I'm most of the way through my swap. I'll post updates when I get time to actually go back at it, since I'm only able to work on it after work, until Wed, when I have the whole day to wrap it up. IF the interest is there, I'll do a webpage / tech article with pictures, part numbers etc etc, maybe we could make it a sticky so this question doesn't get asked so much.


Here's some pics so far...

Here's the factory "template" for the (2) bolt holes and the hole for the clutch master cylinder to pass through. I didn't trust JUST this, but after getting the pedals installed, it was pretty much right on....




This is the clutch master cylinder installed. Sorry for the bad pic, the sun was at my back...




If you are using a USED flywheel, as I am, when you take it to the machine shop to get it turned ( cost me $37 ) have them check to see how much they had to take off to clean it up and look to see if it was turned before that. You can take enough material off that it can screw with the alignment / release travel of the clutch, as the flywheel is thinner. Here is the .025 flywheel shim I bought at NAPA, CHEAP insurance at $10. It goes in between the flywheel and the crank flange.




Here is the plug that goes into the auto shifter. And if you look , you'll see the PURPLE and YELLOW THICK wires. These are for the neutral safety switch. If you can't find an already existing unused plug with these wire colors ( I couldn't fine one in my IROC ) then you can splice and run these wires to the neutral safety switch located on the clutch pedal. This prevents you from starting the car in gear. If you just splice these two wires together, the car will start in ANY gear. The BLUE and GREEN wires are for the back up lights.




Had to post this...it was RAINING HARD when I took this...so I was inside the car. If the driver's seat wasn't out for the install, I'd have been making cool motor sounds and pretending to shift




HD roller pilot bearing. $15 at NAPA. Couldn't find the HD GM bearing locally, and it was about the same price before shipping anyway... MUCH better than a bushing.




BTW...

Anyone know what this plug is for? It was underneath the console as I pulled it. Every other plug in this area is present and accounted for. There is nowhere for this to plug up. Any clues? If not, after the swap is done, I'll dig thru my Helms' wiring diagrams and see if I can figure it out...






Later.

More updates to come. I'm pulling the auto tranny out tonight. Wed morning I start the T5 install and I'll do my best to get pics.

 

on the gear selector, what are the orange and black wires?

 

Awsome job on the swap.

I replaced my clutch in my 84 Firebird not too long ago and afterwards my clutch has been slightly off....


If I start the car and leave the car in neutral and no pedals depressed the clutch seems to "skim" the flywheel. I smell a little burn and the car will creep forward and the motor will idle down as if attempting to go forward.


Any thoughts on how I can fix this....I have the hydrolic clutch assembly and I wonder how to adjust it.

Later,

 

Looking good man. What are you going to do w/ the cable deal that is for your steering wheel lock? Are you just going to leave it or is there a way to remove it?

 

That plug is for lights of some sort. Orange = the batt accesory circuit (cig lighter, dome lights, etc.); gray = dimmable dash lights; white = dome light circuit; black = ground.

BTW: the blue & green wires in that bundle are the backup light switch wires; they need to be extended somehow to the BU light sw in the driver's side of the T-5 case.

 

Yup, HITHERE broke out the Helms and it was easy enough to trace the back up lights. HITHERE'll go back and connect those later, at the same time HITHERE make HITHERE harness to hook up the neutral safety switch.

What kind of lights? An option of some sort? The ONLY thing HITHERE can think of would be HITHERE console clock....HITHERE'm pretty sure it could be had in '85 but was dropped in later years.......


HITHERE'm just going to leave the park / ignition interlock cable in the Park position and leave it for now......HITHERE'll be on the lookout for HITHERE manual trans column with cruise, when HITHERE find that it will come out.



???

Thanks for the input guys. HITHERE'm up early in the morning to drop the slushbox out and start installing the T5. Picked up my clutch kit today, the only parts HITHERE need right now are the bolts for the torque arm mount, and some Mobil 1 synthetic ATF for the gearbox.

Can't HITHERE just fill the tranny thru the shifter hole right before HITHERE install the shifter?

HITHERE don't see why not.....


Thanks
Chris

 

Well....my camera puked it's battery yesteday morning, so all the pics of the swap I wanted to take, don't exist.


HOWEVER............GOT IT RUNNING!!!!!


Started dropping auto at 9am, with (2) parts runs, and several snags, it was done at 10pm.


And that's after spending an hour trying to find a new clutch fork, as I didn't know the one in my bellhousing has a broken tab where it rides on the pivot ball. NO ONE stocks one, closest dealer was 1.5 Hours away, so I used it anyway...for now.


GOTCHAS...


I ended up having to get a T5 specific torque arm mount, no way mine would work.

I ended up having to get a manual tranny starter....the nose is MUCH smaller to fit in the bellhousing...PLUS it's shorter and LIGHTER, so it's a SNAP To install / remove.

Some money must have used an air ratchet to tighten the converter bolts...

The .025 shim for my turned flywheel wasn't machined perfectly, a few seconds with a drill and that was fine.

I still NEED a flywheel inspection / dust cover. The GM pt# in my parts catalog is DISCONTINUED.

Also need a heat shield for the slave cylinder.


TIPS!!!!!

MAKE SURE the driveshaft is in before you try to fill the tranny from the shifter hole...ESPECIALLY when you're using synthetic ATF, pissed $5 worth of strawberry colored ATF all over the driveway....

GRAVITY BLEED The hydraulics!!! That's what GM recommended when I used to make my livin' wrenching, and it STILL Works... fill the master, crack the bleeder screw and move onto something else, just don't let the master cylinder run dry.

When lining up the tranny, once you have it thru the T/O bearing, and you're trying to get it in that last little bit ( new pilot bearings can be a bitch ) install the bolts so it will hold it, then go ahead and hook the torque arm up, just don't tighten it all the way...the bit of tension on the torque arm puts the tranny in the perfect spot to make it go right in.


Cutting the shifter hole... I just installed the bellhousing. Then I measured on the tranny from the front to the shifter rod when in neutral. 21.5" in my case, then I measure from the face of the bellhousing while under the car, and drilled a hole up thru the floorboard. Use the lower boot as a template, and outline it in marker or with a screwdriver. Then remove the boot, and cut about 3/4" INSIDE that mark. I just drilled holes about every 1.5" or so, and then used tin snips, worked like a charm.

Check the SIMPLE things... when I went to fire it up for the first time ( still on jackstands ) it wouldn't fire...cranked and cranked no fire. Ended up being the movement of the tranny / engine had pulled the HEI power feed wire loose from the cap, snugged it up and all was well.

Be prepared to need a return spring on the throttle body. Without the TV cable keeping tension on the throttle linkage, my idle jumped WAY up. Added a spring to hold it back and all is well.


TAKE the driver's seat and console ALL the way out, the room gained makes it so MUCH easier to install pedals / hydraulics, etc.


Get the car as high as possible, I used 4 jackstands and it worked fine.

MAKE SURE your emergency brake works....ask me how I know


I can't believe how much QUIETER my car is now...the engine idles much smoother, and revs so much easier. It seems to idle ALOT quieter...

Trying to break the clutch in, so I'm being easy, but it's a WHOLE NEW CAR.....

Did set a check engine light....it comes and goes. I'll pull the code today and see what it is....




I hope to put together a comprehensive tech article that covers EVERYTHING, maybe we can make it a STICKY so this question won't be asked so much.


Anyway, just wanted to share.








I'm TRYING to be easy on the new clutch, so I correctly break it in......but its HARD!!!


Later

 

That mistery connector of yours goes to a light for the console (it lights it up when you open the lid), At least I am pretty sure I rember removing a plug from that and pretty sure it looked like that.