auto to manual?

is it possible to actually switch from a automatic to a manual transmission? i have two xj jeeps (and i'm not buying another for a while), my manual has a really nice strong clutch but pretty much every thing but that and the stuff under the hood is gone "south". i have a buddy that said he can swich the trans from one jeep to the other for me but is it really a good idea? how much stuff can go wrong. ones a 1997 and the other is a 1999, is there a lot of difrance when it comes to the workings? i'm sure some one out there has done it.

This is a common question and pops up every couple of weeks, (not just with Jeeps but all makes)

It is possible to do, but just takes a lot of work. It is easier because you have the entire manual trans Jeep so there is a good guide of how everything goes together.

If you wish to swap just the transmission, the biggest issue is the pilot bushing cavity that is drilled in the rear of the engine's crankshaft. Often the cavity is in place in the manual trans engine, but not in the automatic engine. Drilling this cavity requires precision and is best left for a machine shop. So you may have to take a look at your automatic-tran engine first. You will have to unbolt the transmission and shift it rearwards to see.

Also, the electronics may be different. Your Jeep has an electronic shift transmission. If you remove the trans but leave the original engine computer in place, the computer will produce codes telling you there is a transmission malfunction.

So, I think the best way for swapping is to swap over the entire engine, transmission and transfer case along with the engines wiring harness and computer.

yea i have decided to just switch motors, the working one has less millage so i think its not a bad idea, i am thinking about rebuilding my current one or at least giving it some TLC.