T5 tranny trouble (?)

[hamondale]

I have been having some intermittent problems with my drive train, and I'm 99% sure it is in the transmission. I have a 3.4L crate and a Borg Warner WC T5 in a Sprite.
This weekend when I was backing up slowly, I felt something bind and load up the suspension for a second, and then release. That was it. Didn't do it again for a while. Then I maneuvered around my driveway and finally got it to do it again. Seems to occur in reverse. I shut off the car and jacked it up, and sure enough, when turning the rear wheels backwards in neutral, something would lock up at a certain point. Working back and forth a few times cleared it. Unfortuantely, I didn't drop the drive shaft to confirm for sure it was in the tranny then.
Today I went back out and I couldn't get it to lock again idling backwards, then forwards a bunch of times. Finally I tried a brief hard launch and let off, and there was a clicking noise from under the trans tunnel a few times as it idled down. Then nothing.
I ran into the garage and dropped the drive shaft. Rearend seems very smooth, and it's newly rebuilt. Both U-joints are fine. Reaching up into the tunnel, I can wiggle the rear end shaft of the tranny little bit. There's a slight bit of side-to-side and a slight bit of end (thrust) play. Just a little bit of whirring when I turn the shaft.
The tranny only has about 5000 miles on it, was new in 2000.
I'm stumped as to what the problem might be, but I'm pretty sure it's in the tranny. It's dead quiet in all gears right now except for this transient thing. Anybody got any thoughts/experience on this? If the tranny is going, do you get any advance warning? If it does go, will it likely be just reverse and first, so I can get home? Or is there a suddent grinding noise and everything locks up? BTDT, don't want to go there.
Thanks for any insight.

[RebelGT]

RE: T5 tranny trouble (?)

the only thing that i could think of is that theres a broken tooth, or other bit floating around in the gear box to cause a bind, probally not from the reverse gear since its a strong straight cut gear, but maybe from another. maybe to be on the safe side you should take it out and pop it open, give it a quick inspection and change its fluids.

[Piper106]

Might want to try the T5 message board over at 5speeds.com.

Piper106

[hamondale]

Thanks much, I will try that. Also found some useful info at the Hanlon Transmission site. I just had the car up on jack stands. Changed the fluid, nothing odd there. Ran it through all of the gears with the clutch in, peeking in the drain hole at a few of the gears moving. I can see one of the reverse gears, nothing wrong there. Then refilled fluid and ran it through the gears w/engine running. Can't find anything.
I guess the sure way to get it to act up is wait until I really want to go somewhere like a good cruise night or car show. Works every time.

[TurboGTU]

The only thing I can think if is a bent internal shift fork on the tranny or bad gears in the rear axle. My dad had a 78 Caprice I think Station wagon and it rode smoth ..then one day it just locked one of its wheels. Turned out to be the rear end.

[hamondale]

Update - It's definitely the transmission. Went for a drive last Sunday and about 2 mile in of very easy driving, it let out a couple of grinds and clunks in 3rd gear. Came back home in 1st 2nd 4th.
Now I have to decide what to do to fix it. After I found out about the S-10 type shifters being farther forward, that's one thing I'd like to get set up while I'm at it.

[BMFH]

T5 Shifter Position

Hello

The Mustang T5 Shifter position falls between the S-10 and the Firebird/Camero, You night want to check it out too. You can swap out the tailshaft housing and top cover with shift forks as needed, not sure if the output shaft will have to be changed out too.

I don't know if they still use them now, but they used to use plastic thrust units on the shift forks in the T5's. If you rest your hand on the shift lever while driving it puts a preload on them and they wear out prematurly and fall off the shift forks.

Just food for thought, hope this helps

John

[hamondale]

Thanks BFMH, I will probably relocate the shifter as part of this project and it is good to know all of the options. I have been on the web searching through various transmission parts suppliers and vendors, new and rebuilt. I have made a number of calls locally and I haven't been impressed with what I've heard so I am shopping out of town. Any recommendations are welcome.
I also found out some more info on the tranny I had. Back when I bought it in 1990 from Forte's, I told them I wanted the T5 for a V8 Camaro. Having now researched the part number of my unit, I've discovered that it is for an 88 Camaro 2.8L V6. I had no idea at the time, and no way to tell the difference. Considerably lower torque rating. Now I'm surprised it even lasted 5000 miles behind my 3.4.

[BMFH]

Hello Hamondale and All

Check with Liberty Transmission, 6390 Telham, in Taylor, MI. 48180
1-313-278-440 (8 yr. old number?)

They are one of MANY T-5 Transmission Specialist. They can probably get you anything you might need and give you tech advice too.

Hope this helps

John

[hamondale]

Thanks John I will check them out. Have about 4 reasonable candidates at this point.

[Piper106]

"The Mustang T5 Shifter position falls between the S-10 and the Firebird/Camaro". True, but the Mustang shifter position is only about 1 inch forward of the Camaro position, both are very near the rear end of the tailhousing. The S-10 location is at the front of the tail housing. I have heard that there were some AMC passenger car tail housings where the shift lever is pretty much half way between the S-10 and the Mustang/Camaro rear shift location, but I also heard these AMC tails are fairly rare.

As far as a T5 being intended for a GM V8 vs. a GM V6 install, before 1993, the V6 and 4 cylinder boxes had a 1" diameter x 14 spline input shaft, while the V8 T5s had a 1-1/8" x 26 spline input shaft. Starting in 1993, the GM V6 and 4 cylinder T5s also had the 1-1/8" x 26 input shaft, but you can still tell by the ratio. If it has a 4.03 to 1 or a 3.75 to 1 low gear, it is for a V6 or 4 cylinder, if it is a 2.95 to 1 low gear it was for a V8 installation.

That is all I think I know.

Piper106

[hamondale]

Thanks P106, it is looking like I may want a hybrid tranny built - V8 guts, S10 shifter, close ratio (2.95 1st) and 0.64 5th gear to go with my 3.80 gears. Lots of variables, your info is helpful.

[Piper106]

As far as your hybrid trans, tag numbers 1352-176, 1352-196, and 1352-213 were World Class T5s with the GM main case to bell bolt pattern, 1-1/8" x 26 spline input shaft, 2.95 low gear, 0.63 fifth gear. Installations were V8 Camaro and Firebirds 1988 model year and later. Careful not all the Camaro F'Bird V8 T5s in that time period have the 0.63 fifth, you need to verify the tag number.

On the tail case it does not matter whether the donor trans is WC or NWC, any T5 tail case will bolt to any T5 trans main case, WC or NWC. Swaping a S-10 tail case onto a Camaro FBird trans does not sound like a big deal, check out www.inliners.org/Jack/T5tech.hmtl, pretty complete post there.

That is all I think I know.

Pioper106