The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop S-10 4 speed in a 53

There has been a ton of info on using the T-5 but has anyone used the 4 speed from an S-10? I know the install would be the same and there would be no advantage in fuel miliage. I picked up a 5 speed to put in my 53 behind a .030 over 292. I got to looking at it and it has the electric speedometer. (the tranny was free) I do have a 4 speed that I might put in until I can find a 5 speed with mechanical set up. I will be using a 3.22 rear diff. from a 68 GMC. This truck is my daily driver and not a drag truck or anything like that. I do, however, pull some heavy stuff once in a while. That is the reason for the 292. Ant thoughts on this? Thanks Don

packrat, i was reading another thread on here yesterday about using the electric speed output style trans and its benifits (correct calibration with wheel/tire size, rear gear etc.) not sure what it takes to do that. i am very interested in this thread though as i my self am wondering what everyone else thinks about the t-5's ability when it comes to towing. i have a 292 in my 42 and right now have a 4spd original to the truck the engine came from. i also plan to do some "med duty" towing ie: loaded car trailor, wood etc. what does everyone think about the t-5's ability as a true "truck" trans? (not trying to steal your thread packrat you just pinned the tail on the donkey)

Army truck nerd- No problem with the exrta questions. It all pertains to basically the same thing. The question I have for you is- How do you like that 292? Isn't she a brute? I don't have mine in my 53 yet but I did have it in a K5 blazer mud racer back in the early 90s and that baby would pull. My dad had one in a 69 chev half ton 2 wheel drive and he used to haul a camper and never feel a loss of power. Don

You can take the rear housing & speedo parts from the 4 speed & put them on the 5 speed. I would use the 5 speed. It,s the best of 2 worlds. You can use 4th when you are pulling a load & 5th when you come back empty. Those 292,s are tough. I used to maintain fleets of 1 tons & we had mostly 292,s. I,ve driven them for miles wide open, never letting off the gas. The only thing they are hard on is exhaust manifolds. Ive got a T-5 behind a warmed 350 in my half ton, although i don,t haul anything I get on it once in a while & have never hurt it.

Thanks wrenchbender- I thought that I heard one time that the tail shaft houseings were interchangable from the 4 speed to the 5 speed. but don't remember where I heard it. If you say they are, that's a no-brainer. I'll make the swap and go with the 5 speed. Thanks Don

Seems like I had to take the detent plate off the 5 speed housing & put in on the other one.

hey Wrenchbender-This might be a stupid question but what is the detent plate? Thanks Don

packrat, i absolutly love the 292! when i originally purchased the truck i planned on installing a mild 350. after the first time i heard that 292 purr and drove her around i changed my mind in less than 2 sec. i am hooked on these inline sixes. as far as the trans goes.. for now i am gonna stick with the 4 speed hook'd to it as i know its plenty tough enough for the heavy loads. still interested in what everyone else has to day on this topic.

It,s a steel plate in the rear housing under the shifter. It has a ball with a spring that gives the shift lever the snap & quides the lever. The one on the 4 speed doesn,t have a position for 5th. gear.

Stupid question, can the detent plate from a camaro 5-speed be put into the housing from a 4-speed. I can only seem to find 4-speeds for my T-5 hybrid side project. I know B/W kept most components similar, however that little bit of knowledge will save me time and money.

Scott

The T5 is not a strong transmission. It was marginal when used behind a small mild V8. It is a GREAT transmission to use behind the old stovebolt engines but would be leary of using one for pulling much of a load or in a high torque situation.

From the internet (various sources)

I have had T-5's behind turbo v6's as well as V8's without problems. Just never played parts swapper yet.

Either way, FOUND and picked up an 82 T-5 from an S-10 today to go along with my Camaro T-5 that I picked up a few months back. Now I have the parts to build a Hybrid. Same salvage yard had about 5 or 6 T-5's from 4x4's. Almost thought of converting the truck to 4WD......Almost

They also had a '49 3100 with rear fenders in better shape than mine.