The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot '60-'66 Trucks Can I start engine without tranny in?

Hey all,

I've got a 1963 GMC 1/2 ton 4x4 with a 327 engine and it's rear mounts are fixed to frame with bell housing. I had to take my T5 trans out to rebuild. I got a new radiator awhile back and wanted to flush old yucky water out of system so I drove 2-3 times each time and I'd put new water in.

It is now ready to drain and I can finally put in antifreeze but the tranz is being rebuilt (not sure when done & could be awhile). The weather is getting cold so I need to get antifreeze in there before freezing. Can I start that engine and let it run till t-stat opens so antifreeze gets where it needs to be w-out having the tranz in there?

Sorry so long a story for such a short question:)

Thanks!

Shane Hamilton
Columbia MO

Hi, Shane. I don't know anything about your engine start-up question, but was wondering how you like the T5 with the 327. I have a 327 in the '61 and will be looking for a tranny upgrade at some point. thanks

Yes you can run the engine with out a tranny as long as the engine didn't change position (lean backwards so fan hits radiator) but you said the rear motor mounts are fixed to the frame with the bell housing so that should not be the case for you. If it is an automatic (I don't know if a T-5 is) make sure you plug up the transmission fluid lines or put a drip pan under them so they dont leak a little when the fluid expands when it gets warm, but if it is a standard there is no reason you can't run an engine without a transmission with out doing anything more as long as the throw out bearing is still in the clutch fork or out all together, make sure throw out bearing is not sitting in the bell housing loose.

Great! Thanks for your replies! I really do appreciate your knowledge!

Husker, I love the T5. I should mention here though that I had it specially made with World Class innards (stuff inside) and the old style housing in order for the shifter to be close to the front like the old one> I had to cut a hole a little bit back to make way for the new shifter but not much. With the World CLass housing the shifter would end up in the seat.

Also, I had the guy put in the 300 lb torque stuff on the inside so the tranz would be meaty enough to handle my truck. I don't expect I could do crazy 4x4ing in it but I would be confident that it could handle 4x4 driving that isn't anything crazy and maybe even some crazy, however, I paid 1200 for it and I just wanted good cruizing speed on highway.

Here's my setup. 327 engine, 600 cfm edlebrock, T5 tranz, 31" tall tires and 4:10 gears. This puts me at 2900 RPM in 4th gear and 2100 ROM in 5th gear which is at .68 and my 4th gear is 1:1.

I might have gone with 4:56 gears and had more get up and go, but honestly I mam pretty happy with it as is. It is fast and it has lots of hauling power too. Great trans if done right. The guy who did mine is Brian Rivard at Accurate Performance. Great guy who stands behind his work 100%.

Good luck and let me know what you go with

Shane Hamilton
Columbia MO

Thanks, Shane, for the info. Sounds like a good combination of what I am looking for. I have 4:56 gears in the posi (well, actually Detroit Locker) rear end. I need to keep some low-end torque to muscle through the snow drifts, but want to be able to cruise at highway speeds. Don't need it to go screaming along at 80 mph, but 65-70 would keep me from being pushed off the road by traffic. Have no idea what RPM it runs at - don't have a tach yet.

I'm not mechanically knowledgeable enough yet to properly describe it, but: the engine is beautiful ... purrs along just great! And then I hit top gear, and the tranny sounds like I need to shift, but there's no other gear, and the engine is sounding like "turn me loose, I got more". Just hate the thought of that sweet little engine being reined in. It wants to go! LOL I was thinking I needed to swap gears in the rear-end, but after posting questions here and reading answers, I think the tranny swap is the way to go.

Thanks for your answer. I think I'll get with a transmission friend of ours, and see what he can come up with. I will take your info in with me. Options, options, options....

...yep, you can start them without tranny. I once started an engine hanging from a big tree limb. It was fine till I gassed it and then it wanted to "take off". Done a lot of stupid things in my day!!!