TECH: Ultimate T-5 Article

The link is there, but the document is missing.

 

Interesting...I'll check on it

 

Thanks Ernie for taking the time to rebuild this thread. Being transmission challenged this thread was a great learning tool as well as all the threads that you assembled in the " T-5 Tech" link.

 

Yes, thank you Ernie!

This is an indispensable body of knowledge!

 

Apologies for causing you the extra work Flat Ernie, much appreciated for the repairs to the thread. You rule.

 

I'm running an S10 NWC mechanical speedo higher first (3.70?) trans, Chevy BP, early-mid '90s iirc.. In the holeshot department, roughly how much stronger is a WC trans (10%? 25% 50%?). If I were to switch to a WC, would any parts from my old trans be usable on it?

 

Holeshot and T5 do not go hand in hand, even with WC. WC I would safely guess is 25% stronger, only if you have gearboxes from V8's with 2.95 1st gear. Only parts to swap out are the top lid, tail housing and shifter. They are totally different on the insides. I figured this out the hard way.

 

Thanks BD, great info. Well I guess I'll be finding out the hard way too, not much good to me if I can't beat it. Maybe I should skip the WC, is an M21 stronger? Hate to lose the OD but I'd rather hole shot!

 

There is no percentage. I used to run a NWC T5 out of an '83 Mustang behind a bored/stroked 351W and I could dump the clutch all day long...third gear synchro was toast after the first power shift though. I was using a stock shifter though and I think a good aftermarket shifter with positive stops would've helped it live a little longer.

So, what is this behind? What is it in front of? What is it in? Because revvy motors in light cars and not too much traction can aid the longevity of the car. Torque-monsters in heavy cars with good traction will break Muncies too...it's physics.

If you don't think holeshot and T5 go hand in hand, you weren't paying attention during the late '80s through the late '90s when Mustangs were running 11 second quarter miles with T5 routinely. It's fairly well accepted in Mustang circles that the T5 will handle the torque delivery of a small block Ford in a 3300lb car up to about 400HP and the 11 second range. Did guys break them before that? You bet. Were there a few that lasted longer? Yep. But by and large, that was a pretty good mile marker to switch to the TKO.

 

Blown V8-60 in front, 4.10 8" in rear. 1,600lb. truck with maybe 125hp. Does have 10" wheels and wide street tires in back. It's held up to a dozen launches so far.

 

That is one cool pickup...

 

Cool pickup! I've seen a T5 behind a blown V8-60...it was an early S10, so NWC. I think you'll be fine with an S10 T5 too. Two gear sets available and if you focus on the 86-88, generally, you should have the better ratios.

 

I started reading this thread originally trying to find if a combination like yours is viable. I'm planning a slightly built 351W (stock rebuilt bottom end, .030 over, probably AFR heads, something reasonably sane for a cam, 9.5 or so compression ratio, basically a strong street motor) to go in a 'glass 34 coupe on a Pete & Jakes frame. 9" rear end with Detroit TruTrac. Not sure what rear end ratio yet, probably something around 3.55.

Some places I read say a NWC T5 will handle this. Others say WC T5, but not the NWC. Others say neither will survive.

I'm not building to race. This will be street driven, with highway and in town miles. I may have a bit of a lead foot, but I'm not in any hurry to abuse what's going to take me several years to build. The Mustangs seemed to do ok with the 5L (302) engines putting out way more than stock power, making me think that not putting racing loads in to a WC T5 may be ok.

I'd like a T56, but those cost a lot more. Since I'm currently only window shopping, there's no hurry. Maybe by the time I'm ready to buy, the T56s will be cheaper.

 

David
I ran a tremic t5 behind a 427w strocker in a 3000 pound Comet with spool and slicks held up to 3800 rpm wheels up launches at the drag strip.
I have a stock t5 wc out of a mustang in my 406 galaxie and it is doing fine, no slicks and it hasn't been to the drag strip though

 

Thanks guys. My replacement axles ship this week (old ones twisted off) so we'll soon see. As I recall from the tag when I got the T5 the first gear was 3.7?, not the 4.x. Seemed odd at the time, the truck I yanked it from had a 4 banger. But who knows the history, I got lucky though and it works perfectly without any rebuilding.

 

I would recommend a WC from an '89-up Mustang if you're looking used. New, I would get a Z-spec T5. I think it will handle it well. Despite my limited success with a NWC behind my stroker 351W, I would not recommend a NWC T5 for your application.

 

Thanks Ernie.

 

When trying to match a t5 to a drive train. What rpms are ideal at 70mph. I was thinking around 2200 to 2400. My setup will be a 200 I6 with a 250 head.

 

Can't help you there.I had a .076 5th gear OD and ran 3.70's with 235X75 tires in the rear and to me was the perfect ratio.

 

Every engine has it's own "happy place" based on configuration and tuning. I don't know much about Ford sixes, but I have 4 cylinder cars that are quite happy at 3000 rpms on the highway and V8s that prefer 1800-2000.

You only have so many T5 OD ratios to choose from (which depends on which T5 you choose and what replacement gears can be bought) and I'd be a lot more concerned about the first gear ratio than the OD ratio because there's a lot more margin for error there.

What ratio rear are you using?

 

As I noted in my last post ,3.70.I have only done this conversion once so hopefully the experts will chime in.

 

Mine has a .68 OD, 205/60/15 with a 3.8 rear. I worked it out differently. I will only accelerate to 60mph in the city, and I only want to shift once. So I get 60mph at 6,000rpm with a 1.98 2nd gear. 2,000 rpm at 60mph. Actually, thats how I chose my rear gear, given the 1.98 2nd gear and other parameters.

 

I have the oem at 3.50.
Basically the higher output of the v8 warrants a lower rpm than a 6 cylinder?

 

What factors going into deciding on the first gear?

 

Take the transmission first gear ratio and multiply it by the rear end ratio to get the combined ratio. A popular combined ratio for performance is 12:1 for first. Higher numbers get you lower ratios (like a granny gear) and lower numbers get you a first gear that feels more like second gear. So, if you stick with the 3.5 rear, then you should look for a T5 with a first gear close to 3.42. Lucky for you most Mustang T-5s have a 3.35 first gear which is pretty darn close.

Just for comparison, a Chevy S10 T5 with a 4.03 first gear times your 3.5 rear gives you 14.105:1 combined.

 

Found this new solution to the position of the shifter in the T-5. No need now to change to the S-10 tailshaft anymore. Not my site just found this on line.

http://bangshift.com/general-news/n...ing-street-rod-edition-shifter-for-tremec-t5/

 

Still nowhere near as far forward as an S10 shifter.

 

They should reproduce the truck version, with the shifter way up front and mechanical speedo. That's a lot of tooling so set up for and then say, "hey, is there any need for this?" Might help some with other bench seat issues, but not all of them.

 

Here is the new version from modern drive line. http://moderndriveline.com/Technical_Bits/front-shift-T5-tailhousing.htm

 

Found this a while back. Haven't tried it yet but I plan to.
http://lugnutz65chevystepside.weebl...ft-swap---diy-and-skip-the-adapter-plate.html