I bought Tony's '83 Z/28 and I'm in the process of swapping the 5-speed from it (original had been replaced with a '89 W/C) into my 89 w/auto . It doesn't like 2nd gear so I'm going through the gearbox before installing it. Just curious if anyone has ever cracked into one of these before and could lend some advice. This may even be a job I have to leave the beer in the fridge for
Hey thanks again for taking the car off my hands Corey. I really didn't want to get rid of it but I've got other priorities now! I hope you made it to your friend's house ok & didn't run out of gas!
I remember doing some research before on rebuilding the T-5 & there was a video that alot of people recommended. Can't remember what company it's from though. I'll find it later when I have time.
Have fun!! And I hope the Z28 has useful stuff for you to use Enjoy!
Anthony
__________________ Vivid Blue Pearl 89 RS In The 808 State See It Here------>CarDomain Page
I had to partially disassemble two of them so I could ship them off to Japan...don't ask but the perp might chime in! IMHO, it's purty easy if you're familiar with the internals. T56...now that's another story!
What do you mean it doesn't like 2nd? Pops out, grinds, doesn't go in at all?
BTW Hanlon Motorsports has that video you're talking about. stew
Last edited by stew'86MCSS396 : 05-04-2005 at 02:58 AM.
The video does sound pretty good, I'd just have to buy a VCR! I've been DVD only for about 5 years. I've already ordered a rebuild kit that comes with a hard copy of that same manual, but thank you for linking it in the web. It doesn't seem too hard, just a little complicated. I'm hoping if I just sit down and do it start to finish in one session I'll be able to pull it off.
The transmission shifts perfectly into and out of 1,3,4, & 5 but when I try for 2nd it feels like it engages and there is no grinding 9 out of 10 times, but when I let the clutch out it spits the gear lever back to nuetral. I can get it to accept 2nd every few tries and if I double clutch it I can get it most times. Luckily for now the motor has enough torque that a 1-3 shift works good to move it around.
Tony- It ran good enough that we decided to take it to my house instead, over H-3 then into the Pearl Harbor area. Smoked a little a little white and a lot of black on acceleration, but cruised just fine. My buddies a little bummed, we pulled the interior and the drivers floorboard is swiss cheese. The floor pan is actually seperating from the firewall and transmission tunnel, so it doesn't look like he can mount the roll bar and pass tech. He thought he could repair it but after talking to a few people it may not be allowed. He'll keep the engine and rear axle if nothing else, so it's not a total loss. Oh well, live and learn, if anything he's only a little upset at himself.
BTW since my buddy is not going to build that car I'll have a good 92k mile 700r4 laying around hopefully by the 15th of this month. Fluid is a little old but I've seen much worse, and it shifts well with no hesitation or flare-ups. If anybody would be interested in buying it at a reasonable price you can drive the car between now and when I pull it to verify it's good, PM me and we'll try and work something out.
Hey Corey. Glad you made it to your place instead. And dude, I'm sorry about the floor pan. I had no idea it was rusted out! I guess I was soooo frustrated about trying to get a good transmission in there that I didn't even notice it. If I knew, I would of told you about it. I think the motor was smoking due to lack of running it for a long time & it might be due for a small rebuild. But I do remember that when it was running with a good T-5 it was a fun car with a lot of yank!
Last edited by acescarrsRS : 05-04-2005 at 05:21 PM.
Don't worry about it at all. I didn't look because I didn't care, and he blames himself for not looking . I don't think it would have stopped him anyway as he thought he could repair it with a layer of sheet metal. He could still weld a new section in but I don't think he wants to go through that, he said it was just too much trouble. The car ran surprisingly well, I agree about the smoke from sitting so long, other than that it's just super rich. That T-5 is so close to being good I hate to tear it apart but I don't want to go through a tranny swap only to have a questionable 2nd gear. Out of curiousity I called a local tranny shop and they quoted $1500.00 for a rebuild I did find another T-5 on sand island but it was $300 for a non W/C so I passed.
Been awhile..... went on the southern vacation that some know of. The P.I. is a world untoo itself.
I did a complete tear down of my world class, back in the states. I got a copy of the hanlon video, and the rebuild kit. I also needed a 1/2 reverse slider gear. This was the reason for the tear down. I had to mess around with it to get into 2nd and reverse. The rebuild is super easy. Take about 4-6 hours and mark it off. The video is about 2 hours long. This should be plenty of time. GET THE KITCHEN TABLE, OR DRIVE WAY, WITH TOWELS, for laying out pieces and go to it. The video makes it dummy proof, and is like 16 bucks. A 20 dollar WALMART VCR and you are set
Here are some tips, so get these.
A SQUIRT BOTTLE WITH TRANNY FLUID
really good "craftsman professional" or equal snap ring pliers
gonna need a press , to remove bearings, and punchout/in the front race.
LOTSA RTV.
Get the steel input shaft slider.
thats it for now.
SHAWN
__________________ '89 SHAGGY IROC
L98, W/C T5, B/W 3.27 gears, all free stuff,T.E.S.,HOOKER CAT BACK,KYB,ACCEL8.8,JET fan sw. etc. 14.1@ 100.01 MPH w/t-5, installed my 3.27 B/W. 244 HP/347 FTLBS ON THE GROUND!!! Not bad for just bolt-ons.
1989 TRANS AM
L98, W/C T5, B/W 3.27 gears,all free stuff,T.E.S.,HOOKER CAT BACK,KYB,ACCEL8.8,JET fan sw. etc. So much to do , So little money
Originally posted by HawaiianRS The video does sound pretty good, I'd just have to buy a VCR! I've been DVD only for about 5 years.
the interior and the drivers floorboard is swiss cheese. The floor pan is actually seperating from the firewall and transmission tunnel, so it doesn't look like he can mount the roll bar and pass tech. He thought he could repair it but after talking to a few people it may not be allowed.
If you bring over the video I'll burn it to DVD for you.
Replacing floor pans is easy it the part can be cut out of a donor car, then spot-welded in. If the rest of the car is in good shape, doesn't make sense to dump it...
__________________ Duck_Pearl City, HI
87 IROC-Z 5.7, 92 Z28 5.7 25th Anniversary, 92 RS 25th Anniversary, 91 RS Ragtop
Originally posted by HawaiianRS The transmission shifts perfectly into and out of 1,3,4, & 5 but when I try for 2nd it feels like it engages and there is no grinding 9 out of 10 times, but when I let the clutch out it spits the gear lever back to nuetral. I can get it to accept 2nd every few tries and if I double clutch it I can get it most times.
Aside from the rebuild kit, you might need some hard parts after that description, but you'll never know until it's apart. $1500 for a rebuild? WOW! Like I said, once familiar with all the parts, it's not that hard. stew
Originally posted by irocnroll89 ...1/2 reverse slider gear....
Get the steel input shaft slider....
SHAWN
I didn't get a chance to open up a T5 yet, what are you referring to here? The 1-2 shift sleeve?
Corey, it's a pretty simple job. The better you organize your parts, the easier the reassembly will be. But, with a good reference you can almost throw everything in a bag and shake 'em up first.
If it's a little on the worn side, you can probably just bang the shafts on a some wood instead of using a press. But a press is easier.
By the way, my guess would be worn dog clutch teeth.
nope. HMS070044 1-2 REVERSE SLIDER $85.00
1-2 REVERSE SLIDER FOR ALL T-5
also on the first page look on the right side, and scroll down all other questions/prices are ansered there.
I WOULD RECCOMMEND to open it up. You do not want to find out there"was a crack on the forks" during a SPIRITED 2-3 shift. THAT WILL end your T-5 FUN QUICK.
Thanks for the input guys. The service manual lists worn syncro/fork shift pads as a cause for jumping out of gear. But like it's aready been said I won't know until I open it up.
Duck-The rust is on the donor car, not my car. All behind the taillights is gone, it's in the roof, rockers, floorpan, doors and a-pillars. Basically the shell is not worth saving in my opinion. It would require a complete stip down and thousands of dollars at a shop or hundreds of hours if you did it yourself. I hate to call a car DOA but unless someone had a sentimental attatchment to this specific car it's just not worth it. We purchased it together, for different reasons, I'm taking the interior, T-5, disc rear and SMC hood. My buddy is left with a rusted shell and a smoky but strong 350. He was going to put my auto and drum rear end in it after I swap the T-5 and run it down the strip a few times for laughs, and over at the dirt track. But it won't be able to pass tech because of the rollbar mounting surface being rusted through. He could find and weld in a new floor pan but that's his call and I don't think he wants to go through the trouble. He may change his mind in the long run though, these things aren't happening over night.
I think the motor was smoking due to lack of running it for a long time & it might be due for a small rebuild. But I do remember that when it was running with a good T-5 it was a fun car with a lot of yank! 
