jgkurz Posted February 25, 2003 Share Posted February 25, 2003 Hi all, I am planning on starting a project to install a Ford Motorsport T-5 in my 77z L28ET. I've done some research on this and it's the same transmission that came in the 93 Mustang Cobra. Summit Racing sells it new in their 5.0 Liter section. Among the Ford folks it is known to the strongest of the T-5's. The trans should bolt up to the Datsun T-5 bellhousing, but I will need several other mods to make this work. I'm confident of everything except the length and size of the input shaft. I'm not a machinist and have never rebuilt a manual transmission. Is the input shaft something that could be put on a lathe and machined to my desired specs? This all assumes I will need metal removed rather than added. Thanks, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudge Posted February 25, 2003 Share Posted February 25, 2003 Which bellhousing will this actually bolt up to, a turbo Datsun T5? I have an early 5 speed and if I can use the same one, then I may consider this also. Sorry I dont happen to know the answers for you, although I am pretty sure its been discussed before, although maybe archived by now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike C Posted February 25, 2003 Share Posted February 25, 2003 I have contemplated such a swap myself. Seems the Datsun T5 uses many Ford parts. You should have no troubles removing the input shaft and having the length reduced and the pilot sized for the pilot bushing. This will be real easy for a machine shop if you can take them a Nissan input shaft from a T5 for them to duplicate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike C Posted February 25, 2003 Share Posted February 25, 2003 stupid double post... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgkurz Posted February 25, 2003 Author Share Posted February 25, 2003 The Datsun T-5 I was referencing was the Borg Warner trans that came in the 1983 Datsun 280ZX Turbo. The early Datsun transmission bellhousings will not bolt up to a T-5. Another thought I had was whether the Ford Motorsport T-5 still needs modifications done. I've read though many websites regarding the T-5 and there seems to be several aftermarket tricks or parts that can be added to further strenthen this transmission. I've heard of a shop that believes the factory T-5's are setup with too much clearance in the gearsets, bearings or whatever. This is just a point to ponder...... who knows if it's valid. My ultimate goal is to be able to regularly drag race my car without breaking the transmission. Later, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffp Posted February 26, 2003 Share Posted February 26, 2003 I have been working on a tranny for my car for quite some time now. Here are some things to consider. The Ford T5, this tranny is not rated much better then the Borg Warner T5 that came in the zx turbo cars. So if you wust want to run about 250-275 hp then the easiest thing to do is run the turbo tranny from the Nissan. The pilot bearing can be made for the input shaft. I am having two made for my install. I would not suggest getting the input shaft turned down as the shaft is case hardened and it will break most likely if you do machine it to size to fit the Nissan pilot bearing or bushing. The best thinf to do in that case is to hone a new brass bushing to size for the ford T5. The last thing, and this is what I have done is to buy the TKO, or the TKO2 transmission if you want to really put some power to the tranny. I went with the TKO2 because it handles more power and the over drive is not to bad for my topend. The TKO has a better over drive gear, but it is a weaker tranny, and the gears cant be swapped between the two trannies. There is not another gear option for the TKO2 so the .820 over drive will have to do. I called Tremec about the tranny, because it almost fit my zx, and the bell housing perfect(I was not concerned about the mounting bolts as they are easily modified if need be) but the shifter was 19.500 from the front of the tranny and my T5 is 22.500 so the shifter was wgoing to be under the dash. That was not good, so Tremec refereed me to a company that does modifications to the trannies. I called and spoke to the guy about modifying the shifter and move it back. That is being done now. The input shaft dia was larger then mine, so I sent him a stock Nissan roller bearing and he is making a bearing that will fit my crank and the TKO2 input shaft. The bearing retainer(nose cone) fit the bell housing perfectly, but the throw out bearing slider was larger. I sent in the throw out bearing asnd .015 is being removed from the throw out bearing to fit the new tranny. The last thing I need to engineer is the tail shaft mount, and the treanny is in the car. I have the speedo figured out to work I think, but I will have to make sure when I get the tranny. The drive line is done in the design department as I will use the standard output yoke, a Nissan r200 LSD flange on the diff and a spicer companion flange. The universal joints are going to be the spicer 1310 type (very beefy) and that will be the end of all my hp/torque issues with the tranny. My clutch disc hub will be changed to fit the Tremec inpot shaft also. There are mustangs running 9 sec quarters with that tranny and I think that will about do it for my car also LOL So if you are willing to spend the money on a new unit you can have a custom setup that will handle the hp and torque you want to give it and have the gearing that will work very well for the track and the street. The company is going to keep the drawings of the modification, and it will simply be a matter of calling and making an order that will work with the z cars now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgkurz Posted February 26, 2003 Author Share Posted February 26, 2003 Great info!!!! Thanks Jeff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike C Posted February 26, 2003 Share Posted February 26, 2003 Fantastic info, but one thing more. The current Motorsport T5 is MUCH stouter than the Nissan T5. The WC upgrades and the 2.95 first gear make for nearly 100 lb ft increase in torque capacity over the Nissan T5. Nice thing about the Ford T5 is its junkyard availability for us cheapskates. I wonder if the Nissan bearing retainer would work so that that mod would not be neccessary? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgkurz Posted February 26, 2003 Author Share Posted February 26, 2003 Mike, I agree that the Ford Motorsport T-5 is much stronger. I believe it's rated to about 350ft lbs of torque. I also would like to know the Ford unit could benefit from the the Nissan bearing retainer mod. My understanding is that the production version of this trans only came in a 1993 Mustang Cobra with the 5.0 Liter. I've yet to find a used one anywhere. All the yards just want to sell me a the GT version. Later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest De Schmaydee Posted February 27, 2003 Share Posted February 27, 2003 .....i dont think any mustang (ford) t5 ever had more than 330ft lbs......the 95 cobra ( or whatever made 350ft lb)....had a tremec (t5)...most are around 260ft lbs....not sure if the ones that do 300/330 will fit our cars easily...or any easier than putting in a tko....and a tko is rated at 450....but what kind of a mad-man would make 450hp in a 180hp jap sportscar (huh jeff?......hehehehh).....s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudge Posted February 27, 2003 Share Posted February 27, 2003 The regular T5 was at some point 300# and the WC T5 was rated at 330# from my reading. In a lighter car though it should take more I'd say. http://moderndriveline.tripod.com/moderndriveline/id14.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike C Posted February 27, 2003 Share Posted February 27, 2003 Torque loads don't break transmissions, shock loads do. (well, they can, but doesn't happen in practice.) Transmissions are rated on a strange scale. The torque is a continuous load for 24 hours. Don't know why they chose that. What breaks T5's are clutch dumps, speed shifts, and repetitions of same! The brand new Motorsport trans with the Gearzone countershaft bearing stabililzer seems like a pretty stout setup for $1200 brand new compared with everything else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randy 77zt Posted March 6, 2003 Share Posted March 6, 2003 the wc t5(2.97 1st gear)is a good trans .it lasts when used in mustang drag racing.problem is it wasnt produced in a production ford car except for a certain year cobra.so if you get one at your local pick&pull you will end up with a trans that probably has a 3.35 1st.you can get kits to change oem t5 to wc t5 put it is basically a complete trans rebuild.i have a 82 zxt bell housing and tried to attach it to a mustang t5-no go .the front bearing carrier is slighlty larger.but a slight turn down on a lathe ,and a 10"mustang clutch disc on a 240 mm flywheel(i am guessing)and the correct pilot bearing should get it together.i think i remember the input splines being 1" by 10 splines or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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