VR V6 Manual Conversion Issue.

[SLO-454]

Hi Guys,

I've almost finished the auto to manual conversion on my 94 VR ute. One thing that's got me stumped is the manual crossmember doesn't line up with the mounting holes on the tunnel.

Mount is a brand new Mackay item and as far as I know there's only one crossmember for T5 into VN-VR.

Shifter lines up spot on with the hole in the manual floor plate, so I'm assuming that there may be some variation in crossmembers and I have the wrong one?

Pic is with the crossmember bolted to the body and showing how far out it is from lining up.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[Skittle_vodka]

I had a similar problem with my vs. you may need to get a new cross member. Mine was out of a vr and the bolts are moved slightly. Same with vn-vr I'd supose

 

[dave20089]

Hey mate i have the same cross memeber on my manual when i converted it i bolted the box
Up first and then the cross member it should fit there are a few bolts holes there p.s if u get ur speedo working telle how u dis it

 

[josh_lock]

This may sound dumb but did you try turn the crossmember the other way ?

 

[Jxfwsf]

This may sound dumb but did you try turn the crossmember the other way ?

fairly hard to do on a VN-VS as the mount point on the body are stepped and you can't easily put it in backwards.


How are the engine mounts? new or using old ones that are possibly sagged and the driveline assembly is sitting forward.
Did the auto you removed have a spacer plate, iirc i've seen this on auto's, haven't seen a manual for sometime so can't recall if they had it or not.

 

[Clutchy]

Jxw the driveline would be sitting back not forward .

Not sure if this helps but they had a different box in the ute from factory I know the ratio was different but i don't know if the casing was different but might be worth looking at.

Can the mount on the cross member be on backwards ?

 

[Jxfwsf]

*slaps self* that looks to be an early vn rear cross member (2 piece, round bushes), try the xmember you removed from the VR and see how it goes.

 

[Clutchy]

*slaps self* that looks to be an early vn rear cross member (2 piece, round bushes), try the xmember you removed from the VR and see how it goes.

I would of thought they would be the same well as they say you learn something new everyday.

Are they not like the vt onwards that use the same cross member just a different way or different mount ?

 

[Jxfwsf]

I would of thought they would be the same well as they say you learn something new everyday.

Are they not like the vt onwards that use the same cross member just a different way or different mount ?

nah, vl-vs the "chassis" rails are stepped, higher on 1 side than the other so you can't put it in backwards. Been a while since i've seen it but the s1 vn's used the 2 piece bugger.. 95% sure i've had one sitting side by side with a newer mount and it was different (the hunt is on, i'm sure i have one buried somewhere)... i know there is a spacer plate bolted to the trans then the crossmember in some models.. maybe they just cbf moving the bolt holes in the body and this was the cheaper easier option.


pretty sure this is an auto VR/VS cross member, the round marks are still visible in the pressing where the bushes would sit in the earlier ones.


looked under the vn's here and only have 2 holes to bolt to the body (1 either side), vl/vr/vs has 4 (they went backwards then forward again, can't remember what vp was but assuming it was 2 also).

 

[SLO-454]

All sorted guys. Ended up using a crossmember out of an auto S1 VN. They run the 2 bolt crossmember as Jxw mentioned, with the dogbone crossmember and same mount as later manuals. Lined up perfectly! To be expexcted, using only 2 bolts and the load not being centralised, one of the holes have cracked (Can see in pic). Will be welding up a strengthening plate to overcome Holden's excellent engineering.


Left: VN S1 Auto (One I needed). Middle: Possibly later manual or auto. Right: VR auto (originally in the ute)

Dave20089, Speedo works perfectly!

Tapped in power for the sender from a spare fuse location in the fuse box (6.3mm spade terminal works perfectly to slip into a blade fuse socket)

Earth was from a bolt near the shifter plate.

Signal wire was tapped into the dash loom, on the dash side of the plug just above the ECU.

Sender came out of the same VN I pulled the crossmember out of (figured I'd grab it while I was there as the T5 sender I had, had the wires cut off)