2011 3.7L V6 6R80 to MT-82 swap completed.

3.7cyclone

AKA Bananana, 5.0yote
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I want to start by saying before anyone goes and says why didn't you just trade your car in for a MT, or the second why did you go with the MT-82 and not the TR6060 or aftermarket T56 XL (which essentially is the TR6060), first is my car is painted and has a lot of appearance mods including full custom paint, I like it and plan to keep it, and second I went with the MT82 to keep it OEM. The TR6060 is not really an option due to the bell housing, and the aftermarket version is more expensive than the MT-82. Now that's out of the way lets get on with it.... (note: this is a re-post from my other forum(s) I am in, I just wanted to get it out there for others use and hopefully be of some help to anyone interested in this ;) )

My car 2011 Mustang V6 Vert, 6R80 AT with TSB 11-11-11 only service done

Donor car is a 13 V6 coupe MT-82 6speed MT 2500 miles.

Here is a complete list of everything start to finish for this swap including hints and tips for anyone thinking about doing this. Note this obviously is for the 3.7 only as I cannot state for sure everything is the same on the GT/Boss etc. I am not going to go over exact torque specs (use the interweb look it up), or anything or procedures like how to remove your drive shaft or converter etc, if you are partaking in this job you should already know how to do a lot of this stuff = ) , this is just a general guide to what we did while doing my 6R80 to MT-82 swap and how easy it actually was. It is a direct swap with no modifications done.

Parts needed: (Note if you can get everything from the donor car that would be the best way to do it.)

1. MT-82 transmission (Note: should have Clutch slave cylinder already mounted to it and plugged into the hydraulic coupler.)Note: Make sure you actuate the shifter on the transmission prior to beginning this swap, make sure it goes through all the gears and put it in neutral first, especially if this is a used transmission!
2. CPP/Cruise deactivate wiring harness jumper. (12” jumper under the dashboard that plugs into connector C215 listed in the workshop manual, it will be taped up under the dash just above the brake pedal.)
3. Remote Shifter assembly (should be on the transmission or come with it)
4. Clutch Disc, pressure plate and flywheel (This is a good time to go with an Optional aftermarket setup such as an old school lightweight flywheel and performance clutch kit)
5. New Pilot bearing (Ford part# 7600)
6. Manual Transmission battery wiring harness or as listed by ford just Battery cable (Ford part#14300)
7. Brake/Clutch Pedal Assembly with just the CPP and cruise control disengage switches, you can reuse your brake pedal switch. It should already have the Clutch master cylinder on it.
8. Replacement Brake pedal pin and bushing assembly (Ford part#2L523)
9. Clutch Master to Slave cylinder tube (Ford part# 7A512)
10. Brake Master Cylinder reservoir (Ford Part# 2K478)
11. 3 Qts Synthetic Transmission Fluid, either Ford factory or Redline MTL, AMSoil MTG, or BG Syncroshift 2 whatever your preference is, I used the BG stuff. (need 2.7qts for tranny I used all 3)
12. Shift boot assembly & knob. (Note: The shift boot is actually clipped and clued to the chrome trim ring on the MT equipped vehicles, and unlike the AT cars the trim ring is attached to the actual center console section. You will need the entire MT center console section to retain the shift boot.)
13. (OPTIONAL ) I would replace the shifter and rear support bracket with an aftermarket unit such as a Barton or MGW
14. You will need a new tune from your preferred tuner I would think ahead and order this before you begin to ensure you have it on hand to complete the swap. Otherwise you may need to go to Ford to a good tech who knows what he is doing or a shop that has IDS and have them program your existing PCM as a new MT strategy one then get a custom tune after.

Items re-used or not needed:

1. Vacuum hose from Junction at the brake booster to the Air intake is not used. I suspect you can leave it there but it’s not needed and is not present on MT equipped cars.
2. PCM, you can in fact re-flash the existing AT PCM with a MT tune (not the other way around though), just let your tuner know you have done the swap and that you need all the AT functions disabled and MT ones that are applicable on, they know what to do. This is the only way to start the car afterward short of using a remote start on the starter. I ordered a new tune from MTP car started right up.
3. Drive shaft is re-used
4. Engine plate is re-used
5. Starter is re-used
6. Transmission insulator and frame mount is re-used
7. Transmission Cooler and lines are to be removed.
8. The very bottom bolt from the bell housing to engine (6 o’clock position) is not used with the MT-82. The other bolts are retained.

The installation:

1. Remove the battery connections and place the car in Neutral
2. (Optional) Remove the hood. For me my hood was getting repainted anyway but it makes working and removing wiring and hoses so much easier.
3. Remove the radiator cover and front bumper assembly. Required to get at the transmission cooler. The radiator cover is just using push pins, the bumper uses two 8mm bolts up top at the radiator, then it uses two 7mm bolts in the wheel wells at the front of the tires, and then four 7mm bolts underneath bolting to the lower splash guards and oil pan cover. (remember to unplug the parking lights and outside temp sensor from the bumper before you pull it away.
4. Pry up on the chrome trim bezel around the AT shifter, I used a plastic trim removal tool as not to damage the plastic, it snaps into the shifter assembly. Remove the center console by pulling up on the cup holders it should just pop up then from under it unplug the TC, Hazards, and trunk release harness. Then remove gray plug on the right side of the shifter. Remove three of the four shifter assembly nuts leave the fourth one loose but on.
5. Remove the X-pipe, if you have the stock one you will need to remove the O2 sensor connections, and unbolt it from the header collectors, then the mid pipe connectors and remove it, I have the BBK off road X we just removed the X –pipe portion leaving the cats.
6. Jack up the car and remove the Drive shaft. You may need to use a large screwdriver and tap between the shaft and the yoke after the bolts are removed as they it can stick. Note there is a little bit of a lip that you will need to slide the shaft off the yoke.
7. Remove the shifter linkage, then let the car down and remove the shifter assembly.
8. Remove the brake pedal switch harness and switch from pedal assembly, then the brake pedal retaining pin and bushing from booster to brake pedal, and locate connector C215 above and plug in the CPP/Cruise deactivate harness for the MT-82 into it and tuck it away.
9. Remove the Brake pedal assembly by unbolting the four nuts on the firewall and two up under the dash, then remove the carpet cutout at the firewall that should be there for the master cylinder and poke out the hole in the firewall through the dynamat material into the engine bay.
10. Install the clutch and brake pedal assembly running the hydraulic lines through the firewall, use the new brake pin and bushing to attach the brake booster to brake pedal. Install the brake switch and attach all harness to the pedal assembly (they are all different so you cannot really get them wrong).
11. Remove the front lower splash guard under the nose of the car it should just be bolted into the oil pan cover by four screws. Then unbolt the cross member brace (has two bolts each side) which runs strait across the frame just in front of the tranny. (note you may or may not have this I think depending on if your car is a convertible or coupe, I do not know if the coupe has this like my vert does)
12. Remove the rear bolts and nuts to the front cross member section at the nose of the car and loosen the front bolts so the cross member can tilted down towards the rear and unbolt the oil pan cover and slide it off the brace. Then remove the brace.
13. Unplug the battery cable wiring harness connections and also the wiring harness hold down tabs etc, these should be the following plugs. AT transmission harness, all four O2 sensors and any other plugs on the Transmission, Alternator, Starter, Electronic power steering assist unit (very front of car underneath in front of radiator). PCM upper plug, Pos connection to Fuse box. A lot of care should be taken pulling on the wires and it helps to have a long tree type pin removing tool etc to get at the hard to reach clips etc. Once all the connections are traced and unplugged remove the wire harness.
14. Unbolt the starter. You can remove it or like we did we left it in between the frame and engine =)
15. Since my 6R80 is up for sale we drained the Fluid at this point and disconnected the Cooling lines at the transmission and the holes were plugged.
16. Unbolt the AC condenser from radiator support but leave it in place. Remove the Cooling lines from the transmission cooler and remove the cooler between the AC condenser and radiator, you will have to let it tilt downward towards the driver’s side and slide it out from between them. We removed the cooling lines but we had to undo the rubber hose end from the lines to snake them out the back of the car. Once removed bolt back up the condenser.
17. Put a socket and wrench on the crank shaft nut. Remove the torque converter cover plug (rubber) and unbolt the four converter bolts while rotating the engine to get at each bolt.
18. Use a tranny jack and brace it under the transmission and give it just a little tension. Remove the transmission mount and rear insulator. Install the insulator on the MT-82
19. Unbolt the bell housing to engine bolts. (the bottom one is not used on the MT-82)
20. Slide the transmission back from the engine carefully and lower it (securing it to the jack) remove from Jack and place the MT82 on it securing it.
21. Remove the flex plate bolts and flex plate.
22. Install the new pilot bearing. ( Do not accidentally take off the crank shaft ring that is there, you will note there is a sensor to the left, that’s the crank position sensor and it will not start if you for some reason forget to put the ring back on the crank if you get curious =) (no need to take it off anyway)
23. It is a little easier to install the MT82 without the shifter on it but I suggest you actuate the shift linkage and make sure the transmission is in Neutral before removing the shifter assembly.
24. Install the flywheel and clutch assembly. (if re-using clutch assembly make sure if there is anything on the flywheel to lightly sand it with a DA or whatever to evenly remove anything foreign materials such as light hot spots or rust from sitting around etc.)
25. Lift the transmission into place and slide it into the clutch assembly lining up the input shaft into the pilot bearing. Then attach the bell housing to engine with the bolts do not over tighten them yet leave them snug.
26. If you are using an aftermarket rear bracket I would mount the upper portion up in the tunnel by the shifter location, there are two threaded posts there no need to modify anything. You may need to get the nuts from ford or a local hardware store.
27. I would install the shifter assembly at this point then actuate the shifter to ensure it goes through the gears prior to torqueing down the transmission to engine. Then torque the tranny to engine. Replace the converter plug, install the starter.
28. Fill the transmission if it was emptied with 2.7-3Qts of your preferred transmission fluid. (do not put more than 3Qts in or it will pop out the breather tube when hot. I would drain and put new fluid in anyway if I do not know its history.
29. Make sure the shifter rear bracket is mounted to the shifter, and mount the transmission mount to the insulator and frame. (should be able to drop the jack at this point)
30. Install the X-pipe.
31. Lower the car and start running the new wiring harness and plug in all the connections and hold downs leaving the + and – unplugged from the battery. There will not be a larger harness for the transmission like the 6R80 has as it has no real controls; there is just the OSS sensor, and reverse light connection and O2s. The 2011 and 2012 and some early model 2013s are equipped with the skip shift solenoid, it happened that mine does not have one so no harness for it but you may still have it. You can choose to plug that in or leave it out; otherwise you would have to disable it in a tune.
32. With all the connections plugged in I would, since the car is down drain the brake reservoir just to the bottom where the reservoir meets the booster. Place some rags under the reservoir and maybe on the intake area to help catch some splashing when you remove it. (It just bolts at the base to the brake cylinder but can be a pain to pull out due to the seal). There is no need to really bleed the brakes after you refill the new reservoir.
33. Install the MT brake reservoir and attach the clutch master cylinder to the bottom of it with the hose and clamp it. Install the Master to Slave cylinder line. Fill the brake reservoir and have someone pump the clutch about 100 times while checking the level and filling as needed, and checking for leaks. Note it will be real spongy at first.
34. Install the Drive shaft.
35. Install the cross members, and remember to slide the oil pan cover back over the front cross member before bolting it up. Then attach the front lower air dam.
36. You can install the front bumper at this time if you wish.
37. Stop and do a check of your work, follow the new wire harness and ensure you did not miss anything, or a mount point, make sure no wires are on the headers etc. Do checks to make sure all O2s are plugged in and all bolts underneath are tightened.
38. Replace the + and – battery cables to the battery. Install your hood if you removed it.
39. If your PCM was flashed or needs to be flashed I would do it at this time. Make sure you place a trickle charger on the car and get it to full power before flashing it yourself at this point.
40. Re-install the rubber insulator boot into the cutout round the shifter base and shifter, then lay down the insulation pad around that, then the center console with shift boot, plugging in the one harness to the TC, Hazard, and trunk release buttons. Install shift knob.
41. Test the clutch operation and gears. If everything is good road test it and check for leaks etc.

You may need to debug DTCs if you are using an aftermarket tune, your miles may vary with that. The only item I had left over from the swap was one bolt from the bottom of the engine to bell housing on the AT which is not needed for the MT-82. We did re-use the Flywheel bolts form the donor transmission and I would suggest depending on your source you get as much of the original parts you can. The only other item I had to get was the center console as I was only given the shift boot removed from the original car which cannot be mounted to the AT console at all. So I sourced one off Ebay.

My tune from MPT which was a retune of my existing PCM using its existing strategy so far is working as it should, car runs as it did before I do not have any DTCs etc.

I have one lingering problem but its and internal transmission related issue common to the MT82 not to the swap which went flawlessly and took about 6.5hrs to complete start to finish. I will have that issue resolved this week. I also suggest if you can while you have the transmission out check out liberty gears and get a set of brass/bronze synchros and shift fork pads as they are far greater than the oem plastic pads etc.

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3.7cyclone

AKA Bananana, 5.0yote
Established Member
Joined
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Messages
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Location
Mansfield, MA
Thanks, there was not a lot of forum information on doing this for the 3.7, and I had to go through a few weeks of data, and posts and talked to quite a few professionals to confirm compatible parts, the PCM issues if it could be retained etc. The fact I used an early model 2011 and a late model 13 to do this swap and everything was essentially a part for part swap is what made things go so smooth. I hope my experience with this and information is useful.
 

3.7cyclone

AKA Bananana, 5.0yote
Established Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2014
Messages
128
Location
Mansfield, MA
Nice, in the process of possibly switching to a built MT82

That's the thing you get one with good fork pads and synchros, maybe weld the forks too and you are pretty much good to go. The Getrag is not as bad as everyone makes it out to be.

I imagine the process is exactly the same for the 5.0 as 3.7 just a different tranny housing.
 

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