Hi guys, first post here, so hi to all.

As the title says im looking at converting my 2001 AUII XL ute from manual to auto, yes that's right many to auto! I know most of you are going to think I am crazy, but the ute is just a daily driver/work ute. Besides the fact that id rather not be changing gears, the aftermarket clutch fitted before I owned the ute is incredibly heavy.

After reading a few topics on auto to many conversions on here, is it as simple as doing the reverse, getting all the auto gear and putting it in?
I was thinking of finding a wrecked auto ute as a donor. Or am I correct in thinking that wagons use the same chassis as the utes?

Hope you guys can shed some light on this for me. Thanks

Its a good whack harder than doing the reverse.

When going Auto to Manual, you end up with an auto transmission connector that wont be used.

Going from manual to Auto - you dont have that.

It may not be terrible though - There is an AU Engine Harness on Ebay at the moment, and looking at it, you may only need to replace this part. Oh, you'll also have to replace your ECU for an Auto one, and if you have smartshield either get it paired, or get a J3 chip.

You should check with Ford though and see if the Harness from ECU to engine is the same part number for Auto and Manual. If it is, then its just the engine Harness that you'll need.

The Wiring for the Mode switch should be there, and the shifter will just swap out.

Nigel

Thanks Nigel, that's the kinda of info I needed, probably not worth the trouble. Maybe I should look at replacing the clutch with a lighter one. Any suggestion on clutches?
Thanks Again Glenn

If the clutch is the only reason you're doing it, then, yes, plenty of heavy duty clutches are around with light feels.
Check the cable, it may be worn and binding, making it feel heavy.

Also how many k's are on the ute?
I had an au that snapped the end pivot point off the clutch arm and made for a heavy clutch feel.
And also have you checked that the firewall is not cracked and flexing?

I just done the opposite ...auto to manual ...it took 2 guys 4 hours to pull out and fit ....that auto is 100kg and manual like 40kg ..they used a pre used kit from Ute that had been converted then had a tree fall on it....peddle box , gearbox , small computer box, shifter, fly plate, clutch cable, clutch , cross member, clutch peddle........now I got issues because they did not fit out my reverse light, I got econ mode engaged without a switch , a loose auto light somewhere I can see lol...my car don't know if its auto or manual...hanging harness off the auto just hanging underneath..I got to fix...the pulling apart of exhaust also meant I had some exhaust gasket leaks and some repair was done.. don't take this task lightly ...and I still trying to clean up this conversion to show no error codes ...which now it does.. so do your homework on it and find someone who done it ...

Lots of people have done this - so its not that bad going Auto to Manual

Simple things though - Reverse light wires will be down at the gearbox - its just connecting them

The Neutral switch is best bypassed - so that you can start the car in any gear. just join the two wires.

The other Gearbox wires - Insulate and tie out of the way

Change the ECU. Just do it - Either swap it out for a Manual One (if your S1 smartlock this is easy, S2 and S3 smartshield not so much), or get a J3 chip and run the Manual ECU Code on your existing ECU ($120 + Shipping I think from TIPerformance.com.au). No need for resistor tricks, it will just work.

Your Econ Light being on is because the ECU is still the Auto one. The Cluster actually reads the Data Line from the ECU, and as its still auto, its telling the cluster that Econ is on. If you get a J3 chip and run manual code, then you'll not have that problem. You'll also not need resistor tricks, or have hanging idle problems.

Nigel

If you're going to a J3 chip with manual tune, make sure the manual trans neutral switch is wired up correctly - IIRC it uses the same line to the ECU as the auto one.

OK , this is what I done so far ....found the old auto selector night light lead and bulb end and mounted it inside the centre consul cubby hole , the one with the lid.....got some use out of it....also I removed the econ button switch from the auto selector unit ...and mounted it inside the centre cubby hole as well....and switched off that mode for now..have not found my neutral or reverse connection points on the new manual box or on the old auto harness ...does anyone know and can show me which ones are which .....please ..also I don't have a clutch peddle switch that disables the cruise control.....question...does the car already have the hard wire for this and is it just a matter of plugging it in to the right connection wires and mounting it on the peddle and setting it up ???? Would I just visit the wreckers and remove one from a manual...switch only or do I need more??? I noticed the module that I think was swapped out was a crash module...not a ecu ....why was this swapped ?? I happy to find and do the reverse and neutral and if possible the cruise clutch disengauge ..is there a link to read up on these ...and CPU option fix for manual...thanks guys ...I am learning

The Neutral and Reverse switch wiring is in the engine bay, going down the the gearbox, with the speedo wires attached.

You will have undone 4 additional connectors from memory. A larger round one (we ignore that one), and 3 smaller ones, one of which is reverse, one of which is Neutral (starter inhibit), and one of which is Gear position. The colours for the wires are on various sites so you should be able to work it out, but for example the starter inhibit / neutral switch wires are Red with (I think) blue trace. There should be a pair of them that go to the box.
Dont quote me on this next bit :
There will be two switches on the side of the box - the rearmost one is the reverse one, and the front upper one is Neutral. Or, you'll have three switches, one of which is for 5th gear, but I thought that had been deleted back in early days (I think it was in the XF)

Im sorry I dont have the reverse light wire colours. They may well be in the Tech Docs section of this site, in a document about Auto to manual conversion

Nigel

Thanks guys ...I jack the car up and check out the wires tomorrow ...I was gonna say from memory of removing the auto box.....I remember the rear of the auto box on the drivers side had a connection cable with outer red shieth and it had 3 wires in it ...black, white and blue ......then I remember the other huge connector was near the 2 oil cooling connectors on the off drivers side ...don't remember colours but I think it was like 8 pin connector...also close to this was a white plastic connection terminal with 2 cables connected ...from memory each one had 2 pin connector and I think this one is neutral safety , can not remember which cable goes where now and what the colours are ..I have to look underneath to see which colours ...I should have marked them I guess...or made a note ..of how the auto was wired but I did not remove the box 2 other guys did. I thought they connect what needed to be done like neutral... and reverse lights ..but I was wrong ...lol just got the harness swinging in the breeze...I cap and seal and tie back the big 8 pin since none of it is required. I have a look at the manual box because I never noticed what or where it had connection points on it .......I going to invest. In the s3 connection mod chip stage 1....to clean up the rest of the conversion install..

Thanks guys ...I jack the car up and check out the wires tomorrow ...I was gonna say from memory of removing the auto box.....I remember the rear of the auto box on the drivers side had a connection cable with outer red shieth and it had 3 wires in it ...black, white and blue ......then I remember the other huge connector was near the 2 oil cooling connectors on the off drivers side ...don't remember colours but I think it was like 8 pin connector...also close to this was a white plastic connection terminal with 2 cables connected ...from memory each one had 2 pin connector and I think this one is neutral safety , can not remember which cable goes where now and what the colours are ..I have to look underneath to see which colours ...I should have marked them I guess...or made a note ..of how the auto was wired but I did not remove the box 2 other guys did. I thought they connect what needed to be done like neutral... and reverse lights ..but I was wrong ...lol just got the harness swinging in the breeze...I cap and seal and tie back the big 8 pin since none of it is required. I have a look at the manual box because I never noticed what or where it had connection points on it .......I going to invest. In the s3 connection mod chip stage 1....to clean up the rest of the conversion install..

Well I am ,more confused now after looking at the harness and gearbox...I agree the large pin connector has no reverse connectors in that group .....so its been sealed off and zippy tied up....now there is 3 other connector points on an auto .......this is not just for me but for anyone who does the swap out auto to manual ......so let's get this right ...there is 1) one connector which has the same connector type as the efi power link that does your injectors...the gray type with secured wire clip....2) one connector which has 4 splade slots...now one side top and bottom connected get your car starting up , without this loop ..no running car .....now what are the 2 slots left over --i don't know..but I like to know ...3) one connector at the rear ...has a thick red coloured protective tube.... with 3 wires inside with a push in 3 wire connector that only fits 1 way...my bet is this is reverse ....but when my man is plugged in it don't work....but when my auto was all connected reverse did work ( lights) that is...so I thinking the man box reverse switch is RS.......now also on the manual gearbox is a 2 spade connector with a red one marked........who knows what this is ? What I tested and found so far...when its in reverse ...and you test that 2 spade it is switched...but I never tried it in any other gear...so I thought it was reverse ...but I think that can be wrong. Does anyone know if the rear 3 wire with red plastic tube covered cable ..switch is the same for manual and auto ......and knows for sure what this is used for either man or auto .....cause I am wondering.. so please let me know cheers

Stop being confused, but its also time to do this properly.

Trying to work out what they do, without the wire colours and a wiring diagram is just a shortcut.

You got lucky with the jumper for neutral start.

If you read the following doc (remembering that its for E Series) it actually has the wiring colours
http://www.pertheseries.com/other_files ... _Guide.pdf

Note that the Red sleeved wires (3) going to the back are your speedo sender

Nigel

The Cable with the Red protective cover is for your Speed sensor, nothing to do with reverse.

Reverse wiring will be included in the plug that connected to the Inhibitor Switch.