Vannin' Home Forums Chevy How to.... HELP PLEASE!

Im looking to swap my 3 speed standard to a 5 speed standard.
I just found one but it was from a 4 cylinder. Its a 89 gmc S-15 with a 2.5. Will this trany hold up to a V8. Ive tried looking online buy i dont know diddly squat about searcing info or how to type it in to find what im lookin for. So any help would be greatly appreceated.

I wouldn't think so,But I'm not sure

I know id have to change bell housing but i need to know if the trans will be strong enough

I would go on line and search for the "specs" for tat transmission first......I would think it wold not be able to handle the torque and/or horsepower......other option would see if a local hotrod trans shop could "beef" that trans up for you....not that familar with manual transmissions in late model trucks but if they are out there I would go with one that is made to be "mated" with a V8 engine......

Far as looks goes the T-5 trans looks the same from a 4 banger to aV8. I just located another one from a camaro that was mated to a 2.8 v6. Only prob with a camaro trany is the shifter is at the end of the tail shaft which means i would have to find a S-10 tailshaft to move the shifter forward.
Ive searched all over the web but just cant find what im lookin for as far as info goes

Ask Matchstick he did the conversion I believe you have to change tail shaft on transmission using a camaro tailshaft but ask him he can tell you.

To run a v8 in front of it, you'll need a world class T5, the non-world class trans wont hold up, and the 4 cylinder trans definitely wont. I dont know about the tail shafts, someone else might know more about that. a trans out of a 4.3 V6 truck would probably hold up fine to the I6. You will probably be better off finding one out of an earlier 80's truck that still used a cable clutch unless yours is hydraulic.

Well i know i can still use my bell housing with the linkage with a t5. Far as tail shaft, the one from a camaro has the shifter all the way to the rear as were the s10 is more center

I believe you can put the WC parts into the non-WC truck trans case... Theres a whole thread on it on a camaro forum somewhere i believe

I am waiting on a call but i may have found a t5 from a 4.3 astro van

Its not a WC, but if your not doggin it and keep up on maintenance it should serve you well, make sure to get the offset plate on top of the trans, it moves the shifter to the drivers side and makes it much more comfortable to drive.

Im not really worried about being WC or NWC. As long as i can get one from atleast a 4.3 itll hold up. I just wasnt to sure about the ones from the 2.8 and 2.5. Im sure if a s10 or astro with a 4.3 can snatch around loads all day my old straight 6 shouldnt hurt it none.

I did this exact swap. swapped in a camaro 5 speed. I did not swap to the S-10 shift. It puts the shifter a little far back but it wasn't terrible. The s10 tail shaft would probably keep you from having to cut through the support in the floor that I had to cut through and cap off. We later took that trans and put it in a club members 79 short where it currently resides. The cross support I had to cut in my long wheel base was not in the same place as in the shorty.

My trans came from a camaro/firebird but honestly I never asked if it was from a v8 car. I just bought a clutch, modded my cross member and put it on. I loved it. I was REALLY hard on it and it held up just fine. Alex is rompin on it now. Sometimes ignorance is bliss i suppose.

there is a website called t5swap.com I think. it is the t5 swap authority. helps you identify different versions and stuff. great resource. google it. good luck.

Great. I actually just located one from a 87 atro that had the 4.3. Seems like it should have a good shift location kinda like the s-10. Ill check that website out. Thanks

Sweet! I cant wait to see this done! Can i take it around the block when its in?

I plan to try and take as many pics as possible when i do it incase anyone else needs to do it.

I bought a 4.3 vortec for a service van it was a astro. Ran out of everything couldn't kill that motor for nothing

Im not useing a 4.3 engine, just a 5 speed standard that was behind it.

I don't know for a fact but I believe the s10 and astro shifter location is the same. Which is great. You'll love the T5. It really adds a ton of in town drivability to the van. plus slammin down to 4th on the highway and passin folks is great unlike with the 3 speed. there ain't any goin down to 2nd. that's just violent.

I have some pictures of how I modified my transmission crossmember and where my shifter came through. that was really all I had to do other than shorten the driveshaft. I think it took about a week to do the swap. My van was an 85 with factory 3 on the floor so it was pretty simple. If I read right you have the same setup.

Almost the same. Mine is a 3 speed on the colum but your rite, there aint no droping to second.lol. That motor would jump out and run back home if i did lol

Stay away from the 5 spd from behind 4 bangers. Not necessarily because of whether they will stand up or not but because of the gearing. They work good for 4 bangers but 1st gear is useless behind anything else. It should be a T50 instead of T5, they used the same tranny in late model Vegas and Monzas. The astro unit will work great, especially with the offset shifter.

i was stayin away from the 4 banger version anyway but my van has a unusual gear ratio for a G10. i may have to change it after putting in the tranny but i hope not. its got a 3.07 rear gear

3.07 and a 5 speed, that thing oughta turn like 900rpm at 65