Foxbody trans swap
- Thread starter jimendo20
- Start date
A T5 from a 94/95 car will not bolt up if you used a Fox bell housing. This is due to the input shaft being longer. You would need to swap the input shaft from the Fox T5 into the 94/95 T5 and shim it according to end play.
Have you checked for codes? Check engine light (CEL) only illuminates for emissions related codes so other codes can be present and you will not see a CEL flash.
Have you checked for codes? Check engine light (CEL) only illuminates for emissions related codes so other codes can be present and you will not see a CEL flash.
If the trans still has the tag on it, check that. Since your car used to be a 4 cyl, check the tag on the old trans too. What you are looking for is the 1352-xxx number on the second line. It will identify what the trans was originally built for (not that it couldn't have been rebuilt at some point in its life).
Here is a pic of the tag...
This is a 96-98 V6 trans I have.
The reason I ask you to check the old trans is some folks have used a 4 cyl trans behind a 5.0 - not recommended to any kind of spirited driving.
Here is a pic of the tag...
This is a 96-98 V6 trans I have.
The reason I ask you to check the old trans is some folks have used a 4 cyl trans behind a 5.0 - not recommended to any kind of spirited driving.
Do you have a photo of the trans? Or maybe at least one under the car? Might be some visible clues to ID it.
So car is no crank right now? DO you hear the solenoid clicking? Does the starter at least try?
So car is no crank right now? DO you hear the solenoid clicking? Does the starter at least try?
the one it had ans the one I installed. Does not crank. Solenoid wont click. Starter wont make noise at all. Tried to crank over engine with a braker bar. Seems locked. But was running just fine before installed. After install, it ran, died out and just didnt crank anymore.
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This is what I had onIf the trans still has the tag on it, check that. Since your car used to be a 4 cyl, check the tag on the old trans too. What you are looking for is the 1352-xxx number on the second line. It will identify what the trans was originally built for (not that it couldn't have been rebuilt at some point in its life).
Here is a pic of the tag...
This is a 96-98 V6 trans I have.
The reason I ask you to check the old trans is some folks have used a 4 cyl trans behind a 5.0 - not recommended to any kind of spirited driving.
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The photo of the tag in the car says its a 99 WC trans with electronic speedo. You can see the sensor in the same pic just in front of it. The gearset in that trans should be the same as a 90-95 5.0 WC trans - 300 ft/lbs rating.
Can't tell exactly what your old trans is internally. What is the measurement of the length of the bearing retainer and/or from front of case to tip of input shaft. I have a 96 V6, 94 GT, 00 V6, 04 V6 and an 88 4 cyl T5 handy in front of me for the next few days and can compare measurements if needed.
Best way to tell if its the trans or engine is causing your locking issue would be to pull the trans (leave the bellhousing and flywheel/clutch in place) and try turning the motor over with a wrench.
Can't tell exactly what your old trans is internally. What is the measurement of the length of the bearing retainer and/or from front of case to tip of input shaft. I have a 96 V6, 94 GT, 00 V6, 04 V6 and an 88 4 cyl T5 handy in front of me for the next few days and can compare measurements if needed.
Best way to tell if its the trans or engine is causing your locking issue would be to pull the trans (leave the bellhousing and flywheel/clutch in place) and try turning the motor over with a wrench.
Yup. that's a 99-04 T5 that put in.
Old trans says Borg-Warner, so it's pre-1998. Top cover does look like it has the provision for the NGS, so it's likely a Fox trans.
Assuming no parts have been swapped on these trans, the 99+ T5 will have an input shaft that sticks out 3/4" longer. I wonder if it's what's jamming your engine up.
Jack the rear end up. Put the trans in gear and have someone push the clutch in. Can you spin the rear wheels and get the driveshaft to turn?
With the clutch in, can you turn the engine over with a breaker bar
Loosen the 4 trans bolts. You don't need to remove it but back the bolts out far enough the trans can slide back (might need to loosen trans mounts as well). Does this free anything up?
Old trans says Borg-Warner, so it's pre-1998. Top cover does look like it has the provision for the NGS, so it's likely a Fox trans.
Assuming no parts have been swapped on these trans, the 99+ T5 will have an input shaft that sticks out 3/4" longer. I wonder if it's what's jamming your engine up.
Jack the rear end up. Put the trans in gear and have someone push the clutch in. Can you spin the rear wheels and get the driveshaft to turn?
With the clutch in, can you turn the engine over with a breaker bar
Loosen the 4 trans bolts. You don't need to remove it but back the bolts out far enough the trans can slide back (might need to loosen trans mounts as well). Does this free anything up?
That appears to be a Fox bellhousing based on the clocking of the clutch fork. If that’s the case Inwould think that the longer input shaft would physically keep the bellhousing from being flush with the block.
Yeah. Not quite sure where the extra length is being that it all looks flush. Someone could have converted that 99+ trans.
But based only on appearance it shouldn’t work and I wonder if it’s the cause of the issues
But based only on appearance it shouldn’t work and I wonder if it’s the cause of the issues
Yes.
I have one right now in my basement on an engine stand bolted to an 83-85 bell
The T5 only came on the V6s from 96-10, they never bolted to a mod motor
I have one right now in my basement on an engine stand bolted to an 83-85 bell
The T5 only came on the V6s from 96-10, they never bolted to a mod motor
Ah I did not know that. I do remember now that the V8 mod motor got the T-45 so learned something today.
So, removed trans today. Piece of the sleep of input shaft got stuck in the throwout bearing and fork. This is hour it came out
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Shaft is same size. Sleeve is longer? Idk. Didnt check the bell housing length. I’ll check that tomorrow.
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Sn95 bearing retainer is longer than Fox. I have one kicking around that I can measure later, but it's looking like that was an SN95 trans without mods. That input shaft should be about 0.65" longer than the Fox one.
If oyu have your old trans still, measure from the case to the tip of the input shaft and see if there is a difference between the two. Likely there is.
You might have to pull the clutch off and inspect for damage to the pilot bearing or other components in there if this is the case
If oyu have your old trans still, measure from the case to the tip of the input shaft and see if there is a difference between the two. Likely there is.
You might have to pull the clutch off and inspect for damage to the pilot bearing or other components in there if this is the case
If you have the transmission out of your car, check at the top of the bellhousing. A 94/95 bell has 5.0 cast into it. Fox bellhousings do not have this. V6 bellhousings have a 3.8 cast into them.
As mentioned above, the mod motors never used a T5 but an aftermarket bell is available to have that combination.
If you have the input shaft out (not mounted in the trans) look at the splined section length and the smooth section back to the bearing area. On a Fox input shaft, the two lengths are the same or slightly longer splines. On an SN95 the smooth section is clearly longer.
An image I found on the internet but shows the difference. The smooth part back to the polished tapered section.
My collection of spare T5s...
Starting top left - 96 V6 (1352-238) with a newer top cover (likely rebuilt at some point), 94GT in the middle, 00 V6 (1352-260) and 99 V6 (1352-260).
Your top cover looks like the 94 GT, shaped like the Fox with neutral provision, but not the sensor. So likely yours is a 94-98 (V6 or GT).
As mentioned above, the mod motors never used a T5 but an aftermarket bell is available to have that combination.
If you have the input shaft out (not mounted in the trans) look at the splined section length and the smooth section back to the bearing area. On a Fox input shaft, the two lengths are the same or slightly longer splines. On an SN95 the smooth section is clearly longer.
An image I found on the internet but shows the difference. The smooth part back to the polished tapered section.
My collection of spare T5s...
Starting top left - 96 V6 (1352-238) with a newer top cover (likely rebuilt at some point), 94GT in the middle, 00 V6 (1352-260) and 99 V6 (1352-260).
Your top cover looks like the 94 GT, shaped like the Fox with neutral provision, but not the sensor. So likely yours is a 94-98 (V6 or GT).
The top cover that says Tremec is the post-98 T5, however the two input shafts appear to be the same lenght. So possible that was swapped
Fox shaft should be 7.1” long and sn95 is 7.9” long.
However, it seems they reused the sn95 bearing retainer and didn’t cut it down??
Fox shaft should be 7.1” long and sn95 is 7.9” long.
However, it seems they reused the sn95 bearing retainer and didn’t cut it down??
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