HaIrLeSsHoBo

iTrader: (1)

Here's the deal.. I've been looking over these boards and I see there is a big issue with flywheel size, and the sort. I have a 1981 350 from a Chevy pickup. Right now there is a worn out 700r4 in it, but I am in the process of acquiring all of the parts needed for a T5 swap. I have a t5 transmission from a 2.8 out of a mid 80's s-10 pickup. I have the shifter that is needed, came straight from a 88 firebird. I am in the process of getting a bellhousing and speedometer gear right now. All that is left is the flywheel, clutch, and pressure plate. Obviously the parts from the 2.8 won't fit, and even if they would they are too small for my preference, because they only have a small clutch surface. I have two 168 teeth aluminum flywheels outside, which i would love to use, but from the way it sounds, they won't fit in the thirdgen bellhousing. Do I have to find a 153 tooth flywheel for that bellhousing?

Second question, is the main shaft of a t5 different size for the v8 than the 2.8, or will both clutch plates fit the same? I have attached a picture of the main shaft to verify if it is the same as everyone else is running or if it is smaller because it came from a 2.8.

Any help on any of this would be greatly appreciated because I am really confused about all of this.

Randy82WS7

so get an 11" one for a sbc before 1986?

common

if the truck was a manual trans then it would be 11" with the 350 anyways

FYI if it was a C or K-10 then it was originally not a 350 - as there were no 350 in half tons from '81 to '86

there was 250 L-6
4.3 v-6 85-up
305
454



i had an 88 bird the exact same color as yours

good luck

bjankuski

The T-5 from the 2.8 has less splines on the input shaft and it is smaller in diameter. You need the T-5 from a V-8 since it is stronger and has the correct spline count to work with the 10.4 diameter V-8 clutch disc. You also will need the 153 tooth fV-8 lywheel from a F-body.

HaIrLeSsHoBo

iTrader: (1)

You are right, it is out of a 1981 1ton, with an automatic tranny.

bjankuski... there is no way to make the t5 out of the 2.8 work? I don't have the cash to spend right now on trying to hunt down a v8 t5. all junkyards are stripped clean of all engines/trannys for the thirdgens.
Those things are like solid gold around here, and when they are available people want $1000 or more for them. I am willing to run a t5 from a 2.8 until it comes apart for all i care, besides I'm not pushing extreme horsepower, maybe 275-300.

battman

iTrader: (2)

A v6 F-body T5 will work in a v8 f-body but its not a direct swap, the v6 inputshaft is a 14 spline and the V8 is a 28 spline, also the v6 clutch is a smaller diameter than the v8. so what you have to do is use a v8 flywheel and pressure plate with the v6 clutch disc or special order a 14 spline 10.4 in clutch disc. I used the smaller v6 disc in my car and put about 20,000 miles on it and it never slipped once and I wasn't nice to it either. I don't think the s10 t5 will work in a Fbody due to the different shifter locations so maybe you should look for a v6 fbody t5.

also you need a 153 tooth flywheel for a 2pc rear main seal v8

HaIrLeSsHoBo

iTrader: (1)

the shifter is in a different location? does anyone have a picture of the v6 fbody t5 so i can compare it with the one i have? I have the fbody shifter itself that bolts to the tranny, the one that is bent to make up for the bellhousing offset.. i picked it up from an 88 firebird yesterday and it fits in my t5 fine, but the tranny itself was gone.

battman

iTrader: (2)

here ya go

also the s10 does not have provisions for the torq arm mount

HaIrLeSsHoBo

iTrader: (1)

wow, that does look alot different. would you mind measuring how far it is from the front of the transmission to the shifter? I want to see if mine is even close to being the right length.

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

It WILL NOT work. You don't need measurements to know, it's so different.

It has 3 issues, any one of which is breaks the whole project: (1) no torque arm mount (2) not rotated toward the driver's side, so it won't fit the floor pan (3) will make the shifter come up under the dash.

You need the flywheel for a 83-85 Camaro/Firebird V8 T-5, same as everybody else that asks this redundant question.

An 11" flywheel WILL NOT fit in a stock F-body bell housing, period.

I'd suggest getting rid of all that 6-cylinder crap, and getting the right stuff, and be done with it. There's pretty much no way to hack your car up enough to make it fit, and even if you somehow got it to, you'd still have just a bunch of 6-cylinder crap in it, which you will HATE for every minute that it lasts and probably be grateful when it tears up (which most likely will be after a mercifully short and miserable lifetime).

HaIrLeSsHoBo

iTrader: (1)

all right, thanks for the help

withoutanycause

I am in a similar situation, as i have an 86 camaro originally a v6 with a t5. I have pulled the engine and tranny, have a carbed 86 350 that had been put in an s10 and now i am planning on putting it in my car. I also do not have the money to spent on a new tranny but I have not been able to find the right bellhousing to mount my t5 to the 350. where would the best place to find one be, and is it possible to switch the main shaft that the clutch goes on, or is it better to just special order the larger clutch?

327_TPI_77_Maro

iTrader: (8)

Do not waste your time trying to use the weak, crappily geared V6 box with a V8. Like the guys said, an S10 transmission won't put the shifter in the right place and you'd have to use an aftermarket torque arm that mounted differently from the stock one. If you are using a strong 350 you really should be looking for a world class T5, minimum. Even then if you put enough power through it you will break it.

withoutanycause

Im using the t5 that i pulled out of my camaro so the shifter location isnt an issue for me. i am just looking to get my car working untill i have the time and money to get a new tranny. the 350 i have is only making around 275hp and i wasnt going to beat on it because i have read plenty about how the t5 falls apart. so if anyone knows where i could find a bellhousing please let me know. thanks

Toyota h8r

I feel i might add something to this thread. If i can blow a t5 in a 2.8L s10.......i think a 305 let alone a 350 would scatter a v6 t5 lol......

ianseldon

im actually doing the same thing..im putting a 70's 350 into my 85 2.8 litre 5 speed v6. the v6 t5 wont bolt up to the 350...but is there any way i could macgyver it to work? a newer 6 speed from a camaro ss with a 350 would possibly work though right? any help would be appreciated
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***into my 85 camaro

327_TPI_77_Maro

iTrader: (8)

Unless your 350 makes 100 horsepower, don't do it!

ianseldon

haha.. it might be making just a wee bit more than 100. thanks