I have and '86 firebird with a 350 quadrajet and everything else is stock. I replaced the clutch last year but two days ago POP, there goes the ouptput shaft, and here I am.

So I'm looking for information...Where do I get a new shaft, what should I look to pay for it, how much trouble is it really to fix...and any other useful info would be appreciated. Thanks

 

I'm assuming the very front of the output shaft broke off? Like the first set of splines and the pilot that goes into the input.
I have various parts including an ouput shaft, two input shafts one each for v-8 and v-6, front bearing retainer and maybe a few gears. I'll sell them if you can't find it anywhere else.

 

Yeah, they break all the time... I have one in my pile of T-5 junk that came to me like that... it actually broke between the rear bearing and the speedo gear... that's one of the reasons I laugh whenever somebody comes up with the notion that the 2nd design T-5 (or F*rd ones, for that matter) is significantly stronger than the 1st design, because that place is just as small in all of them.

If you broke the output shaft, the rest of the hard parts in the trans probably aren't much good any more either.. I'd get another trans instead of throwing away money on that one, which some other hard part is going to break next from the abuse... been there, done that, used to have a massive bin of broken T-5 parts to remind me of my expense

 

GREAT...So how much should I expect to pay and where would I get a "new" one? I've never had to replace a "major" assmebly before, only small stuff like clutch, radiator, brakes and what not...

 

Hard to say how much you should pay... I've paid anywhere from $150 to $500 for them... from junkyards, individuals, etc. I got the one with the snapped off shaft for about $25 IIRC.

The last time I bought a new mainshaft outright, it was over $300. That was a long time ago though, the price may have changed.

 

Actually I was meaning, how much should I expect to pay for a "new" T-5? I'm trying to determine if it would be better to buy another thirdgen or to try and replace the tranny...

 

T56 it and you shouldn't have to worry about breaking anything anymore.