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 Holden Commodore How-To's

The complete Vn-Vr Manual

Conversion Guide.
 Haydz ·  Jul 1, 2008 ·  conversion flywheel guide
manual transmission

Boyd Gray-hinder
B New Member

Jul 1, 2018  #261

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Hey guys I’m after a bit of help I am putting a vs

260 getrag manual gearbox in a vr ute that has a
column shift I have changed everything over but
I’m lose with what wires I need for the manual
gearbox from the auto gearbox

Cam1984
New Member

Jun 29, 2020  #262

I've just finished a manual conversion on my 1990

VN Calais V8. I used a 290 Getrag out of a VT SS.
Everything went well but I cant seem to find any
info on the speed sensor wiring for a getrag to a
VN.
The VN has 3 wires & the speed sensor has 2.
Anyone know how to get the speedo working?
Thanks.

delcowizzid
on holiday

Jun 29, 2020  #263

You will need some kind of signal convertor like the

dakota digital speedo corrector I think can do it or
the jaycar one but the new version seems to be a
bit flaky

Cam1984
New Member

Jun 30, 2020  #264

Cheers mate, Ill check them out.

I cant seem to get any signal to the dash.
Anyone know the trick?

gtrboyy
Well-Known Member

Jun 30, 2020  #265

What parts do you have & what have hooked up?

vs getrag has external vss with ring gear on slip

yoke...cable off vss goes to vs ecu....then just purple
speedo wire in dash harness to ecu.

No idea if vt is same as vs series 3....I'd never use vt

setup for a conversion as you're finding out certain
things don't easily interchange with earlier models.

If not using ecu to get signal you'll have to research

what type of signal vss has & what dash reads as
certain they're different then make it work with
dakota digital corrector.

Cam1984
New Member

Jun 30, 2020  #266

So... my VN doesnt have a purple/white wire from

the ECU at all. Any ideas what wire i need to cut
into?

gtrboyy
Well-Known Member

Jun 30, 2020  #267

Have you fitted up that slip yoke & matching vss

that bolts to extension housing?

Haven't read this thread just quick search about

getrag & t5/th700 vs

https://pcmhacking.net/forums/viewtopic.php?
f=32&t=1733

vn/p wiring goes vss,trans tunnel/firewall to dash

cluster all other models goes through ecu to dash
cluster.

A.baker
A New Member

Jul 31, 2021  #268

Haydz said: 

myself and a mate (mischa)


we have both been doing manual conversions
in the past few weeks and i have also noticed
a lot of interest on the subject here so for all
that are not sure here is the list of parts you
need for a VN-VR V6 Manual Conversion.

Manual Gearbox
Manual Tail shaft (can be from a
wagon/ute all that you need is the front
half)
Manual Starter Motor
Manual Flywheel
Bell housing
Gear Plate (it is pop riveted to the
transmission hole to make it the right
size for either auto or manual)
Manual Console Cover/Boot/Shifter
Manual Pedal Box
Clutch, Thrust Bearing and Pressure
plate
New Pressure Plate Bolts
New Flywheel Bolts
Clutch Cable
Spigot Bush

For A Series 1 VN you Will require extra parts:

Crank Adapter From Castlemaine Rod

Shop Which Costs $338 or the special
custom flywheel (around $600 last time
i asked)

But you will still require the manual

flywheel from a Series 1 if you use the
crank adapter.

And as Vr-Vs Use an electronic automatic

gearbox they will require Some work to be
done to either the loom or Memcal in the ecu.

there are 3 options.

1. Find a Manual Vr Computer And Loom

2. Get the auto Mem-Cal Re tuned to run
the manual Gearbox
3. Use the Manual Computer and Loom
out of a vn-vp commodore which will
still require a re programming of the
mem cal

To Complete the Conversion yourself you will

need a basic understanding of tools how to
use them Here is a rough guide of what you
will need.

Socket Set Ranging from 17mm to

8mm
Car Jack
Axle Stands
Car Ramps
Basic Screw Drivers
Clutch alignment tool
Torque Wrench
Funnel & Hose

How To:

Removing Automatic Transmission (VN – VR)

1. Drive the front of the car up on ramps

and jack the rear and support it on jack
stands and remove the negative battery
terminal.
2. Remove the exhaust from the
manifolds to the tip, remove the left
manifolds as well as you need to reach
the starter motor.
3. Drain the oil from the automatic
transmission by removing the pan.
4. Remove the 4 bolts from the rear of the
tail shaft as well as 2 bolts from the tail
shaft mount, remove the tail shaft from
the vehicle.
5. Remove the filler tube from the
transmission, it is held on with one bolt
on the rear of the block. It is one of the
bolts holding the bell housing to the
motor. Then remove from the vehicle
6. Disconnect the kick down cable from
the throttle body.
7. Disconnect the transmission cooler
lines from above the box.
8. Disconnect the speed sensor and
reverse gear sensor from the box, and
any other wiring.
9. Detach the shifter linkage arm from the
left side of the box.(VN - VP only)
10. Reinstall the oil pan and use either a
gearbox jack or a normal jack with a
peice of wood on it to support the box.
11. Remove the gearbox mounts and
stiffener.
12. Remove all the bolts from the bell
housing bolts holding it to the block.
13. With the Jack still suporting it slide the
gearbox back enough so you can
remove the converter housing cover
and undo the 3 bolts holding the
torque converter to the flywheel. You
will need to rotate the engine to access
all of them.
14. Now slide the gearbox back with the
torque converter then drop the gearbox
down, remove it from the vehicle
remembering the kick down cable
needs to be guided out to from the
engine bay. (it may be necessary to
remove one of the rear wheels to fit the
gearbox out)
15. Now you can remove the flywheel (6
bolts VN S1, 8 bolts VN S2 - VR) and the
locator bearing if it didnt already come
out with the transsmision.

Modifying Gearbox Loom. to keep auto

computer. (VR only)
On the manual gearbox there are two
connectors One For the reverse lights and the
other for the speed sensor.

1. Connected to the auto shifter will be a

white plug with four wires connected to
it the grey and grey/black wires are for
the neutral safety switch. they need to
be shorted together to allow the car to
start.
2. The other two wires on this connector
are pink and green, they are the wires
for the reverse lights test this yourself
by touching them together and looking
at the reverse lights.
3. To get the reverse lights working you
will need some more wire to extend
them to the gearbox. when you have
enough length crimp a blade connector
on each wire *Note they do not have to
go onto the gearbox in a specific order
(i had a spare loom sitting in the shed
so i used the same colours to keep it
factory looking.)
4. To get the speed sensor working you
will Need 3 things.
Positive
Negative
Signal Wire to the dash.
The signal wire is the Purple/White
Cable this has to be extended over to
just above the ecu. where you will also
find a purple/white wire on a plug
leading from the computer up into the
dash. this is the wire you need to cut
and connect your extended wire.
5. For the Positive and Ground i used My
spare Cigarette lighter Wiring but you
could also use the wiring for the light
around the auto shifter surround.
6. Then drill a hole through your gearshift
plate and put a grommet in and run the
wires through to the connectors.( it is
recommended you do this while the car
is still up in the air.)

Here is a picture of where you should cut the

purple/white wire as i know i was slightly
confused when working it all out.

Removing all other auto associated parts. (VN

– VR)

1. Take the centre console and radio

surround out, you will not need to
reinstall the center console auto insert
as you need to change this to manual.
2. Drill out the pop rivets holding the
automatic shifter panel in place and
remove it from the vehicle
3. Under the stereo there is a wiring loom
that runs to the gearbox this needs to
be removed. It will unplug from the
loom in the car and easily pull out.
4. On the Passenger side of the engine
bay look down to where you have
removed the header. You will see a 2
electrical connectors running to the
starter motor 1 will clip out the other
you will have to remove a 13mm bolt.
(on the auto starters we found a extra
bolt next to these connectors holding
the starter motor in there, there isent
one on the manual starter[to be
confirmed]) Then get under the car and
remove the two bolts holding the
automatic starter motor in place.
5. Remove auto pedal box.
https://forums.justcommodores.com.au
/threads/how-remove-pedal-box-vn-
vr.75318

Installing the Manual Gearbox and Associated

Parts

1. First install the manual pedal box as per

this thread
https://forums.justcommodores.com.au
/threads/how-remove-pedal-box-vn-
vr.75318
2. If you have a S1 now is when you will
have to install the adapter, instruction
will be included with the adapter and
are better then me explaining it here.
3. Using NEW flywheel bolts attach the
original GM 6 bolt flywheel to the crank
adapter, there is only one way to put
the flywheel on as the holes a slightly
offset.
4. Insert a new spigot bush into the crank,
make sure its oiled up good. We put a
little extra grease on it too.
5. Using a clutch alignment tool to hold
the clutch in place attach the pressure
plate using either the old bolts or new
ones if there not in the best condition.
Once done up remove the clutch
alignment tool.
6. Attach the manual starter motor with
the 2 MANUAL starter bolts, and
connect the 2 electrical connectors.
Now this is something people can do if
they have never worked or have a
limited knowledge of cars that the
starter motor pops out to crank the
engine and then pops back in. So even
tho it looks like it won’t start the engine
it will! Another thing we done is we
pulled it out manually with our hands
so it was sitting on the ring gear of the
flywheel and do the bolts up. If you
want you may test start it, warning the
car will be very loud with no exhaust
(VR’s will need to short the neutral
safety switch)
7. Now if the car doesn’t start or crank and
you hear the starter going it’s either not
ejecting and hitting the ring gear. If you
hear nothing, you either haven’t
shorted the neutral safety or the starter
isn’t connected. Another thing to
remember is that u have disconnected
the battery.
8. Now that it’s got the manual means of
starting you can now install your
gearbox! Disconnect the battery again
and prepare the gearbox by greasing
up the input shaft and thrust bearing.
Place the thrust bearing on the input
shaft on the clutch fork. You may need
to replace the clutch rubbers.
http://www.exedy.com.au/user_uploade
d_files/pdfs/tech-notes/Tech Note F.pdf
Make sure the manual gearbox mount
is attached to the gearbox and is in 3rd
gear.
9. You will need a gearbox jack or a bit or
wood and a normal jack, gearbox
mount bolts at the ready, some lock
tight and defiantly more then 1 person,
we used 2 but 3 is a good number. Now
get the gearbox under the car in the
trans tunnel, we dragged it on a bit of
wood and had to angle it under.
Offcourse this all depends on how high
the car is, another option is to remove
on of the back wheels for more room
we done this on one of the cars to.
10. Now with the gearbox under where it
needs to go place the jack behind it.
With one person on either side of the
gearbox lift it up and place the jack
under it, just before the bell housing.
Now you will need to work it out from
hear, go up and forward as you get
more room. Keep watch on the gear
lever and the bell housing for room.
Now that the input shaft is starting to
go into the clutch u will need to rotate
the crank to aligning the input shaft,
this is the most annoying part as it
seems to never be right and will take
you a while. Once the gearbox slides in
and goes flush with the engine do up
the gearbox mount bolts with some
lock tight and all the bell housing bolts.
11. Insert the plate that belongs at the
bottom of the bell housing to cover the
flywheel and bolt it on.
12. Install the manual tail shaft using lock
tight on all nuts and bolts used.
13. Guide the clutch cable down to the
clutch fork, through the plastic cover
and the clutch mount. Get someone
the pull the clutch off the ground inside
the car while you try and hook the
cable onto the fork, once it’s on place
the cover over it. Now using the
adjustment on the clutch on the
gearbox do it up so that u are
tightening it as far as it will go. Now tell
the person in the cab to let go and give
it a push. If it’s too high, loosen the
adjuster and if it’s too low tighten it,
should be just higher the brake pedal
but not by much.
14. Replace the headers that where
removed and the Y piece, then the cat
back. (cat back doesn’t refer to a sports
exhaust just everything ‘cat’ back)
15. Now its time to fill the gearbox up with
oil, your local car store will be happy to
recommend a oil. We used dextron 75-
85W gearbox oil if I remember right
(heck up on that). To fill it we first used a
pump that attaches to the top of the oil
bottle but that was rubbish, second
time round we used a funnel and a bit
of hose. Guide the hose from the
engine bay to the gearbox filler hole. Fill
the gearbox up so that its starts to
overflow, in other words flush with the
filler hole. You can check by sticking
your pinky in there, should be just
under 2L.
16. Now, the moment of truth, connect the
battery and start her up. Make sure you
start it in neutral and with your foot on
the clutch. If it starts up fine, slowly
release the clutch. If that goes fine put
it into first and slowly release the clutch,
make sure your rear wheels are clear
from anything and the handbrake is off.
If all goes well you’ve pretty much done
all the under car work. Now onto
electrical.

(Still Editing)

For More info Regarding V6 Crankshafts refer

to this thread
https://forums.justcommodores.com.au/threa
ds/v6-crankshaft-info.63206

If you have any Problems or just want more

info Pm Mischa or Myself.

Pivot Ball & Clutch adjustments.

http://www.exedy.com.au/user_uploaded_files/
pdfs/tech-notes/Tech Note E.pdf

The Standard Ratios For the V6 t5 Are

1st: 3.25:1
2nd: 1.99:1
3rd: 1.29:1
4th: 1:1
5th: .72:1

Hi do you need have to change center console

surround it’s self or just put in manual shifter gate
panel. As my console is like new condition only
110kms on car been garage all its life

  Prev 27 of 27

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