Lock

Thanks! The end result was definitely worth it. A couple thoughts/comments, as this wasn't really a 'how-to' thread, mostly just sharing photos. I had to lock the power valves open because the manual doesn't control them. When closed, the engine pinged/knocked around 2-3krpm. Eventually I plan to take the manifold off and remove the power valves entirely (I did the threadlocker fix years ago). The auto ECU might have worked with a CEL throwing transmission codes, but I didn't try. It gets some sensor data from the transmission so it probably wouldn't work. Getting the flywheel was the toughest part. The only difference between the 01-02 and 03-04 flywheel is the sensor plate, which can be removed. So if one goes NLA you could buy the other and swap the plate. You could probably use a 350Z flywheel and regular push clutch if you can weld aluminum (or make some kind of bracket) and swap the clutch slave cylinder to the other side. I read that the 90s Skylines can be converted from pull to push. I've been driving it since the conversion, and hasn't missed a beat. It's nice to have a brand new manual transmission with new synchros that shift like butter. And you can leave it in 5th gear over 40mph even uphill.

The manual transmission chassis cover plate was unavailable, so I cut the existing one to fit the manual shifter The service manual says to fill the transmission from the shifter hole, so I did Intermediate covers and soundproofing Manual transmission trim installed The original auto transmission connector block. I connected up the neutral position switch to the PNP relay so it only starts when the shifter is in neutral. And connected up the reverse lights, just four wires

I made an adapter for my transmission jack to securely hold the manual transmission in place. I've used ordinary jacks to reinstall car transmissions before but this thing is pretty heavy even without the transfer case and I didn't want it falling on me About to go in Lining up manual transmissions just right to install is always annoying. Sometimes you gotta take it completely back out and down and start again. Sometimes it pops right in You can see the innards of the transmission before the transfer case is attached. Without sealant the transmission oil would all seep out Technically the manual transmission transfer case is different - it has a small gutter under the input shaft, and subgears to absorb shock. But nothing that is needed for the conversion. The auto transmission transfer case works fine. But you have to apply sealant as the back of the manual transmission is open

A pic of the back of the new flywheel showing 03-04 signal plate A view of the clutch fork from the outside. It pushes towards the engine, which pulls the pressure plate 'off' the clutch and flywheel

So first I tried a 350Z flywheel - but it was too high and wouldn't allow the pull clutch to work so couldn't release the clutch. So pulled the transmission out again, and next I installed a US '02 flywheel But the signal plate is way different, it's for the cable throttle ECU and the engine wouldn't start 00-01-02 signal plate on left with like 300 or something holes. 03-04 signal plate on the right. The right side has 3x 10 holes. That's what I needed, but flywheel not flex plate I found I needed part number 123105W90A (03-04 only) which is unique to the R50 Pathy due to the pull clutch. It was hard to find but found one in the UAE from I think partsouq Correct flywheel installed I found the starter motor had to be shimmed back about a 1/2 inch otherwise starter gear would hit the flywheel. There's an official part number for this, a plate the starter sits sandwiched under, but it's out of stock so I just used washers OEM clutch plate is an Exedy Pressure plate installed It's pretty big as pressure plates go, but the pull clutch means the clutch pedal is light (is why they chose it for the Pathfinder - more grab but lighter to use)

Clutch pedal installed. I couldn't find a Pathy brake pedal - probably because its bracket wraps around the steering column. I kept hitting the brake when I went for the clutch, so I ended up just cutting the brake pedal the same size as the clutch pedal and it looks factory now You can't really see, but the clutch pedal bracket goes where the auto trans computer used to be. It has a clutch starter switch but I didn't connect it (did connect the neutral start switch though) The Pathfinder manual uses a pull clutch (not a regular push clutch) which I had to figure out how it works Got the OEM parts Assembled. It 'clicks' into the pressure plate on installation. Then to release you pull out that pin, and the fork falls out. You lift the collar on the clutch release bearing to release it from the pressure plate. It's kinda hard to explain without seeing it in action.

First things first - remove the transfer case Lots of extensions needed to get to bellhousing bolts. I bought proper long ones after this. Auto transmission detached Flexplate Flexplate removed Source of my rear engine oil leak (after clean up) - rear pan seal job was badly done Sealed it up good. Also I didn't take a photo, but you need to remove the steel inner collar. It's a total pita to get out. It centers the torque converter, but the manual transmission uses a small brass one. There's videos online, the 350Z auto to manual conversion videos cover it. I couldn't get it out for hours and broke various tools, I thought that was the end of the project. But I got it out eventually with the exact right sized puller. Fortunately the R50 chassis has the clutch master cylinder hole already there under a plate Turns out the auto trans computer sits on the other side of the clutch blank plate so both come out at once Factory clutch master cylinder. I thought about steel clutch lines, but ended up using an ebay 240SX clutch line kit. Works fine.

I had never rebuilt a manual trans before. Followed the service manual, "Beer Garage" (since deleted), and youtube videos and took my time. I used a toaster oven to make dropping the press fit gears back on easier. I bought a factory shifter. But I thought it was too tall so I cut about an inch off it and welded. I am not a professional welder at all. But it has held up fine. I also found and bought a NOS Pathfinder clutch, and a 350Z flywheel. I figured a 350Z is the same engine and clutch, and the clutch and flywheel fit together. Seemed so far so good.

Yes I have a manual. I'm just saying I run a funnel and plastic hose where the auto's dipstick used to go, sit the funnel between the exhaust and engine, and poke the other end in the manual trans fill hole. That way you don't have to hold the funnel, have a 2nd person, or put it on a lift.

I did the same with my auto. I don't tow but I just don't want the auto to break. Like yours it went into the radiator cooler, through the Hayden aux cooler and to a magnefine filter. I took the trans out at like 177,000 it still shifted great, so I think it helped. Didn't seem to do any harm. When they were plastic you could unscrew and open them. When replacing them I'd take the magnet out and keep it. Looking at the magnet and filters you could definitely see they caught some stuff. Better than the standard pan for sure.

I'm the second owner of my pretty much stock 03 Pathfinder SE (auto, part-time 4wd) since 2015. Things happened in 2020. Decided to convert the Pathfinder to manual. Bought a manual trans from a 2002, took my time, and in summer 2023 finished rebuilding it. Not including that here as it's pretty routine - all new synchros, bearings, input shaft and some gears that had chipped teeth, then back together. If you have a 2000, 01 or 02 part-time or rwd you can swap in a manual, get a manual ECU, (deal with NATS), and be done. (You can't manual swap a full-time 4wd, fulltime unit only works with an auto) My problem with the 03 was Nissan discontinued manuals in the US in late 2002 for model year 2003, which also had new revisions with a more advanced ECU including electric throttle body and other changes. So I could either go 'backwards' to a US 2002 manual ECU and install throttle cable, find a wrecked US manual truck and swap everything across - or get an 03 manual ECU and make it work. I didn't want to go backwards. I'm also in WA which doesn't do smog checks so no issues modifying or mixing and matching. Luckily, Nissan still sold the 03-04 as manual in Canada. Looking at parts diagrams in Amayama it looked like the Canadian auto 03 model was near-identical to the US model, so the manual couldn't be that different, I figured. The worst outcome was it wouldn't work at all, or that I'd have to keep spending money until it worked or I gave up. I took the gamble. I reviewed the earlier Pathfinder auto to manual guide linked on this forum, and also looked up a lot of 350Z conversion forums as it's the same engine and ECU. Also Nissan Skyline and 300ZX forums as different engine, but same transmission. I found the throttle body changed part numbers in 07/2002 from cable to electric, so that was the cutover date. Anything after that was right. I searched individual junk yards in Canada until I found a place selling a clutch pedal and bracket, ECU, and flywheel. The tell with the 'right' car was there were no throttle/cruise cables in the engine bay pics, cuz electric throttle. The yards that had what I needed were in rural Alberta. Apparently Alberta has a lot of R50 Pathfinders in their yards. I mainly used car-part.com. I sent the ECU away to get NATS disabled so I wouldn't need to deal with it. Got everything in and worked end of summer 2024, and wanted to share here. Pics and posts to follow once I get an image service set up.

I use a funnel and a hose and run the hose about where the auto trans dipstick tube would go. The funnel sits upright in the back left in the engine bay, fill until it pours out from the trans. That way it's a one-man job and only takes about 1/2 hour to drain and fill. The transfer case is a pain but I just use a hand pump until it pours out.

I rebuilt mine in 2023. I had the service manual and followed that, but also found the below video and follow-up assembly videos the most useful. I also downloaded the below website, which went offline but is still available on Internet Archive. https://web.archive.org/web/20170224101545/http://beergarage.com/PathTransmission1Remove.aspx The Pathfinder trans is just the 300ZX trans with a pull clutch and different (replaceable) rear on the 4WD models. Means for 01-04 we have double-cone synchros on both 2nd and 3rd. The bearing kits (BK240) are all the same for this model of transmission, it's the kits with synchros that are different (which you generally can't get anyway). I couldn't get the complete kit with bearings and synchros at the time, so I just bought the bearing kit ZMBK240, identified each synchro part # from Amayama and purchased them separately. You might find like me that you can order and pay for the full kit, then they'll refund you and say it's not available. Given their ages now I wouldn't install a used transmission without first opening it up. I bought my used trans from B&R and when arrived it was full of mud and wood chips and rust as it was obviously left outside in the rain. It 100% had to be cleaned and parts replaced. When in there I found the reverse gear missing a tooth, the reverse gear design is weak and its synchro doesn't work well so I replaced all those gears too. Apparently you should never put a 300ZX/Pathfinder manual into reverse until you've stopped and waited a second for the gears to slow down. I replaced all the synchros because you wouldn't reuse them condition unknown. I also replaced the smaller inner gear bearings that don't come with the kit and are ignored - the new updated versions were minus one needle, probably for better oil flow. Shifts are smooth as butter, well worth the time. If you're interested I could put up a post on my rebuild. Pro tip, I used a toaster oven to heat up then drop the 'press fit' gears in place, made it so much easier and I don't feel like a caveman hammering on precision parts.

Sorry to hear, is there any chance of resurfacing? Unfortunately I sold my spare flywheel a couple of weeks ago to another forum member, so I'm all out. I got mine from car-part.com by calling wreckers until one would pull it and ship it to me, maybe give that a shot.

I've been meaning to do a write-up of my conversion with photos, it's more involved than the VG33 (I used that doc commodorehat referenced above as a base). It just takes time to write and I'm busy/lazy. I can say you can't put a manual with the full-time 4WD, it doesn't fit the back of the trans. Also the full-time computer needs the auto trans computer to work. So you'd need to convert to PT with a part-time transfer case, not impossible, but more work than starting with part time 4WD. Also if you have VDC/stability control I don't think it will work without these two computers. You'll need a manual ECU, deal with NATS (I disabled it), and clutch assembly/parts, the rare flywheel, and some other pieces. I still have my auto trans which shifted fine before removal, I've been meaning to post for sale. If you wanted to stay auto, you could buy mine and put your fulltime backplate from your trans on it to fit the full time 4WD. If I had a FT model like yours, I'd find a rusted out or blown-engine manual car, rebuild the trans if it needed it, and take all the parts and build up your car with them, it would be cheaper and everything would be there. I was just lucky that I had an SE with part time 4WD already and didn't need to many parts.

The last digit on Nissan part numbers generally means minor differences for the same part, or a part upgrade/revision which is why it's 0 for the first year then 1 for the second, they probably made some small change-mid production. You can order the 0, but if 0 is NLA can likely get the 1 and it'll fit the same. Here's a good guide to Nissan Part Numbers http://datsun1000.com/PageView.asp?PageID=72 There was an oil leak at the back of my engine too. I bought a new RMS but you have to drop the pan (and axle if 4wd) to replace it, and as some other posts here have said it's not usually the RMS that leaks but the RTV/sealant around the RMS holder plate that was applied badly or just got old. That was the case for me. I applied a thick bead of sealant all around the gaps on the plate that holds the RMS, and that fixed the leaks for me. If I figure out a gallery I can post a before/after picture. Some people say to replace the gaskets on the rear coolant pipe when the trans is out as it's easy to access. If it's 4wd change your transfer fluid and the rear driveshaft output seal. Change whatever seals on the trans you can and check the reverse/neutral switches aren't leaking. My transfer case switches were working but leaking. Buy genuine - cheap copies aren't sized correctly, won't work, and are a pain to replace when it's back in.

I bought a NOS "Nissan Genuine" clutch, which was just an Exedy so that's the one the buy. As for flywheels, yours might be okay if the rivets haven't dug into it. The workshop manual says the flywheels are not supposed to be surfaced because they're slightly conical, idea being the clutch will grab from the outside first for gentle engagement, but it doesn't really make a difference if its flat. Besides, the clutch wears into this shape over time anyway. There's two versions of the VQ35DE R50 Pathfinder flywheel. The difference is the sensor tabs due to ECU upgrades. Cable throttle, 01.2000 - 07.2001, (US and Canada) 123104W001 https://www.amayama.com/en/part/nissan/123104w001 (sensor plate has like 200+ slots) Electric throttle, 07.2002 - 2004 (Canada only) 123105W90A https://www.amayama.com/en/part/nissan/123105w90a (sensor plate has 3x10 slots) The only difference between the two flywheels is the sensor plates, which unbolt and are interchangeable (but not interchangeable with automatic torque converter sensor plates). The VG33 flywheels and clutches are not compatible. I have a used but good condition 200+ sensor tab (cable throttle model) flywheel, and also a 3x10 sensor plate, which I might post for sale at some point.

If you mean the assembly with the bracket and master cylinder, when I was looking nothing came close. Maybe wrong but I think they're unique to Pathfinder. I bought my pedal assembly from a junk yard in Canada.

I wanted to say thanks a ton for this write-up Hawairish. I followed this guide a lot. Couple of years ago I bought a weak Xterra center and put it in, then later took it out again, ordered some more plate and discs, and rebuilt it filling it out completely, it works amazing now. I don't know if there's a ban on posting links or companies, but I bought new friction discs and plates (and all my OEM stuff) from Amayama. https://www.amayama.com/en/genuine-catalogs/epc/nissan-usa/pathfinder/r50/1373-vq35de/power_train/380 Also, it was bugging me that these diffs don't have an adjustable 'ramp-angle' mechanism like a lot of other diffs and the earlier H233b models do. It didn't make sense how the clutches are engaged. I looked into it, and found a doc somewhere that said these Hitachi diffs have a 'fixed' gear setup. The side gears are cut in such a way that the more torque (axle vs center force) they encounter, the more they push away the spider gears, which in turn compresses the clutches and discs for more lock-up. Then the actual amount of lockup is adjusted by clutch discs, springs etc. which is why there's so many variations in the packing between models - and is all covered here. Excellent guide thanks!

I know this is an old thread and OP has probably resolved the issue, but I wanted to share that I get where they're coming from in the FSM. The Pathfinder unlike other VQ35DE cars has a pull clutch, so the release/throwout bearing 'clicks and locks' into place when you install the transmission. When using the clutch, it pulls the release bearing/pressure plate fingers away from the engine to release, instead of a regular push clutch/pressure plate which obviously push the fingers towards the engine. Apparently this provides more clutch force with less clutch pedal effort but it's a more complicated system. This is also why the Pathfinder has a unique flywheel that no other VQ35DE uses. Can't use a 350Z flywheel - I tried, the surface is a few inches too 'high'. So reading the FSM it looked weird and complicated to me. But when I did it it makes sense, all you're doing is letting the withdrawal lever/fork assembly all fall out and off of the release bearing, so the trans can be removed without being stuck on the release bearing. The release bearing stays locked in the pressure plate, and you remove it once the trans is off by lifting the collar and it comes out. It seems to be designed for multiple reinstalls. The fork hole is pretty small, but you can get at the pin with small pliers and then it all falls apart easily. But having installed it 3x because I bought the wrong flywheel twice, you can also just push the collar at the base of the release bearing/pressure plate in towards the engine with a long flathead screwdriver, and the release bearing is 'unlocked' and pops out still held in place by the release lever/fork too. I don't know how to post quality pictures here yet but they'd describe it a lot better.

Take that heat shield off next to the resonator and underneath you'll find the auto trans & transfer case connectors. I bet that like Slart said one of the connectors is leaking at the trans, and the trans fluid is going along the piping and coming out at that junction area. When I was doing my auto-manual swap I noticed like half of the connectors there were damp with trans fluid. I think when the auto trans get old the sensor seals start to fail and trans fluid just starts to seep along the wiring, but yours looks pretty bad. It could be just transfer case sensors leaking, they are easier to get to and replace but I don't recall them having tubes just bundled wires so it's probably trans wiring. As for how to fix it, I guess it depends which connector is leaking. The one that was leaking for me I think was the torque converter RPM sensor. You'd have to pull the trans to replace it. So if you can't get to it without pulling the trans, you could possibly fill up the connector hose with RTV and hope that holds the fluid back.

I just converted my 2003 SE from auto to manual. I've been meaning to join here and post about it. I bought a local 2002 manual transmission and rebuilt it with new bearings and synchros then summer 2024 I installed it. I didn't have a parts car. Started collecting parts in 2020 including calling small-town Alberta Canada junkyards because Nissan didn't sell manual 03-04 models in the US. Not all of the OEM parts are available any more. But Beerett yours is a 2000 so like others have said, I'd recommend you find a domestic manual trans for parts. Is it the 3.3 or the 3.5, 3.3 is easier you can follow that guide above. I needed a Canadian ECU and to deal with NATS. The flywheel signal plate is different for 01-02 (cable throttle) and 03-04 (elec throttle). And obviously the VG33 flywheel is not compatible with the VQ35. I've manual-converted other cars but I wouldn't say this is easy. Unless you specifically want a manual, fixing the auto might be easier.