T5 tailshaft swap for dummies, with pictures.

Snarl, ok good to know - a 14 spline on an S10 is NWC, which is exactly what I'm looking for. What I want to do is use the 235 3 spd bellhousing, 86 camaro gears, and an S10 tailshaft. From what I have read I believe this combination should bolt together with no spacer plate or adapters necessary.
The only thing I will need to worry about is the electronic sender, but I can deal with that.

So, here's another newbie question. If this S10 tailshaft is just a core, will my camaro nwc tailshaft internals work in it?

Thanks for all the help guys!

 

Most Camaro T5's will work without mods, but they did use some with the longer input shaft.

If you use the Camaro tailshaft with the S10 tailhousing, the speedo is in a different spot, and you will need to jury rig the gear onto the shaft as has been posted by several guys before. Of course, in this case it's the reluctor wheel, not a worm gear becasue its electric not cable drive. If you aren't going to use the electric sender, then you could ignore all of this and just plug the hole and use your GPS, etc....

 

damn i missed the electric speedo....me, i'ld think about an older mec speedo type..unless as stated above, you are using a gps unit to monitor your speed....me personally, i hate having gauges that don't work, so i found the early style with the mec speedo...not hard to relocate the gear.....haven't done mine yet, but have read about the different ways of doing it....

 

Even on the electric speedo models you should be able to locate a gear on the tailshaft to drive your mech speedo. I haven't looked at the shaft on one, you may need to chuck it in a lathe to machine a place for the gear. Shouldn't be too much work, especially if running all your gages is important.

Zor

 

S10 tailhousings are either mech or electric. You can't turn one into the other. You need the right tailhousing to begin with.

 

A couple of things not mentioned too often.
1- When changing tail housings or routinely rebuilding, it is
possible to put 2 bushings back to back in the output end of the
housing to increase the bearing area on the slip yoke.
2- Not often required but there is an adapter gizmo available that will go
in the mechanical speedometer hole that converts to electric. It is possible
to run both electric and mechanical speedo's at the same time with this if you
are into lots of gauges on your dash.

 

See post 14 for a quick description on speedo relocation.

 

The T5 stubstick is going to be released in a few months. I just finished designing it. It is a Hurst product with a stub to accept any hurst stick/handle

 

How did your swap go?
I'm doing just the opposite. I have a S-10 T5 with electronic speedo. I would like to convert it to mechanical. Any body out there want to trade parts?
Dennis

 

I kept an eye on the inventory of my local Pick N Pull for a year that would have a mechanical speedo (I believe 89 and older) but could never come up with one. Olders S-10s I went to look at hade the T-4. I ended up pulling a WC T-5 out of an S10 with the Muncie/Saginaw bolt pattern.

Would a T-4 tailhousing work. They look identical to a T-5.

I wish someone would come up with a cheap way to go from an electric to a mechanical speedo.

 

mechanical speedo-
http://kansascity.craigslist.org/ptd/3347410222.html

http://kansascity.craigslist.org/cto/3371375389.html

 

No. There is no room for 5th gear - 5th gear 'lives' in the tailhousing of the T5 and there is a bulge on the bottom the tailhousing that the T4 tailhousing does not have.

 

Great thread! It's been saved in my favorites for a while now. Decided to take a run up to Pick-N-Pull today to find a tranny. Found a '94 S10 with the motor out. Trans was sitting on the x-member connected by 1 bolt! 2 minutes and it was on the ground. 10 minutes later and I had the tailshaft housing off. Got the oil slinger too. $20 off with my PNP Rewards coupon. Took 15 minutes to remove and cost $12 out the door! Awesome junkyard day! Thanks Zor and Flat Ernie for the threads!!

 

Did you get the top cover too? You'll need that...

 

Hahaha........yeah, I realized that after I got home, DUH! I knew I forgot somethin'! I'm going back tomorrow after work. Hopefully, it'll still be there!

 

I am in the middle of this swap and need to get the metal reluctor ring off the mainshaft
The plastic spedo gear is simlple with the spring clip. Is there a trick to getting the reluctor off- I don't want to resort to the BFH if there is a finesse way to do it.

 

The ring is an interference fit. Warm it slightly, and use a brass punch and hammer to tap it off, working the punch completely around the circumference as you proceed. Easy does it.

Bob

 

I learned the hard way- the reluctor needs to come off AWAY from the transmission- there is a tab that retains a ball that breaks off if you drive it toward the tranny. Remove the snap ring and drive it off away from the tranny and it should work.

 

so I have mine apart right now and it seems that I have my shift forks out of alignment because i have no side to side movement. any good suggestions on how to get them aligned? I have tried about everything I can think of and I'm stuck!

 

I WAS RUNNING A S 10 TRANS # 1352 211 IN A LITE T BUCKET ,IT LOST A FEW TEE ON 5TH GEAR PAIR,I WAS NOT HOT RODING. I WAS ABLE TO GET HOME USING 1 THRU 4. I HAVE V8 CAMARO TRANS #1352 072 WILL THE 5TH GEAR PAIR INTERCHANGE? OR WILL THE TAIL SHAFT INTERCHANGE? THE CAMARO GEAR RAITOS WOULD BE BETTER IN MY APPLICATION.?

 

Well, that Camaro trans is an early NWC unit, I think. So, the gears will physically interchange. However, the ratios will be unique and I can't tell you exactly what they'd be without counting teeth on the input, the cluster, and the two 5th gears. You'll have to change both of them.

You may be better off simply putting the S10 tailhousing and top cover onto the Camaro T5...that's what I'd do.

 

Does the T5 mustang tail shaft swap onto a s10 case? I've got a NWC s10 T5 with a mechanical speedo and the Mustang shifter location would work much better for my application (1980 Monza)

 

You're far, far better off just using a Mustang T5 - easier to find, better ratios, and your speedo will work w/o any drama.

But, what are you trying to put it behind? If GM and you need a rear-mounted shifter, look for a T5 from a Camaro/Firebird....fits your bellhousing and shifter on the end...plus better ratios and speedo works.

 

its going behind a sbc with a cable clutch. I would like to stick with mechanical speedo and the "GM" style bell housing mount pattern. The mustang shifter looks like it comes up forward of where the Camaro shifter does (I could be wrong on that) and the s10 location is way to far forward from what I need. I already have a t5 out of a 86 s10 (crappy ratio, but its better than the current Saginaw) is it possible to use the mustang top cover and tailshaft on the s10 case?

 

The Mustang and Camaro shifter locations are pretty close to each other - within an inch or so.

Yes, it is possible to put the Mustang T5 tailhousing and topcover onto an S10, but you'll have to figure out the speedo - the speedo hole is in a different place and the drive gear is in a different location on the output shaft. There is a write-up online (stovebolt page maybe?) about how one person solved this when they put an S10 tailhousing/topcover onto a Camaro T5 by using shimstock and epoxying....

I'd still be looking for a Camaro/Firebird T5 - you're better off with a WC unit with better gear ratios behind a SBC.

 

Just read your funnel post and was wondering if there's any up dates on the funnel situation?. I bought a '88 WC 2.3 ford T5 complete and a '92 S10 tail housing and top plate only, both from different pick a parts. I did find a thrust on the ground for the S10 since it was apart already but I'm lame and forgot to get the funnel. So what I need to know is :

1. Do I need to go back and try to find the funnel.
2. Do I need to find the race for the thrust bearing.
3. Will the electric speedo housing work on my ford T5 if I move the gear for a mech speedo. I read the other posts about moving the gear.

I know I need to change the tailhousing bushing and seal to fit the Ford shaft.

EDIT:
So far it looks like the Camaro T5 has a straight in speedo hole and the S10 has it at a downward angle. I wonder if this was what other posts were talking about needing a older mech speedo tailhousing S10. The Ford T5 housing is angled downward like the S10. I hope this is it, as I haven't measured the bore size or really compared it yet.

 

1. You need a funnel...I've just sort of relaxed my view on which one - I no longer thinks it matters.

2. You need the race if it fits in your tailhousing. This is another area where differences in machining between various tailhousings matters. You'll have to test fit and see.

3. As for the Speedo, I don't have any clue whether the S10 angle is the same as the Mustang...I stay away from electronic speedos altogether.

 

I bought a WG-13-52-156 today for $40 at a local yard as they just got one in,, Ill be following your words, once I find the S10 tailshaft,, Thank you!

 

Have you guys seen this tab before? It pivots around the oiling funnel.

I think it's hanging up my tailhousing from seating when I try to attach it to the T5 case; I think Ive started a crack at the base of the tab.
Do I need it? What's it for? If it is hanging me up from attaching the tailhousing, can I just cut it off?

I'm attaching an S10 housing (066) with mechanical speedo to a Mustang T5 (246)
Thanks in advance!

 

hello, I'm new to H.A.M.B and have read every thing about the T5 but I'm still confused on a few things. I'm putting a 02 5.3l IN A 66 C10 and I picked up a T5 from a 96 V6 Camaro. It is a WC and has an electric speedo. I will have to put a s-10 tail shaft on for shifter clearance but am confused on the speedo. Seeing I have a WC with electric and I'm going to put NWC s-10 tail shaft on it. Would it be better to find a later WC out of an S-10? I know they make a digital to analog converter for the speedo but will I have to relocate the speedo sensor onto the shaft to retain the electric speedo? Swap seems easy enough but not really any mention of using the electric speedo and sensor.