Swap auto tranny for manual

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

mtofell

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2014
Posts
2,631
Reaction score
2,269
Ram Year
2014
Engine
Hemi 6.4
Total pipe dream here but I'm just wondering..... 2014 6.4 Hemi 4X4 with the dreaded 66rfe horrible gear spacing, crappy shifting tranny.

I'd LOVE a manual someday, maybe when this truck isn't my daily driver. So, what am I looking at to swap in a G56 manual? I'd have to think all the holes in the body are there for the floor shifter, clutch pedal and whatnot. I have a bench seat... is there a different bench seat to leave more room for the shifter?

Has anyone ever done this on a new-ish truck? I'm definitely skeptical that all the "electronic gremlins" would work out.
 

NewBlackDak

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2014
Posts
1,083
Reaction score
654
Ram Year
2014
Engine
Hemi 6.4L
Total pipe dream here but I'm just wondering..... 2014 6.4 Hemi 4X4 with the dreaded 66rfe horrible gear spacing, crappy shifting tranny.

I'd LOVE a manual someday, maybe when this truck isn't my daily driver. So, what am I looking at to swap in a G56 manual? I'd have to think all the holes in the body are there for the floor shifter, clutch pedal and whatnot. I have a bench seat... is there a different bench seat to leave more room for the shifter?

Has anyone ever done this on a new-ish truck? I'm definitely skeptical that all the "electronic gremlins" would work out.

Since the 6.4 is not offered with a manual, the swap will not be easy. You would have to fool the PCM into thinking there is a TCM.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
OP
OP
M

mtofell

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2014
Posts
2,631
Reaction score
2,269
Ram Year
2014
Engine
Hemi 6.4
Since the 6.4 is not offered with a manual, the swap will not be easy. You would have to fool the PCM into thinking there is a TCM.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ah, shoot... that's right. Well, there goes the pipe dream......
 

Jimmy07

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2017
Posts
3,250
Reaction score
2,906
Ram Year
2017
Engine
6.4 Hemi
Since the 6.4 is not offered with a manual, the swap will not be easy. You would have to fool the PCM into thinking there is a TCM.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ah, shoot... that's right. Well, there goes the pipe dream......
Our trucks don’t use a TCM (auto or manual). With the right bell housing adapter, everything should bolt right up (possibly the same one used for a 68 to g56 swap?). Biggest obstacle would be getting a tune file for the PCM.
 

Xena1

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2019
Posts
21
Reaction score
10
Location
FL
Ram Year
2018
Engine
6.7L
I traded in my Tacoma for a 6.7L Ram with MT. Had to drive 500 miles to find one as 2018 was last year for it. Truck gets 20+ mpg and could not be happier.
 

NewBlackDak

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2014
Posts
1,083
Reaction score
654
Ram Year
2014
Engine
Hemi 6.4L
Our trucks don’t use a TCM (auto or manual). With the right bell housing adapter, everything should bolt right up (possibly the same one used for a 68 to g56 swap?). Biggest obstacle would be getting a tune file for the PCM.

The TCM is internal to the transmission.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Jimmy07

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2017
Posts
3,250
Reaction score
2,906
Ram Year
2017
Engine
6.4 Hemi
The TCM is internal to the transmission.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Whatever you want to call it is moot, because the PCM tuning controls it. This has been done countless times going from 68 to g56. The only difference is, a pcm tune file for that exists, and there’s a market for it. 66 to g56, you’d have to get a file custom made. After that, you just need to run the clutch interlock signal to the rf hub and enable it (which would be done with the file).
 
OP
OP
M

mtofell

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2014
Posts
2,631
Reaction score
2,269
Ram Year
2014
Engine
Hemi 6.4
Our trucks don’t use a TCM (auto or manual). With the right bell housing adapter, everything should bolt right up (possibly the same one used for a 68 to g56 swap?). Biggest obstacle would be getting a tune file for the PCM.

If a tune could be developed would it take care of things like disabling auto-start? I realize that's a minor thing but am just trying wrap my head around how the electronics would work.

These truck are so damn complicated and high-tech that the physical part of just getting it to fit almost seems like the easy part. Years ago I remember talking to some guys that were swapping Chevy engines (4.3 V6, I think) into Toyota 4runners. This was probably around 1990 and I don't remember electronics being much of an issue. It was more just getting everything to physically fit.
 

Jimmy07

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2017
Posts
3,250
Reaction score
2,906
Ram Year
2017
Engine
6.4 Hemi
If a tune could be developed would it take care of things like disabling auto-start? I realize that's a minor thing but am just trying wrap my head around how the electronics would work.

These truck are so damn complicated and high-tech that the physical part of just getting it to fit almost seems like the easy part. Years ago I remember talking to some guys that were swapping Chevy engines (4.3 V6, I think) into Toyota 4runners. This was probably around 1990 and I don't remember electronics being much of an issue. It was more just getting everything to physically fit.
Yes. Once the clutch interlock wire is run to the rf hub, remote start won’t work anymore.
 
Top