Xterra Auto swap gains?

[birdy99]

Ive been interested in doing the Xterra Auto trans swap, when the time comes for a new tranny. I was wondering if anybody knows of any gains or problems with doing this swap. I did notice that the gearing is better for the first 2 gears but remain the same for 3rd and 4th. Are they stronger? Shift better?

Also what is all involved in the swap? I read that you need to lengthen the harness. Do I get to keep my transfer case or do I need the xterra (output spline count)? Is the Xterra Tcase better?

[87pathy]

Ive been interested in doing the Xterra Auto trans swap, when the time comes for a new tranny. I was wondering if anybody knows of any gains or problems with doing this swap. I did notice that the gearing is better for the first 2 gears but remain the same for 3rd and 4th. Are they stronger? Shift better?

Also what is all involved in the swap? I read that you need to lengthen the harness. Do I get to keep my transfer case or do I need the xterra (output spline count)? Is the Xterra Tcase better?

 

personnally, i wouldn't put an auto in it.. and the likely hood of you needing a new tranny is about ZERO.

 

for the most part, the nissan manual trannies don't fail.

 

Min stock manual has over 365k on it.

 

the nissan autos are not known for being a good tranny.

[adamzan]

The auto tranny is fine it is the cooler that screws them over. I have over 350,000 kms on my original trans and it works pretty good for that age and the abuse it's seen.

[silverton]

The auto tranny is fine it is the cooler that screws them over. I have over 350,000 kms on my original trans and it works pretty good for that age and the abuse it's seen.

 

Minus the time when you had to put it in D and then put it in R for it to engage reverse?

 

The gearing between the pathfinder and the heavy-duty xterra version is exactly the same. And what little research I have done, the trannies look the same on the outside.

 

It's well worth doing the swap as you'll have piece of mind that you won't have to worry about a failing transmission again, as long as you keep up on the fluid change intervals. Also, I highly recommend bypassing the stock trans cooler and installing a 12,000-18,000 gvw cooler in its place.

[adamzan]

Minus the time when you had to put it in D and then put it in R for it to engage reverse?

Turns out that was just because my transmission was filthy inside. Some seafoam transtune, and a complete flush and now it's perfect.

[Kingman]

Did you search at all? There's multiple threads covering the Xterra transmission. The part number supersedes - so you cannot visibly tell the difference between the older RE4 and the newer one. It uses better fluid couplings, valving, and reinforced gears/clutches. You'd be hard pressed to blow one up, especially if you do the wise thing and bypass the factory cooler. Of course, a manual transmission swap is the superior choice here.

 

Adam, no. The original RE4, by design, is a weak transmission. Period. To keep cost and weight down (the older Jatco L3N71Bs were bomb proof and heavy), it used poorly constructed clutches made of a fibrous material that breaks down over time and abuse. This is what clogs the coolers in the first place. Then the cooler kills them entirely.

[87pathy]

oh, my missunderstanding.

I though he was going to pull a manual tranny and install an auto.

 

I'll shut up now.

[Kingman]

And to answer the other question, the transfer cases as long as they are MANUAL CONTROL, are the same. TX-10. The auto mode transfer cases are different.