NV3550 Swap Overview

Difficulty 5/530–80 hrs$1500–40001987-1990, 1991-1995, 1996, 1997-2001

Pulling NV3550 from a 2000-04 TJ into an XJ. Bolts up directly to the 4.0L. Best DIY manual upgrade for any XJ planning stroker or auto-to-manual.

Donor: 2000-04 TJ Wrangler with 4.0L manual. The trans is identical to a 2000-01 XJ NV3550. Pull complete with bell housing, clutch components, hydraulic slave (TJ style is concentric — different from XJ), shifter, and pedal assembly if doing auto-to-manual.

Key swap differences depending on starting point:

From AX-15: see trans-ax15-to-nv3550. Mostly bolt-in.

From AW4 (auto-to-manual): full conversion. You need:

NV3550 with bell, clutch, flywheel
Pedal box from 5-speed XJ
Clutch master and slave cylinder, hydraulic line
Shifter
AW4 trans tunnel cover replaced with manual version (or trim/seal)
TCU defeat (remove AW4 TCU, may need PCM adjustment on OBD-II for trans-disabled mode)
VSS routing (manual has VSS in t-case; same on auto)
New crossmember (NV3550 is slightly different length than AW4)
Driveshaft length adjustment

Known issues:

The TJ uses a hydraulic concentric slave inside the bell. XJ uses an external slave. You'll likely use the TJ setup, which requires the TJ master and hydraulic line. The XJ master is mechanical-bias different.
Tunnel hump on auto trucks is shorter, needs persuasion or boot modification
Driveshaft phasing (see drive-driveshaft-phasing) matters more with manual launch

Cost: $1500-3500 for a full conversion if buying parts retail. Salvage TJ full pull (entire car), $2000-5000.

When worth it: when you want manual and only manual. The AW4 is great. Don't swap to manual unless you really care about it.

Why it works

manual control
strong trans
uses common Mopar parts

Trade-offs

big project
pedal box source
tunnel mod

Tools required

full mechanic shop
trans jack
welder (for crossmember mods)

Parts

Part	Vendor	Est. price
NV3550 with bell and clutch (TJ pull)	junkyard	~$800
Manual pedal box (XJ donor)	junkyard	~$150
Clutch hydraulic kit (master+slave+line)	Mopar	~$220

Sources

Novak NV3550 guide

Written and maintained by an AZ wheeler and driveway wrencher. Always cross-reference your factory service manual — modifications affect vehicle safety and warranty. Work at your own risk.

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