I see this question come up frequently on Facebook, and I've never been able to answer it fully

I've always heard that the T5 from the 3.4 4th gen will not work with the 2.8, 3.1, or even the 3.4 when mounted in a 3rd gen. To me this just blows my mind. I have to ask, why not?

If the bell housing is different for the 4th gen t5, then how can a 3.4 block mate up with a 3rd gen t5?

Can I use my 3rd gen bell housing with a 4th gen transmission? I shouldn't even have to because externally, isn't the 3.4 exactly the same as the 2.8 and the 3.1?

Is the shifter in a different place on a 4th gen, and if so, then why can we use the t56 in a 3rd gen?

 

As far as I can tell the input spline count is different and that's it. I was just under one at the junkyard and they look exactly the same as the 3rd gen model.

 

here's the thread where I was told it wouldn't work, but I couldn't get anybody to answer the question of why.
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tran...ranny-4th.html

Is it just the splines? or something to do with the bolt pattern?

If I'm using a 3.4 with a 4th gen t5, What do I need to convert to make the 26 splines work on my car? would I have to use the 4th gen clutch disc?

 

The T5 transmission in the '93-'95 3.4L V6 equipped 4th-Gen F-body has the Ford-style transmission-case. If all the 3rd-Gen V6 F-body's have the GM-style transmission-case, then you will need the bellhousing from the 4th-Gen, as well. The bolt-patterns are different, from what I understand.

 

follow up question. If the bolt pattern is different, than wouldn't anybody putting in a 3.4 engine as an upgrade to a 2.8 or 3.1 also need a 4th gen bell housing?

Not being snarky, that's a serious question. I never hear the bell housing mentioned when discussing a 3.4 swap. I've got a 3.4 engine in my garage right now, and I'm trying to cover all my bases

 

another question while I'm at it. Would I have any problems getting a 4th gen transmission to work with my 1989 speedometer?

 

Correct, you'll need the 4th-gen bell housing.

 

so anybody doing a 3.4 swap has to get a 4th gen bell housing? Or is that only when you are using a 4th gen transmission?

So the bolt pattern is the SAME where the engine connects to the transmission between 3rd and 4th gen, but the bolt pattern is different where the bell housing connects to the body of the transmission

What about the speedometer?

 

Correct, if you are using a 4th gen T-5, you need a 4th gen 3.4 bell housing. If you are using a 3rd gen T-5, you need a 3rd gen 2.8/3.1 bell housing.

Bolt pattern on the engines is the same, bolt pattern on the transmission is different.

I believe you can remove the speedometer gear assembly from your automatic and put it in the T-5, though you may have to change the gears - I'm not entirely sure though. I have not yet installed my 1995 T-5 into my 1987 Camaro so I haven't gotten that far.

 

I already have a t5, I'm not doing a auto to 5 speed swap, just a 3.4 swap, and considering using a 4th gen t5

Thanks for clearing that up. When people said the 4th gens use the Ford bolt pattern, it confused me because I knew the 3.4 was the same as the 2.8 externally

 

Unless somehow when you have a T-5 your bolt pattern magically changes its the same. My 3.4 came from a 95 5 speed car and dropped right into my 89 auto car.

Speedo gear is different from auto to manual as well.

If the 4th gen T-5 is a Mustang style casing, it won't fit in the first place, so you would keep your third gen T-5, flywheel, and clutch.

 

Exactly what OdieTurbo has been saying.

RubberDucky, the Ford-style T5 transmission-case is actually smaller and slimmer than the GM T5 transmission-case. It will fit without incident. The 4th-Gen T5's were even installed at about the same offset angle as the 3rd-Gen T5's, so that's not a fitment issue either. I honestly don't know how you were able to bolt a 4th-Gen T5 up to the 3rd-Gen T5 bellhousing. Maybe GM installed some of the older T5's with their corresponding bellhousings to some of the '93-'95 V6 F-body's. I don't know...

About the only benefit of using the 4th-Gen T5 is that it is an actual "World Class" T5, so it can be rebuilt by places like G-Force to handle more power and torque, if you decide to do something like that.

 

That makes sense, the V6 trans missions would be smaller. I thought I read somewhere the Mustang V8 T-5 wouldn't fit.

The 3.4 in my car now came out of a 95 with a 5 speed, we forgot to pull the pilot bearing out when we swapped it and had to drop the trans. I've got a auto but used a motor from a manual car, everything went together no issues.

 

I honestly don't know what makes the Mustang V8 T5 not fit. It's hard enough keeping track of all the variants and versions of T5 that directly correlate to GM F-body's, let alone trying to add all the Ford T5 in on top of it. LOL!

 

I was under the understanding that it was too "square"

If you think GMs are bad, don't get involved in a old Mercedes. I'm in the process of rebuilding my Euro model, and none of the US spec cars are like mine.

 

Yeah, trying to do anything that's original Euro here in the states has got to be "FUN."

 

Yeah, they only made 33,500 of my car from 79-91, and mine is a pre-merger AMG so its next to impossible to find some bits I need.