Hot Rods S10 t5 behind sbc

I cut 1/2" off of the input shaft and extend the input splines by 1/2" when I put an 4 cylinder S-10 T5 behind an SBC. I extended the splines carefully with a die grinder. It's not as hard as it sounds. I used a standard "621" chevy bell housing. The clutch kit I used was K1877-08 from O'Reilly. The application is a 1990 Chevy astro van with all wheel drive and a T5. It's an 11" clutch, 14 spline and 1" input shaft.

 

I was under the impression an 11" clutch wouldn't fit a 153 tooth flywheel. And that the small s10 shaft was a weak point.

Let me as,how is it geared? It's not too low? I'm concerned the s10 3.90 first gear may be too low

 

Yeah, I think I used a 168 tooth flywheel. It's been 10 years ago now, so my memory is foggy. I have 3.73 gears...but, I have 750-16 firestone's that are listed as 31.48" tall. Tire size plays a part in the gear ratio equation.

I have a low horsepower engine with skinny bias ply tires. I think the gear ratio is perfect and not likely to break any time soon. Now if I changed the motor out for something making 450 horse and changed tires to cheater slicks the ****** would probably grenade. Before I had 3.73 gears I had factory 2.93's and I never shifted into 5th gear.

 

I'm running a 1980 truck 350, with a 480 lift comp cam, tunnel ram,quick fuel double pumper,lake headers,and accel dual point ignition. Mated to a 3k stall,shift kitted th350 with mustang 8.8 rear end with 3.08 gears. 28" tall rear tires.

I don't want it super granny low, but also want to use 5th gear as my fuel mileage now is EXTREMELY bad with no overdrive. I just want to make sure this trans would work well with my setup before I dump more money into it as i have another project going on at the same time.

My th350 also I feel life's going to come to an end soon,fluid has been looking terrible every time I change it (started when I went to the stall converter) and I'd like to get a stick shift in it. I like the shifter placement of the s10 and the over drive. Loved my t5 mustangs but not sure if those had better t5's or not. I know they definitely was higher first gear

 

hot-rod roadster on here had a 29 highboy roadster with a SBC and S10 T5 that he pounded many thousand miles with no problems.

 

I've seen you mention that before,or at least I've seen someone mention that before. I'd like to hear more about these fellows running that setup.
I'm ***uming that everyone that's blown a trans will complain but those that have had great luck really aren't going to boast about it,as most negative reviews on things at least seem to go that way anyway.

Wonder if he had a decent gear ratio with that trans. 3.90 sure sounds low to me but I'm not all that familiar with ratios. My interpretation is it will feel like a m20 with 4.11's just with a added overdrive.

 

Can anyone chime in on the gear ratio? 3.97 first gear,3.08 rear gear 28.5 tall tire. I'm ***uming too low of a gear for sbc

 

I would just like to add:
If you go with a hydraulic TO bearing. Spend the $$ and get the McCloud. It bolts to the support housing. Nothing ****s more than getting it all together and having to tear it apart because the floaty ****ers start leaking

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/mcl-1302/overview/

 

I'm not, not even a question. Going external slave.

Just want to know if the trans is too low geared or not as I cannot find anywhere a camaro v8 t5. Everything is v8 with 4.03 gear which is slight worse than my 3.97

 

half ***ed, ball park way to figure it is 4.03 will be like 3.03 in 5th gear. if that makes any sense.

 

I've done the calculator it only calculates highway rpm. What I'm asking is first gear feel. I've never driven anything with that low of a first gear. The highway calculates out fine thats not my concern. I'm just worried about first gear feeling like a granny low or something. Though those are like 7.00 first gear. Most v8 first gears are like 2.50 something. Being 3.97 seems like first gear will be useless but I don't know

 

At 4000 RPM you will be going about 28 MPH. Try this calculator it's kinda cool. I don't think it will feel that low with 3.08 rear end gears. I've felt some S10 T5's with 4.11's and it is low and a lot of the guys with low rear end gears take off in second. Example my truck is 4.11 geared 31" tall tired 2.95 first gear will be going 30 at 4000 rpms first gear feels normal in it. Easy to take off in and winds out good. Basically the same as your set up would be.

http://****erparts.com/calculators/transmission-ratio-rpm-calculator

 

Hmmmm so you think I should continue on with using it?

I'd image I'd be shifting at 2500-3k. I have open lake headers. At 4K it's screaming

 

I think you will be alright with the 3.08 rear end that is high. Can your motor pull OD at 1600-1650 rpm's at about 70 mph? As in the cruise range of your cam.

 

Yeah I know 3.08 is pretty middle of the road so that's what I was banking on to make this work. As far as 16-1700 rpm I'm not sure. My engine setup is more around 1900-2700 is my powerpand. I used to cruise at about 22-2500tpm with my no overdrive,but that was probably like 55-62mph

Motor isn't balanced so I try not to spin it too high except once ina great while.but the cam and tunnel ram has my powerband up there a little bit. I was thinking going manual would get rid of my 3k stall converter and allow me to get the idle lower too

You have a point with the 16-1800rpm cruising in OD. Wasn't really thinking about that. I guess I could leave it in 4th unless I was really flying (being a old hotrod I hardly ever go over 70. Maybe 5th gear wouldn't be as useful then huh?

 

5th is OD and with your combo it would probably be pretty flat in OD.

Sent from my SM-N910V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

I looked up the cam specs. Says 1600-5800. Tunnel ram moves it up a bit but honestly I didn't feel much difference going from my old single plane to the tunnel ram. I don't feel my tunnel ram really changed much at all.

Yeah it seems at 60 mph it would be prettt high geared.

Though looking up gear ratios mustangs with 3.08 rear gears had a .68 OD. Doesn't seem much different from my .72

 

3.97 first
2.34 second
1.48 third and od .72 are my trans ratios


Really on the fence about this. Not much money and can't find a camaro trans with better ratios to use

 

Just FYI, I used the ECI brake/clutch pedals in my 31 Coupe with a T5 WC behind a 427 FE. I never raced the car but it got plenty of abuse, still does. I never hurt the stock T5, in fact I still have it, but I did up grade to a Astro Trans A-5 (500 tq/500HP modified T-5 WC)) because I was always afraid I would break the trans. I run a 4:30 rear gear now in the coupe but ran a 4:10 for a couple years. I think a 3:08 would almost negate the OD option unless you run around at 80 mph all the time. JMO

 

I THINK my OD ratio is .63

 

Looking up ratios,this is the v8 5.0 mustang rear gearing but they had a slightly higher od.

My current 1:1 non od I'm only doing 72 at 3k rpm. I know the car out on the highway I wanted od, I had to wind it up pretty tight to get out in the fast lane, but yes I never cruise at 80. I'd like to be around 68 mph cruising,right now my cruising is 54mph which is too slow.

Yeah od seems to be around .63 on the bigger engine t5's I'm guessing this t5 is geared to get the higher revs of the v6 down a bit. It's only slightly higher geared than the 4banger t5 that I have for the Av8 project but it has 3.55 rear gear


It basically the 3.08 rear gear would get me by with the 3.97 first,but then it messes up the OD. I take it this is everyone's thoughts right?

 

Ran a wide ratio muncie, w/2.56 first g. with a 3.08 rear. Your first sounds a tad low-speed, compared w/the M20. I did not need an overdrive, using 29" tires.

 

Well yeah that's what I'm saying is compared to most it's low. My car does need overdrive thought. I'm doing 54mph at 2500rpm..

A Muncie will not fit the budget nor will it fit in my coupe as far as shifter placement.




I have a wide ratio Muncie with 3.73 gears and I'm not really worried about how that will turn out. Slightly low highway speed but should be livable. (In a separate truck not related to the 2 I'm currently working on)

 

I'd want 5 speeds, in a heavy car. 3 or 4 work well in lighter rigs. Lot of good input here on T5's. Muncies, esp. trashed ones were available 'back on the day'.

 

Unfortunately it's not back in the day anymore so it doesn't help me.

I tend to agree with your gear vs weight idea. But I was setting up that vehicle to be a rowdy street truck. 383 strocker 53 studebaker truck (not the lightest thing) with 3.73 Dana 44 with a m20 wide ratio 4 speed.

The coupe has MUCH less hp and torque.

Both have no room for shifters farther back than they already are.t5 is out of the question on the 383 due to torque and power. That trans is rated at half of what that motor puts out.

And mucie is out for the coupe being it's a bench seat and the s-10 shifter is perfect for it. As mentioned I've looked for a v8 camaro box to put the s10 tail on but they are absolutely dried up around here. Everything is v6 or smaller that I find. Which has the same gear ratio as my s10 box being it was a v6 as well.would be ideal to find a different t5 but money is tight trying to build 2.


Ugh.. hotrods

 

"Ugh..hotrods" is right for sure...heck, just use 2,3,4 and OD...

 

I know right! Haha. The problem is I'm trying to do too much on too little funds. And I know that I'm not going to get the most optimum results that way. I'm just sick of the auto in it and like the s10 shifter location and the fact I have the trans and it's the same size as my long shaft 350 so while being about 900$ to swap everything at least my drive shaft can be reused and the thought of getting a od is in my mind

 

ask yourself this, are you going to spend more time in 1st gear or overdrive?

 

Neither actually. Looking up ratios,the t5's second is like my th350's 1'st. My t5's 3rd is like my th350's 2nd. So it seems first is pretty useless, then using the gear calculator it says my car will be at 1600 rpm in 5th at 64mph (my cruising speed) that's too low of rpm to really need to be in it. Therefore seems like I wouldn't be using 5th much. So essentially I would have just put in the same thing I have just with 2 gears I won't use much.

May as well stick with the th350 then it seems.

Gear calc says 2200 rpm (most sbc' happy place) I'd be doing 84mph. I probably would never be cruising that fast in this thing.if I need to be near my powerband,5th gear puts me too low of rpm by at least 600rpm. I'd like to change the trans but for a the expense and alterations I don't see I'm gaining much

My main cruising range is 2200-2800rpm sometimes 3k but that's where I for sure draw the line for sustained rpms.

 

Watching videos of v8's with that s10 trans however,they look like they drive pretty well,they don't look abnormally low geared. And everyone I've talked to that's done it says they actually enjoyed the combo.