T5 costs

Its getting to be that time, yep, tranny swap time. I think im gonna try the t5 swap soon, but I need some help. One mechanic told me it would cost $3,000!!!! to do the swap. I was wondering what im getting myself into price, part and part availability wise. What all could I do with a mechanical friend and good tools, lol. I would appreciate any help I can get before I think about putting money into this project!
Matt

Matt,

The t5 was the single best improvement in performance we have done.

We have a 3.20 rear end and a t5 from an 89 4 cyl Mustang. This gearing combination works well, 1st is really low (can you say wheel spin?), and 5th allows the engine to relax at speed.

Steps, Assuming you already have a manual trans and are keeping the zbar. All costs are rough estimates from memory.

1. Read Al's inline pages. Re-read after you have selected your parts. Also check out Cobrasix's web page write-up photos on his t5 install.
2. Select either a t5 for either a 4 cyl or 8, this will determine your pilot bearing requirements. The 4 cyl requires a special smaller pilot bearing Al supplied (forgot the cost but less than $40).
3. Obtain a transmission supprot bracket - about $150? May need new crossmember to car bolts $10
4. Get an adaptor plate Al - $150 to 180?
5. New clutch plate sized to your flywheel splines to the t5 - $40 Do not forget the alignment tool.
6. New pressure plate $? $50
7. Resurface flywheel and use new bolt to reinstall ?$
8. Throw out bearing $20
9. Obtain the transmission. $350 junkyard $600 ebay rebuild, $1200 new
10. t5 output yoke $50, new drivshaft end?
11. Modifiy driveshaft $80
13. New output/yoke bushing $10
14. New universal joint to mate yoke and dirve shaft $20
15. Fittings to the Reverse and netural switches - from the junkyard
16. Trans fluid
18. Clutch Fork boot $25
19. Clutch Fork to fulctrum anti rattle spring $6 we have broken two.
20. Shift lever & ball. We made ours, some a very $$$

This was not a hard or difficult install. The shift lever hump hole may need to be enlarged.

I think that's it. And of course all the small stuff that add another $100 or so. Our total cost was about $1,000 and very much worth it.

Regards, Dave

$3000, he gauging you...

Here is how much it cost me with doing the work, much like Dave's costs:

1) 4cyl T5 Tranny: $200 rebuilt. a V-8 T-5 will go for about $800-1000 rebuilt.
2) Adaptor plate for bellhousing: $150-200 depending on what you need.
3) Resurface flywheel: $80-100 (May not be needed, but good idea since you'll be in there.
4) Clutch Disc: $50
5) Slip yoke: $100
6) Crossmember: $160
7) Driveshaft modifications (including installing new yoke, u-joints both ends, shortening, and balancing): $150-200
8) Tranny fluid: $10
9) Shifter and ball: $150 (sorry, suck with welding, so I bought a nice one).

All in all, I think I spent less then 1200 for the entire swap.

The T5 upgrade is by far my favorite upgrade so far. It's been worth every penny of it.

Slade

thanx for the replies. I am trying to find a friend who can help me install it. I dont feel much like paying to have it done and I cant do it with the tools I have, lol. I want to find a 5.0 tranny, but seems itll be more expensive. Guess Ill have to look around a bit for a good deal!
Matt

With a 5.0 tranny you're going to need a 3.20 rear. The tranny ratios are different.

So if I buy a 5.0 tranny, my rear end wont work??? I am planning on building this motor with a turbo running 10 psi and a holley 500 carb etc. Will the 4 banger t5 handle the power. I was told to go 5.0 by a few people on here. Any suggestions as to what I should do????
Matt

A 4 cyl T5 will likely have a 3.97 first geatr ratio. A 5.0 T5 will have either a 2.95 or a 3.35 first gear. A stock 3 speed trans has a 2.76 first gear. So any T5 will provide better gearing than the stock transmission no matter what rear axle ratio you have. I doubt the torque will be a problem. A 4 cy T5 has a rating of 240 ft lbs. I forget the 6 cyl torq rating, but it seems like it is near 200 ft lbs. That figure would be a gross rating before they started rating differently in the 70's. You can roughly estimate by knocking 25% off of the figures. That would put a stock engine at 150 ftlbs. If you increased power by 50%, you would get up to 225 ft lbs. If you plan some really heavy mods and abuse, you may want to go to the V-8 T5 for the sake of longevity.

3) Resurface flywheel: $80-100 (May not be needed, but good idea since you'll be in there

Click to expand...

that's kind of a high number, all of the flywheels i've ever had resurfaced came out to around $30

Maybe in Kansas, but in New England, take your price and double it.

That's why I had my Aussie head rebuilt in AZ before it was shipped. Saved me about $200.

Slade

Based on what you guys are saying, the $3000 sounds like a "turn key" price for the swap. Correct?

The fellow is not gouging. He's quoting, and would reasonably expect to be pegged near that figure if he was engaged to do it. I quoted $2K on a small reflooring job the other day - about $1K in materials, and three days labour. It's a similar outlook. You can't afford to underprice and be held to that cost, or peeve the customer by jacking up halfway through.

Returning to cars, it's why building up a good kit of tools can be a real boon.

Adam.

Im still tryin to find someone to at least help me do this, someone wiht tools etc. I have gotten a few leads for shops etc butI dunno. I would like to do this very soon, but Im not sure what Im gettin myself into pricewise yet. Wish I knew what I was doin, Ide do it myself. If I can find someone with the tools and a little knowhow Ill help do it to save money and gain a little experience. Thanx for the help guys, any other ideas or thoughts, let em rip! I still got a little before I get this started
Matt

I am installing a T5 right now, and the prices the guys have posted are about right for do it yourselfers. I would imagine the mechanic quoted you a new T5 which is going to run over $1200. He could easily have $2000 in parts built into his cost. I'll have to itemize it and post it once I finish it this weekend.

I don't know. It didn't take me an Al all that long to do the swap ourselves, in a garage with the car up on jack stands. We did it a few times because we were trouble shooting some clutch problems.

$1000 for the labor of installing a transmission (which is really all that it is), seems a bit high. at $50 an hour, that's 20 hours.

I guess it would be close with a V-8 tranny.

Slade