Questions about a used T5

[TheBocSez]

Bought a used T5 and components to do a conversion on my 1991 LX. Please excuse my lack of proper terminology. My questions are:

1) How much play if any is acceptable at the input shaft ( think thats what its called) The splined shaft at the front of the transmission. When I grab it, it has a slight movement to it.

2) When I unpacked the transmission, I got the distinct smell of gear oil and it is seeping gear oil from the tail shaft. I thought the T5 was supposed to use ATF. Should I be concerned and what else should I check?

Thanks

 

[HISSIN50]

TBS, The input shaft should be close to having no end play, as I recall.

I have to tell ya that when I pulled the original trans fluid out of the WC T5 in the '88 GT vert, it was fairly viscous like ATF but smelled horrible like gear oil.

I asked around and was told the factory fill was kind of rancid.

Good luck.

 

[TheBocSez]

Well, I checked the tag and found out it was a 4cyl T5 when it was supposed to be from a 5.0.....Gotta love Ebay. I know it will work with a different pilot bushing but with a 3.94 1st gear and my 4.10's, 1st gear will be short lived.

I really think the fluid is gear oil. Its tan/yellow in color and smells like gear oil, but dosent seem as thick. I will refill it with ATF when I put it in the car.

As for the input shaft, there is maybe about 1/16 of an inch of play in it, not much at all.

 

[Euphoric306]

ouch, be nice to that tranny, at least until u can get a v8 t5 or something better behind that motor

 

[TheBocSez]

Yeah, I will be. Fortunatley my combo is fairly mild and not a daily driver so it should be ok for a while.

Regarding the gear oil. I was looking at this site
http://www.allfordmustangs.com//Detailed/349.shtml

It says that all world class T5's use ATF. But that non-world class T5's use 70wt gear oil. I would assume that since this T5 came out of a 2.3, its NOT a world class T5 and hence should use 70wt gear oil.

Anyone disagree with this or have any input?

Thanks

 

[Euphoric306]

sounds all good to me, i do believe non-v8 t5's are non-WC and have like a 160 ft-lb torque rating?

 

[86bluecobra]

i guess you should just talk to a ford dealer about oil to be put in say a 89 2.3L mustang with a 5 spd. probably something about that in your hayes manual if you got one.

 

[TheBocSez]

Im lost. According to this site, it is rated at 240 lbs
http://www.allfordmustangs.com//Detailed/349.shtml

On this site enter 1352 162 in the drop down box and it shows it to be a T5 from a 2.3 Mustang and has WC at the end which I assume means World Class. http://www.allfordmustangs.com//Detailed/631.shtml

 

[Euphoric306]

k now i'm confused too, and the 4cyl, whether world class or not, is rated at 240 (i just threw out 160 because i knew it was lower than the 300 ft-lb rating on the v8 tranny) and will not hold up the the kind of punishment a v8, t5z, or tremec will

 

[mikemustang289]

go to

http://www.fordmuscle.com/archives/2000/09/t5swap/index.php

for good info on T5 identification. Yours is a world class 4 banger trans. It definately takes ATF, which is typically red in color.

If gear oil was used it will destroy the needle bearings inside. Personally I wouldn't even bother putting a 4 cyl t5 behind a 5.0, seems like a big waste of time and your 1rst gear will pretty much be useless unless you plan on towing something heavy.

The trans will last but the minute you put any kind of abuse to it, expect it to break. The cluster gear is usually what will go first.

 

[mikemustang289]

on top of that, 4cyl t5's have a .79 OD rather than the .68 OD of a V8 trans.

so your rpms will be up on the highway as well, especially with 4.11's

 

[TheBocSez]

Im not so worried about the OD ratio. The car dosent spend much time on the highway.

I have been researching it and the opinions on the 4cyl T5 vary as much as the opinions on "which cam should I run" and "What gear ratio 3.73 or 4.10" Some have the same opinion as you, and this is my 1st instinct also, but several others claim no ill effects with the 4cyl T5 and spirited driving.

What I will most likely do is use it. If it last a year great. If not then It doesnt seem like too big of a chore to remove just the transmission when compared to the entire process of a T5 conversion.

Besides, I already have the tranny, what else am I gonna do with it?