Where are dudes that are doing t5 swaps acquiring their t5's from? Buy a junky core off Craigslist and have it rebuilt? Buy that new new from summit?
I bought "rebuilt", but if I had to do it over again, it would be the new one. Unless you really know the person and their work, it can be hit and miss- my experience over the years (Mustangs previously).
A pretty cheap ($400) 'rebuilt' from local CL. I'm not sure exactly what was replaced, it worked fairly well for a while.
Everyone says "these are so easy to find". I disagree. But after a pretty long search, I got mine off of craigslist. I'm pretty confident in my wrenching skills, and rebuilding one isn't a big deal. I swapped input shafts and popped it in. All seems well.
I had to pound on the tunnel of my 240 a medium amount to get the CD009 to fit in it. And it takes a $500 top mount shifter.
A short caged rear shifter might work on a 700/900, though.
Everyone says "these are so easy to find". I disagree.
+1 and the prices are odd these days.
You might have a little more luck getting one from a V6 car; Swapping & (re)shimming the input shaft is a relatively simple ordeal and can be done in (less than) an hour if you have all the parts on hand.
If you want to skip all the possible jankiness, then getting one new(ish) might be your ticket.
I mean the "rebuilt" ones are all over Craigslist for 800-900 dollars. Those are easy enough to find but at those prices for a few hundred more I can get brand new with the gears I want from summit or jegs.
Junkyards or CL. Either one depending on what you need.
Follow the 5speeds.com videos on YT and he walks through most of the big issues. Really if you have a press then you can rebuild a T5. It is always good insurance to check the synchros for wear. You will 100% want to add a countershaft bearing retainer plate from 5speeds.com. Add bronze fork pads to 1-2 and 3-4 sliders. And set proper play on the input shaft. The price of synchros has gone up big time though. Really plan on 100-400 in parts alone depending on what is needed.
Anyone claiming rebuilt for $500 did not do a complete rebuild. I have seen a couple T5s with mismatched synchros and you just scratch your head in disbelief of cheapness.
The T5 is quite easy to work on. I would not pay over $200 unless you have documentation of a quality rebuild with the parts that were put in. Generally expect prices 100-250 in a junkyard or CL for straight used.
When inspecting check the rotation for 3rd, that is the notorious gear that will break. Globs of RTV around the seams also screams of a craptacular rebuild, no pro would use that type of sealant much less leave it a mess.
Yeah exactly. You need to be up earlier than the randos that are "rebuilding" them. Eric the car guy and what's his name from that other place have a great 2 part series on rebuilding them and also how like 80% of the "rebuilt" ones aren't actually rebuilt.
Anyhow... if I didn't mention it, I'm running one from the V6 in my 93 245. I like the gearing. Got it for like $200 from a rollover so the legend goes.
I got mine off CL for $100. It needs a new synchronizer on 4th but I've been driving it that way for 2+ years.
My current T5 is out of a low mile v6 mustang from the junkyard. If I was to do it again I would just buy a new ford racing one and be done with it.
Almost all used units are junk and have isuses in some way.
I used "quotes" on my $400 "rebuilt" on purpose. I'm assuming it had a bad synchro or two, was pulled apart and had just that part replaced, then put back together.
It survived years of use behind 300 - 350(ish) whp worth of 16VT, though. It was making buzzes and rattles and weird whirring geary noises in 5th for a long while, but I never (quite) got around to doing anything about it before I pulled it recently to make way for the Ellis/CD009 swap.
If it ever died I was just planning on hitting it with my wallet (i.e. buying a brand new one).
Found mine on facebook. I joined mustang sales groups in the area, I also obsessively searched CL until I found a decent deal. Paid $300 for one that was clean, but not too clean if you know what I mean. Guy had done the steel input retainer, had a new throwout and clutch fork on it, said it drove good. No rtv smeared all over it so fairly confident no one was in there messing with it. I've seen the gearbox videos too about how he bought a $800 "rebuilt" off ebay and it turned out to be total junk, filled with mismatched and broken parts. So I figure at least if mine needs work I'll do it myself and then I'll know whats in it.
Has anyone ever dealt with pro-force performance? They're just over in lawranceville and keep coming up in my google searches for t5 suppliers.
Eric the car guy and what's his name from that other place have a great 2 part series on rebuilding them and also how like 80% of the "rebuilt" ones aren't actually rebuilt.
Yes, those videos are pure gold! Long but good.
As long as the gears are in good shape, the synchros are the wear items. If the gears are damaged, the T5 probably will be a mess when you test the gears before purchase. Homeboy would have had to miss shifts badly.
Luckily you can buy good used or new parts for anything that shows wear on a T5.
Lets say all in maybe 400parts+core T5 in a quality home rebuild where you are 1200-1500(?) for new. Depends on a persons budget and how greasy they want to get.
BUT for 1000+ I'm going TKO or T56/TR6060/Nissan 6 speed etc. I mean keep it real, the joy of the T5 is the price point and availability.
Since the CD009 came on the scene, there's really no point in buying a new T5 as they are the same price new, unless you really like the T5 for some reason.
The T5 is easier to fit into the car (at least on a 240).
The CD009 takes some bashing in the tunnel, plus a $500 shifter. The T5 fits in fine with no sheetmetal bashing, and you could use the stock shifter if you wanted.
WIthout driving mine yet, so my opinion is still optimistic, I'm hoping the CD009 shifts better and it should hold a lot more power.
That's why everyone is jumping on the cd009 bandwagon. Supposed to be cheap and indestructible. I couldn't find a used one within a 6 hour drive, and they were all $1000+. That and if it breaks, no parts are available, only new ones at $1800. So I went in on a T5. Figure if it breaks parts are easily available and the average joe can rebuild one without Nasa level knowledge and tools.