Complete T5 swap thread - one way to skin the cat

[LVPhotos]

My t5 is top mount shifter and thats a s10 direct fit. My engine sits in stock location. You might have to check excatly where the transmission sits. I am using stock front v8 engine mount bellhouse. It has motor /trans mounts. The shifter touches but with the tank out I can move seat back. If need be get the full-size c -10 straight leg.
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[dantimdad]

I built my own stick. I took a piece of 1/2" round rod, heated the end up and pounded it flat and drilled two holes in it. Put two bends in it and angled the top bend sideways so it sat right. Then I welded a grenade on for a shifter knob.





Steven

[RdoubleU]

Good info Jocko, thanks for for the followup exactly what I needed to know. I'm feeling the lokar look over the Hurst as you mentioned

[Dano0579]

Hey Jocko,
Got me a T5 and fixing to do the swap. Don't be surpised if I ask you a lot of question during the process, lol. Thanks for the wonderful post!!

[BAT]

Originally Posted by Dano0579

Hey Jocko,
Got me a T5 and fixing to do the swap. Don't be surpised if I ask you a lot of question during the process, lol. Thanks for the wonderful post!!

And with mechanical speedo, those are getting harder and harder to come by. Good luck!!!
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[Dano0579]

Originally Posted by BAT

And with mechanical speedo, those are getting harder and harder to come by. Good luck!!!
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Thanks Bat, I was real lucky. I posted that i needed one on one of those facebook pages and someone answered back with the one i uploaded. He sold it to me for $200.00 with gear shifter and a new yoke. It's from a 85 s10 2.8L V6. Has the 0.72 OD.

[jocko]

Originally Posted by Dano0579

Hey Jocko,
Got me a T5 and fixing to do the swap. Don't be surpised if I ask you a lot of question during the process, lol. Thanks for the wonderful post!!

you're welcome, happy to help if I can. feel free to pm me if you like as well, that will get you the quickest answer (or the quickest "i don't know"... )

From your description above, sounds like you got a winner and a good deal.

[Dano0579]

Originally Posted by jocko

you're welcome, happy to help if I can. feel free to pm me if you like as well, that will get you the quickest answer (or the quickest "i don't know"... )

From your description above, sounds like you got a winner and a good deal.

Thanks Jocko!

[BB77551]

maybe i missed it but what clutch and pressure plate did you use . was it the stock six clutch assy. or did you use a different clutch ?

[jocko]

No worries AZ59 - pitch in!

I also used what AZ59 used - and it's also listed by part number (O'reily, I think) on one of the first few posts I believe. As previously mentioned, highly recommend not reusing one or two parts - buy the whole "kit" that includes the disk, pressure plate, AND release bearing - that way you are assured of a workable stacked height of the components.

[AZ59apacheguy]

Originally Posted by jocko

No worries AZ59 - pitch in!

I also used what AZ59 used - and it's also listed by part number (O'reily, I think) on one of the first few posts I believe. As previously mentioned, highly recommend not reusing one or two parts - buy the whole "kit" that includes the disk, pressure plate, AND release bearing - that way you are assured of a workable stacked height of the components.

I have a question about the throwout bearing. The one that came with the Astro Van Kit left too much gap between the bearing and the fingers of the pressure plate. I also ran out of adjustment on my linkage arm and the best freeplay distance I could obtain was 3". I removed the T5 and installed the throwout bearing out of my 235/SM420 combo. That worked out perfectly and I was able to obtain the 1" freeplay required. Is there something weird going on? What did everyone else use?

[tincan1966]

OK stupid question- found a T5 out of an '88 S-10 with shifter. $200 is asking price- is that reasonable? I noted from pics it has electric speedo, which is not a bad thing for me.

Thanks!

[Lugnutz65]

A "fair" price depends on:
- the condition of the T5. Is it rebuilt - or does it have 150,000 miles on it?
- the gearing of T5. Some have more desirable OD gearing than others.
- if the tailshaft has the kind of speedometer drive that you want for your specific vehicle.

Just remember, you will probably need to buy an adapter plate for about $130 - $150 so you can use it.

I think you should offer no more than $100 unless . . . . it has been rebuilt . . etc.

I have a T5 section on my website that shows you how to check the 1st gear and OD gearing so you know for sure what you are getting.

Jay

[jocko]

if it is functional and it has the gearing you like, I would not hesitate personally. $200 isn't bad for a functional trans. If it will need a rebuild, then I'd go $100 or just keep looking. These seem to be getting harder to find. If you know it's coming out of its original vehicle, etc - then the metal tag may give you a hint at what the gearing is by cross-referencing some of the links on the first few posts - but no guarantees, the only way to know for sure is to stick it in the individual gears (primarily 1st and 5th are the ones you REALLY would want to know) and count the revolutions of the input vs output shafts. If you can't rotate them by hand, then that's a sure sign you need to pass on it. Good luck!

[tincan1966]

Thanks guys for the input! This trans has been for sale for a while, will go look at the tags and give it a visual.

[porter90]

man I wish I could find an s-10 t5..i have to cut another hole another 3inches back for the shifter! womp womp woommmp

[Lugnutz65]

Originally Posted by porter90

man I wish I could find an s-10 t5..i have to cut another hole another 3inches back for the shifter! womp womp woommmp

Persistence my friend. The S10 T5 (or one from a GMC S15) can be found, but it's just getting harder these days. I just bought a 1993 World Class T5 with 90K miles on it. I pulled it from an S10 with a V6 at a salvage yard and it has the 0.72 OD gear too. It took over 5 months of waiting, but I found one.

I think you'll find one if you persist.

[Frijolito1988]

Guys i see a 86 S10 with a 4 Cylinder and T5, Is that the same T5 we can use ? They used the same T5 on the 4 and 6 cylinder ?

[Lugnutz65]

Originally Posted by Frijolito1988

Guys i see a 86 S10 with a 4 Cylinder and T5, Is that the same T5 we can use ? They used the same T5 on the 4 and 6 cylinder ?

An 86 S10 with a 4 cylinder might have a 0.86 OD gear, but if you aren't gonna do a lot of highway driving, that would be OK. This chart suggests that TAG 1352-102 is a Non-World Class with a 0.72 OD gear. See if you can read the tag.

MOST importantly, does it have an electric speedometer drive or the elusive mechanical (cable) drive?

[allens4876]

Found a 85 s10 with everything still intact at a local scrap yard! i will be doing this swap soon in my 67 c10. one question i do have is how necessary is the round piece made at the machine shop? i found a spacer thats premade.

http://hamiltonintakes.com/products/...5-swap-adapter

[Lugnutz65]

Originally Posted by allens4876

Found a 85 s10 with everything still intact at a local scrap yard! i will be doing this swap soon in my 67 c10. one question i do have is how necessary is the round piece made at the machine shop? i found a spacer thats premade.

http://hamiltonintakes.com/products/...5-swap-adapter

The adapter plates made by the vendors listed below are ready to bolt into place.

Vintage Metalworks Adapter Plate - Click Here

HotRodworks Adapter Plate - Click Here

[jocko]

Originally Posted by allens4876

Found a 85 s10 with everything still intact at a local scrap yard! i will be doing this swap soon in my 67 c10. one question i do have is how necessary is the round piece made at the machine shop? i found a spacer thats premade.

http://hamiltonintakes.com/products/...5-swap-adapter

Congrats, hope your install goes well and that this thread can be of some help. Don't bother with Hamilton Intakes, they blew me off for months and set my project behind for a long time. Flakey bunch. The only reason I made the ring was because it was a homemade machining deal, ensured I could have the parts made inexpensively out of 2 pieces that I could finish fit at home (ie the spray-paint hole location technique) vice starting with 1 large aluminum billet chunk that had to have the mounting holes dead on from the git go). Skip that approach and use the Vintage Metalworks adapter listed above, it's the way to go now - just wasn't available (or I couldn't find it anyway) when I was doing my build.

[BAT]

If you need just the spacer ring I have one you can have for $20.

[Sharps40]

PM Old Bleu, he just used the Vintage Metalworks Adapter on his T5 install.

[Old Bleu]

Allens4876, I first tried to contact Hamilton Intakes about their adapter, and never got any response. I've read here that others had the same experience. Lugnutz put me on to Vintage Metalworks, and I ordered his spacer plate. It fit perfectly and looked to be be very well made. The only modifications that I had to make were shortening the driveshaft, slightly shortening the bearing retainer and slightly lowering the crossmember that holds the e-brake levers on my '64. I still need to get a new speedo gear in my T5 since my speedometer is 15% or so fast with my 3.73 gears. I've also discovered that my T5 is leaking ATF at the speedometer connection, but I'll install a new "bullet" with seal and o-ring when the speedo gear is replaced.

I don't have a lot of miles on mine since the swap, but it definitely makes driving the truck a much more enjoyable experience!