Good point about the lsd bolts, wonder if my S54-06A is compatible with the TRD unit I have

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Thanks Dan . Did you ever manage to find time to install that subframe?


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Thanks batman. And yes, big wrench indeed haha. I've had that thing for years and never thought I'd find a use for it, but it turns out its the perfect tool for removing the gigantic shift-selector nut. Sure beats channel lock pliers!

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Tough to say, but if you wind up in a similar situation I highly recommend these washers: (jump to 3:40)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDlmbMV9ICU

I've used these with great success on my exhaust system when nothing else could do the job

This post has been edited by enderswift: Jul 20, 2014 - 7:43 PM

looking at those bolts, can you not put some washers to level the locks

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...wow, that's actually a really good idea. I'm gonna have to see if the set bolts are long enough to still have a comfortable amount of thread in the ring gear with washers in place. It would have to be a pretty thick washer to get things flush (thicker than the nord washers, plus the added height of the locks)

This post has been edited by enderswift: Jul 20, 2014 - 8:26 PM

I haven't installed it yet. I've been too busy drooling over your progress thread.

I'm sure the new house played a small part too haha

Update!

It's finished. Hope I didn't make any mistakes!


All bearings and races were pressed into the trans case and the differential was installed.


Next the cases were bolted together and torqued to spec, at which point I was able to go through the drawn-out process of checking how much torque it took to break static friction on the diff bearings. I had to swap shims 5 times before I landed within spec. But now I'm assured long bearing life and quiet operation




Following shim selection was the installation of the input shaft, output shaft, and selecting forks. This is a tricky affair because you have to hold the entire assembly together with your hands and maneuver it into place as one piece. Adding squats to your workout will definitely help prepare your lower back for this haha.


Things started to move along quickly once the shafts were in place. The only snag was trying to reinstall the snap rings on the rear ball bearings.


Of course the 5th gear synchro assembly flew apart the first time I tried to install it. I spent half an hour putting it back together before I could make a second attempt. Thankfully I managed without too much trouble the second time.


And here it is, my very own S54-06D. All the importers that wouldn't sell one to me can shove it



It sure is nice to have an LSD looking back from the axle bores now

This post has been edited by enderswift: Jul 28, 2014 - 1:28 PM

So fresh, so clean.

Does that repair manual cover how to rebuild the s54?

Yup. The factory chassis manuals cover everything related to trans rebuilds. All that's missing is a part number list. But that's what toyodiy is for

This post has been edited by enderswift: Jul 28, 2014 - 10:30 AM

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I need to get my hands on one of these books then cause I have to replace the 3rd gear syncho in my transmission this winter.

In your honest opinion, how hard was it to rebuild the transmission with the help of the book?

It's easy, the hardest part was keeping things clean and sourcing bearings. You just need the right tools on hand. If you have everything I posted photos of you'll be fine.

Take that with a grain of salt though. Until the trans has proven itself reliable I can't really comment on whether it was easy...But I definitely feel a project like this is within the skill range of someone who has a some engine work under their belt.

This post has been edited by enderswift: Jul 28, 2014 - 1:26 PM

Luke that looks incredible. Waaay too many moving pieces in there for me to play with, big props !

You should have put in a Camry/Solara 5th and driven gear instead of the Celica one...

Thanks Dustin, making sure I kept track of everything was definitely one of the bigger challenges. I don't know what I would do without zip lock sandwich bags and white paint pens haha

And I agree with you that leaving the celica gear was a missed opportunity. Words cannot describe how close I got to throwing down the cash and just doing it right then and there. What stopped me was actually the post in your thread showing just how easy it is. My swap budget is starting to get tight so I figured it wouldn't be an issue to do a little bit down the road. I do a lot of highway driving so anything that keeps wear off my 3S is a huge plus in my book.

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If you have an e153 or e154f transmission, Manny (pressure2) said that the 5th gear is exactly the same and will swap right in.

Hmmm, I do have my e154f collecting dust...

But I better save it. I do have plans to attempt an awd conversion in the future. Need to take a welding course and buy a hideously expensive welder first though

Hey 6gc,

I'm currently getting everything ready in order to be able to do the conversion over the course of a weekend. That means mocking parts up, comparing things to the red car, leak checking, collecting all necessary fluids, renting the proper tools, securing a spot at the shop, thinking through the logistics, etc.

I always go through this process before swapping and its always ensured I have a smooth experience. In this case I caught the fact that the rear engine mount bracket on the automatic is not compatible with the manual; something I had overlooked. Likewise I realized I needed to confirm that the bellhousing stiffening plate is indeed compatible between the two. ToyoDIY makes it seem as though the two are different, even though I cant imagine why Toyota would have a need to do so. So now I have to make a junkyard run and hope there's a manual celica there.

anyway, here are some photos of the s54 being checked for leaks. I'd rather find out now than after it's installed:





Things were bone dry after a few hours

Something else I caught after doing this was the fact that the new passenger axle does not have the bracket pressed onto the intermediate bearing. This would have been a show stopper if I didn't notice it in advance. I'm gonna have to see if I can source one of those brackets at the junkyard as well.

One thing I got to try with this mockup was the differential action. You can see the diff transfer power between the two axles if you spin one of them quickly. It's really cool watching it happen. I hope the man who invented the helical diff lived a wealthy life; he deserves it.

Anyway, the conversion should be happening soon!

This post has been edited by enderswift: Jul 29, 2014 - 11:18 PM

so many shiny parts, lol. i would have never tought to mock up the parts and test for leaks... lol.

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A little revival, but holy hell is that extreme simple green stuff expensive! It's $30 a gallon at Grainger! Home Depot is a little cheaper since you get 4 for $75, but still!

Spend the money. If I could I would go back and just soak all of my aluminum parts in it from the start. It saves a TON of effort

This post has been edited by enderswift: Jul 30, 2014 - 11:49 AM

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I'm gunna bite the bullet and get the 4 pack. At $75 for 4, you can't beat that. Everywhere else is $30 for a bottle..

I just cleaned up my fuel rail by hand and a bristle brush, and that alone was too much effort lmao

Did you have a spare/scrap S54 transmission? I'm in need of a small doo dad.

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No go bud. I actually drove out of state just to pick this one up. Craigslist was surprisingly empty when it came to s54s

Almost ready for the manual conversion!

The night before the conversion the trans stares at it's future home.


First thing to do was remove the front bumper and swap radiators between the celis. The Red car still had the original GT4 radiator so I wanted to make sure I kept it.


quick mid-radiator-swap shot


The next morning I took apart the last of the suspension and started tearing things out of the engine bay.


Here's a view of the majority of the parts that need to be removed. Not really as many as you would expect


Had to drain the s54 and pop out the axles before the install. Removing the driver side axle ended up being a two hour job. That damn c-clip did not want to budge.


Getting the hoist positioned to take the load off of the motor mounts.


Moments before removal. The old auto actually came off very easly. I was expecting it to put up an enormous fight.


After many hours of work the slow, grimy, slushbox was out!


This image marks the official halfway point of the conversion. It was nice to see that the rear main seal wouldn't be puking oil all over the clutch. Also I couldn't believe the torque converter was held on by 6 tiny bolts. Just goes to show how much power is lost with these 4 speed autos. I took this opportunity to install the clutch lines and feed the shifter cables into proper position.


Here is the freshly machined 5S flywheel. This time it has a step height of 20 thou


I was really happy at this point. Attaching the trans proved tough (like it nearly always does). For whatever reason the input shaft didn't want to slide into the clutch disk. I don't know how some of you guys do trans installs without a jack..


It takes alot of disassembly to install a manual shifter and ecu!


It felt real good to rip out that automatic shifter


I liked the way the trans looked hanging there all exposed so I took a pic. Its a strange contrast seeing a clean trans attached to an incredibly greasy engine O.o


Here is a view of everything all buttoned up.


All done

After the swap I slapped together a temporary exhaust and took the car for a drive. The trans seems like it's running great. I get smooth shifts in every gear and the clutch puts down power smoothly, and it's not even broken in yet . Plus I cant even tell there's an LSD installed while driving around normally. It feels like every open diff I've ever driven. I didn't push the car enough to see the effect of the diff because the driver axle I purchased is defective and causes the engine to move 1 cm toward the pass side with every revolution of the wheel. I'm gonna have to exchange it and install it another day. When that happens I'll push the car to see what a helical can do

This post has been edited by enderswift: Aug 5, 2014 - 9:34 AM

You'll have to let me know how the LSD feels. Mainly because the RHD car handles SOOOO differently from my old regular USDM celica.

The issue is that it obviously has LSD and SS suspension. I'd like to know if its the LSD that is causing the difference, or the SS. As You turn more tightly it all of a sudden seems to dive into the corner and I don't know which it is. I should suspect the SS, but would like to see what you say about the cornering.

Edit: it's actually something you be able to test directly. Given that you've done LSD now and SS later. Be prepared for awkwardness one way or the other, but it kinda weirded me out first time i threw it into a corner on a freeway on ramp. It felt like some roll over and then all of a sudden a totally different handling dynamic.

this whole thread makes me want to finish my car. It's sat for almost 11 months now.

This post has been edited by ricochet1490: Aug 4, 2014 - 7:07 PM

I'll definitely post my thoughts on the diff here soon enough. What you're describing sounds a lot like a clutch type diff... one of the biggest characteristics of the helicals is the fact that they transfer power smoothly. So if I were to guess I'd say its the SS that's causing you to dart into turns. I guess we'll find out for sure soon enough.

Please finish your car. This site needs more threads, only a handful of people are working on projects these days

How many extra ponies does that red valve cover give?

Jk

You will be done with the full swap by the time the fall meet happens.

... the fudge is up with that axle? I've never heard of an axle pushing the motor like that. LSD install looks great!