I want to make sure my thinking is straight. You have written the transmission gear ratios as a decimal per Astro:
1st gear 4.03 to 1
2nd gear 2.73 to 1
3rd gear 1.49 to 1
4th gear 1.00 to 1
5th gear 0.72 to 1
Does that mean in 5th gear that the out put of the transmission will see about a 25% over drive over 1 to 1 (direct drive) of fourth gear? I get confused with the gear ratio and what it means.
I bought new, in 1986, and special ordered a 4.3 Astro with a T-5. After many miles, a transmission reb. and my teenage son rolling/totaling it, I bought back the salvage just to keep the T-5. This transmission I still have stored, with only a few miles on it! I junked the rest of the Van for at least double what the salvage was and still was able to keep the T-5!
Alan