these wires into the cab and install them on the clutch safety switch on the clutch pedal or you can just wire them together, but doing it this way will allow your truck to be started even if it's in gear and clutch isn't depressed. "

My transmission mode switch seems to have different color combinations.
Here are the transmission mode switch wires on my rig:
[IMG=left]https://imgur.com/1CDMj7g.jpg[/IMG]

And here's a wiring diagram I found for the automatic transmission mode switch:
[IMG=left]https://imgur.com/GBlXpxT.jpg[/IMG]

Anyone have any ideas which wires I should wire up to the reverse switch? (right above the roll of electrical tape in this picture:
[IMG=left]https://imgur.com/j7B2zPB.jpg[/IMG]

It seems like it has some brains to it that takes the pnk/blu, pnk, and blu/blk wires, and determines what position it's in based on what combination of wires is hot. I'm hoping some pair can just be reverse and then blu/blk can be for cruise(more on that below) but if not, then I can get crazy with an arduino and program it to do the right thing...
If anyone knows offhand, please tell me.

Cruise Control:

The donor vehicle did not have cruise control, but mine does, and I'd like to keep it functioning if possible. I do not have the sensor that John shows in his swap thread where he has the opposite situation (donor had cruise, his truck didn't, and he didn't care to keep it). So there is a bolt plugging that hole:
[IMG=left]https://imgur.com/XAgX2eC.jpg[/IMG]

Can I swap positions of that bolt and one of the upshift light switches?

If I do, the wiring seems like it should work out looking at this diagram:
[IMG=left]https://imgur.com/XBipsb9.jpg[/IMG]
Now my automatic transmission mode switch does look to have a blu/blk lead, to me it looks like the third from the right in my picture of the wires above. But thats only one of the two wires. I assume that the sensor is just a switch, that the other wire besides blu/blk is ground, and that when the switch is in the closed position, it's pulling some pin on the ECM to low to say it's in neutral (or in gear, whichever way it goes)

Is it safe to say I can wire one side of the switch to the blu/blk from the automatic transmission mode switch, and the other side to ground, and that will make the cruise control cancel when the trans goes into neutral?

AT Trans Temperature Sensor:
Is this connector (and its mate on the outgoing 4l30e) for the transmission temperature sensor?
[IMG=left]https://imgur.com/PT2GKPD.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG=left]https://imgur.com/H23aFYg.jpg[/IMG]

Should I just measure the resistance of the sensor, find a resistor of a similar value, stuff it in the connector and tape it up? Is there a place I could put it on the manual trans and plug it in?

Thank you in advance for your help,
-Robert
 
#20 ·
JLEMOND said:
NO DO NOT GROUND ANY OF THOSE BACK UP SW WIRES ,

HOOK THE LT GREEN WIRE THAT IS ATTACHED TO THE MODE SW TO ONE OF THE RED BACKUP LITE SW WIRES , AND THEN THE BLUE WIRE FROM THE MODE SW TO THE OTHER RED WIRE ON THE BACKUP SW . DONT GROUND ANY OF THOSE WIRES
Ok! Thank you Jerry!
 
#21 ·
JLEMOND said:
NO DO NOT GROUND ANY OF THOSE BACK UP SW WIRES ,

HOOK THE LT GREEN WIRE THAT IS ATTACHED TO THE MODE SW TO ONE OF THE RED BACKUP LITE SW WIRES , AND THEN THE BLUE WIRE FROM THE MODE SW TO THE OTHER RED WIRE ON THE BACKUP SW . DONT GROUND ANY OF THOSE WIRES
Jerry, do you know, for cruise control, can I put the upshift sensor in that spot and then wire it to share the blue wire with the reverse, and then wire the other wire to the orange/black wire? Will that make the cruise control work?

Thanks,
 
#22 ·
NO , THOSE UP SHIFT SW ARE DIFF OPERATING , YOUR CAN REMOVE ALL OF THOSE U PSHIFT SW , AND PLUG THE HOLES WITH A SHORT PLUG, DOTN USE A LONG BOLT OR IT CAN JAM THE SHIFTER RAILS , GET RID OF THOSE UP **** LITES , TO MAKE THE CRUISE WORK THE WIRE AT THE MODE SW , IF YOU CONNECT TH GRN AND SOLID BLUE WIRE S TOGETHER THE CRUISE SHOULD WORK, , BUT YOU WILL NOT HAVE A A SAFTEY SHUT DOWN IN CASE THE TRANS GETS KNOCKED INTO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING . UNTIL YOU HOOK UP THE CLUTCH SW .

BUT WHAT EVE R YOU DO , DO NOT HOOK ANY OF THOSE WIRE TO ANY GROUND CONNECTION , OR IT WILL BLOW A FUSE
 
#23 ·
Well, I wired it up like you said. I put a battery in and when I short the two harness wires for the 4x4 indicator I can hear the solenoid trying to engage the 4wd in the front. When I short the harness wires for the reverse lights, the reverse lights come on.

What do I do with the rest of the Automatic Transmission Mode Switch and the rest of the wires still attached to it?
 
#26 ·
Hi there humming, I'm new to this forum and came across your thread today so I'm a little late to the party lol.
I did this swap on my 92 trooper a few years ago so I thought I would add some things that might help.
There are two brackets that bolt to the bottom of the engine and transmission that are different than the auto and much easier to replace when the transmission is out. I think the bolts for those brackets are different lengths as well.
You will need the dust shield for the manual as well.
The front exhaust is different and if you can get your hands on it I would do so.
Drive shafts are different.
You will need the clutch pedal, master and lines. the brake booster has to be unbolted and pulled out of the way and I was able to do this without removing any lines. It's a tight spot.
As for the check engine light for the auto transmission I didn't have that issue as mine is not OBD2 and the trans computer actually bolted to the clutch pedal box location so it get removed and there was a transmission light that I also removed
As for the cross member, I remember them being completely different and I even had to cut off the mounting brackets from both frames and weld the manual ones on my frame.
I think the starter is different as well. The one from the auto was toast so I never tried it.
If you have the front portion of the center consol it would make thing easier as well.
I had to adjust my idle as well.
Hope this helps.
 
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