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So I need to rebuild the trans on my 1le. The trans has been out of the car for more than 5 years and all the internal parts have rust on them so I'm debating getting all new internals. But I am not smart with t5's and not sure what needs to be bought (parts list). Can anyone help me out with a parts list with appropriate gear ratios? Also although this is a 1le formula. If I can buy better things to install (like brass shift fork pads) I'd like to go that route as long as it's not outrageously priced over stock parts. Thanks!! Also if any other info is needed don't hesitate to ask.
I should also mention that the trans has been completely torn down by previous owner and parts are missing. Which is another reason for wanting new vs trying to remove rust.
I don't know of any brass shift fork pads. (unfortunately...) Only the green plastic ones. Not saying there aren't any; only, I don't know of any, but I think I probably would if they exist. They may have appeared in the time since I wised up and quit fooling with these things, in 2002 or so, when I finally got a clue and put in a T-56. Check G-force and JTR as possible sources.
Gears RARELY need to be replaced unless obviously damaged. A "rebuild" usually consists of replacing "soft" wear-out parts like bearings, seals, bushings, shift fork pads, keys & springs, maybe blocker rings, and re-setting everything to the factory preload on all the bearings. "Hard" parts like the case, gears, mainshaft, etc. are generally re-used unless destroyed somehow.
A small amount of rust on most things isn't really a problem. Details matter in this area however.
More than likely you don't need any gears; although if you do, the bill goes up DRAMATICALLY, and in a BIG HURRY. If it does, I hope you didn't pay more than $100 for whatever you have, because it's basically just a basket of scrap, not a "transmission". It might be worthwhile to take a good clear photo of what you have, which would help determine if any of it is actually bad, and/or what's missing. Unfortunately, the fact that a PO thought it was so bad that he tore it down, and then thought it wasn't worth putting back together but instead sold the car, is NOT a good sign, especially if the car seemed like it was a REAL GOOD deal; but who knows. Maybe it's just some one of those morons that thinks there's something wrong with it because he can't shift it into reverse without grinding it like hamburger meat, or it crashed gears when shifting which is almost always NOT the transmission's fault but rather the clutch. Still, someone having had their peterpullers in it is kinda scary.
It being a 1LE and a Formula don't really matter, as such. All the LB9 & L69 cars got the same T-5, year for year. It DOES matter however that it's a 91; that is, if that's what the TRANSMISSION is, not your CAR; 83-87 of our cars got the 1st design, 88-up got the 2nd design. Again, a photo will INSTANTLY identify which revision it is. Your 1st gear ratio should be 2.95 and your 5th should be .73, in either revision. The LG4 & TBI cars got the same 1st - 4th gear but had a .60 5th which SUCKS. 6-cyl cars got MUCH wider intermediate gear ratios; 1st is 3. something large, but that's because the clutch gear and countergear are different. But those don't matter since you can't use them anyway.
Last edited by sofakingdom; Dec 8, 2019 at 02:47 PM.
being a 1LE and a Formula don't really matter, as such.
Even suggesting there's nothing special about the God Emperor Factory SuperStock Racing car could be considered sedition in some circles. You're not wrong, but someone will be along shortly to tell you that you're wrong. Thin ice...
I don't know of any brass shift fork pads. (unfortunately...) Only the green plastic ones. Not saying there aren't any; only, I don't know of any, but I think I probably would if they exist. They may have appeared in the time since I wised up and quit fooling with these things, in 2002 or so, when I finally got a clue and put in a T-56. Check G-force and JTR as possible sources.
Gears RARELY need to be replaced unless obviously damaged. A "rebuild" usually consists of replacing "soft" wear-out parts like bearings, seals, bushings, shift fork pads, keys & springs, maybe blocker rings, and re-setting everything to the factory preload on all the bearings. "Hard" parts like the case, gears, mainshaft, etc. are generally re-used unless destroyed somehow.
A small amount of rust on most things isn't really a problem. Details matter in this area however.
More than likely you don't need any gears; although if you do, the bill goes up DRAMATICALLY, and in a BIG HURRY. If it does, I hope you didn't pay more than $100 for whatever you have, because it's basically just a basket of scrap, not a "transmission". It might be worthwhile to take a good clear photo of what you have, which would help determine if any of it is actually bad, and/or what's missing. Unfortunately, the fact that a PO thought it was so bad that he tore it down, and then thought it wasn't worth putting back together but instead sold the car, is NOT a good sign, especially if the car seemed like it was a REAL GOOD deal; but who knows. Maybe it's just some one of those morons that thinks there's something wrong with it because he can't shift it into reverse without grinding it like hamburger meat, or it crashed gears when shifting which is almost always NOT the transmission's fault but rather the clutch. Still, someone having had their peterpullers in it is kinda scary.
It being a 1LE and a Formula don't really matter, as such. All the LB9 & L69 cars got the same T-5, year for year. It DOES matter however that it's a 91; that is, if that's what the TRANSMISSION is, not your CAR; 83-87 of our cars got the 1st design, 88-up got the 2nd design. Again, a photo will INSTANTLY identify which revision it is. Your 1st gear ratio should be 2.95 and your 5th should be .73, in either revision. The LG4 & TBI cars got the same 1st - 4th gear but had a .60 5th which SUCKS. 6-cyl cars got MUCH wider intermediate gear ratios; 1st is 3. something large, but that's because the clutch gear and countergear are different. But those don't matter since you can't use them anyway.
I see what you're saying. I nothing looks wore out. I'm thinking just syncros Is why it got tore apart. Car has the numbers matching case. Case looks to be in excellent shape. Just looks like a home tear down that didn't get finished and the project was forgotten about.
As for parts. This is what I gathered from the car after I purchased it. I noticed there is a spare main shaft in the mix. So not sure what that's about seeing is it the one with gears doesn't look any differwnt wear wise as the other one. It is a world class t5 from 1991. As mentioned. T5 is numbers matching to my car.
I would highly recommend replacing the main case with one from GFORCE. I emailed them after grenading my second T5 and asked about there case. They replied they can drill the case to fit both Ford and GM applications. I opted to go T56 in the end. Also on another note the rebuild kit i bought optioned to have the brass tipped for all the Mustang guys rebuilding them https://www.gforcetransmissions.com/tran_gt-5.asp
I would highly recommend replacing the main case with one from GFORCE. I emailed them after grenading my second T5 and asked about there case. They replied they can drill the case to fit both Ford and GM applications. I opted to go T56 in the end. Also on another note the rebuild kit i bought optioned to have the brass tipped for all the Mustang guys rebuilding them https://www.gforcetransmissions.com/tran_gt-5.asp
I am not changing the case. It is the numbers matching case to this car. I'm not doing a racecar out of it. I just want slightly upgraded internal parts just to have longevity of driving it. I plan to put miles on this car but not racing miles.
I was just offering advice from personal experience. First trans went out with stock motor, heavy right foot and a good clutch.
If you are looking to keep it stock for a low buck alternative why not just buy a good used world class and take all the internals and put them into your numbers matching case after cleaning it up? Dont get me wrong you can get a master rebuild for about the same amount of money but it wont contain any of the main components that you have rusty. It will only contain bearings , syncros and other wear items
There are no "slightly upgrade internal parts" for the most part. There are a few minor things you can do - the JTR rear countergear bearing retainer is one that comes to mind - but for the most part, either it IS what it IS, or you spend $$$$$$$$$$$$$ on it and turn it into something else.
What you REALLY need to do, instead of P&Ming about something childish and ridiculous like "I hate rust", is to FIGURE OUT why the PO tore it down in the first place. Priority #1. About the worst thing you could have happen is, you spend untold time money and effort on this basket of parts, but then when you get it all back together, it's FARKLED just like it was when it was pulled out of the car, because some little something you failed to notice was messed up. Maybe s/he was just an idiot (did I say that??), but even idiots don't usually go to all that trouble unless they THINK something is wrong, so JUST IN CASE there really IS something wrong, you need to put forth as much effort as possible to find it.
Your photos don't show the ONE THING I would look at FIRST to see what its condition is: the drive side of the front-most gear on the countergear; or, the ONE THING that would most indicate stupidity and incompetence on the part of a PO, which is the leading edge of the 2 reverse gears. The 1st thing indicates that it's been overloaded, by clutch dumps, speed shifting, etc.; the 2nd indicates that the PO just tried to JAM it into reverse without shifting into a forward gear FIRST, which makes reverse grind SEVERELY, which fills the fluid with metal chips, which then destroys EVERYTHING in a finely detailed but hard to see manner. The damage throughout the transmission is hard to see, but the EATEN reverse gears are pretty obvious, up close.
Nothing I see is "can't be rebuilt" so far. That trans. has been apart before (this isn't it's 1st teardown.)
Rust isn't bad to take care of. You might soak or electroylyze it where needed, then do a light polishing of the gears. They may have micro-pits; not a big deal.
T5s are cheap and plentiful since they were in the Mustang aftermarket and quite a few cars, and light trucks. If you buy a bearings and blockers rebuild kit and end up missing a few bits, they'll be available.
Bronze fork pads, and the aforementioned countergear support, are okay for your use. Regarding the case, use a mic. and verify the front two bores aren't out of round. Aluminum saves weight, but taking a constant vibration for 100,000 miles will push it around.
That trans. has been apart before (this isn't it's 1st teardown.)
True: the red RTV shows that. It's been dinked with before, then tore down a 2nd (or more) time.
Which once again points to, FIGURE OUT why the PO dug into it. It might be that he was an idiot, but there might also be more to it. About the only problem I can see with the rust is, it covers up certain signs of wear. Look VERY CAREFULLY at all places where parts touch each other... Probably the most significant would be, the tip of the mainshaft where it plugs into the clutch gear. Seeing a 2nd mainshaft in your parts heap PARTICULARLY renders that feature suspect.
Altogether, it needs the most thorough possible inspection.
I like swimming in near 0°C water. Let them come and try to dunk me. 
