datsunfreak Posted March 25, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2021 6 hours ago, Soundline said: They do not tolerate abuse, and dislike long ventures. I do not abuse transmissions, or take long ventures. 😋 6 hours ago, Soundline said: I ran a 1989 F-150, 300 cu/in, M5R2, 4x4, 8.8” rear with Yukon locker, 2” suspension lift with 32x11.50 and 33x12.50. I cannot, in good conscious recommend it. Maybe I’m just very unlucky. I've owned/driven at least 3, and never had an issue with any of them. My shop partner Tim has had 2 of them as well, never any issues with either of those. We put well over 130K on the one in his F150, even foolishly towing 3500-4000 pounds for very long distances with no issues, other than the common throw-out bearing failure they all have at 100k. Also, it's worth noting that based on your description you were using it in a 6000+ pound truck, with four wheel drive, and oversized tires. I am using it in a 3500 pound car. You'd be surprised what that substantial difference in weight does to the longevity of driveline parts. There are basically only two options for me, at this time. This Mazda-built M5R2 or a Borg-Warner T-5. And I know which one of those I trust more. 😁 Please don't get me wrong, I really do appreciate any and all input/experience with any of this, so thank you.👍 If I were not familiar/comfortable with this trans, I wouldn't be using it. And if I blow it up, it's cheap/easy to replace... 😄 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted March 25, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2021 And I went through that reply multiple times to hopefully not make it sound too snarky or overly defensive. I apologize if I did either. 👍 I am the king of overthinking things, in more ways than one... 😄 7 hours ago, Soundline said: 5 years of experience with the M5R2 transmission. I went through three rebuilds and three transmissions in those five years. Maybe I’m just very unlucky. I do now have some questions, though. 😁 Did you rebuilt it, or did you take it to a mechanic/machine shop? If the latter, same guy all 3 times? You mentioned "abuse", so I have to ask how you "abused" it? Lots of off-roading? 5k clutch dumps/burnouts? 😋 Also, how many miles were on it when your "adventure" began? The bigger tires and extra weight wouldn't be enough to break it I'd think, without some mitigating factors... Quote Link to comment
UnderControl Posted March 25, 2021 Report Share Posted March 25, 2021 If it makes you feel any better T5s have a wonderful habit of eating gears if you apply more than a little bit of torque. 1 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted March 25, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2021 (edited) 17 minutes ago, UnderControl said: If it makes you feel any better T5s have a wonderful habit of eating gears if you apply more than a little bit of torque. Yeah, the general consensus was that it would probably be okay behind a stock-ish 302, but not a modified 302, and definitely not a 351W... 😄 There are better versions of it, like the TKO, or the World Class T-5, but they are considerably more expensive. And Summit will actually sell you a brand new BW T-5 for $1500 (which may last longer just because it's all new inside), but that was also well out of my budget. I have been trying to keep the drivetrain budget under $2000 total, so I could spend money on other areas. This car is not about all out speed, or massive amounts of grip, it's just a fun toy. Edited March 25, 2021 by datsunfreak Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted March 25, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2021 And if I am going to spend $1500-2000 on a transmission, it would be a T-56 six speed. 😁 1 Quote Link to comment
UnderControl Posted March 25, 2021 Report Share Posted March 25, 2021 3 hours ago, datsunfreak said: And if I am going to spend $1500-2000 on a transmission, it would be a T-56 six speed. 😁 And if you want to really spend some fuck you money there is the 6060. Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted March 25, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2021 6 minutes ago, UnderControl said: And if you want to really spend some fuck you money there is the 6060. If I'm spending "fuck you money", I'd either ditch all this and buy a Coyote 5.0 with trans from a Mustang, or even cooler would be a 3.5L twin turbo F150 engine with a Mustang trans. 😄 1 Quote Link to comment
UnderControl Posted March 25, 2021 Report Share Posted March 25, 2021 It's really too bad ford went to the integrated bell with the mod motors. The 3650 is a decent trans and fairly inexpensive, but it isn't a simple or cheap conversion to use them on anything but mod motors. Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted March 25, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2021 32 minutes ago, UnderControl said: It's really too bad ford went to the integrated bell with the mod motors. The 3650 is a decent trans and fairly inexpensive, but it isn't a simple or cheap conversion to use them on anything but mod motors. Indeed. I had given a lot of thought to a mod motor, but that is a MESS of wiring to modify/clean up. I would have loved to do the DOHC 4.6L from the early Lincoln MKVIII, since it has no OBD-II, and an aluminum block made by Ferrari (sort of). I even went and looked at a cheap '94 MKVIII with a bad trans, but between buying that and a Mustang trans, I'd easily be $3000 deep before I even started on trying to make it fit. If I had spent a lot of time parting out the Lincoln, maybe, but the older I get, the more I like convenience. There's something to be said for an engine that bolts right in, even if it's not my ideal choice. Making the wrong trans fit is easy. Making the wrong engine fit is not. 😁 Quote Link to comment
Soundline Posted March 25, 2021 Report Share Posted March 25, 2021 9 hours ago, datsunfreak said: And I went through that reply multiple times to hopefully not make it sound too snarky or overly defensive. I apologize if I did either. 👍 I am the king of overthinking things, in more ways than one... 😄 I do now have some questions, though. 😁 Did you rebuilt it, or did you take it to a mechanic/machine shop? If the latter, same guy all 3 times? You mentioned "abuse", so I have to ask how you "abused" it? Lots of off-roading? 5k clutch dumps/burnouts? 😋 Also, how many miles were on it when your "adventure" began? The bigger tires and extra weight wouldn't be enough to break it I'd think, without some mitigating factors... Sure, it’s the internet so I don’t really take anything too seriously. For the rebuild I went to a Ford dealership once and Aamco transmission the next two times. I’d never rebuilt a transmission so taking one that’s broken apart was probably out of my league. My abuse was lots of high angle slow speed driving off road. I used it to get to my favorite hunting grounds, which are tricky and technical. The truck had 87k mi on it when I got it from the original owner who had used the truck as a daily commuter. I’m originally from a town that had less than 400 people in it, so everyone knew everyone. I knew the owner to be a good guy, he took care of his stuff. It came from the dealership with 31x10.50r15 so I should have been fine to go up to 33’s The truck sat for 11 months while I was in boot and my Air Force specialty training. When I came back the transmission felt loose. I changed the transmission fluid for more Ford fluid from the dealership. It let go on my way home from work a couple weeks later. I went overseas for an extended trip to a nice sandy place... and when I came back a I had the same experience. After the second to last time the transmission failed, thinking I had missed something, I replaced the bell housing, got a different rebuilt transmission from TQT transmissions, new shift linkage from Ford, new drive lines, I downsized to 32” tires, had my transfer case rebuilt, and had my rear end completely redone. Thinking things were fixed for good I drove it normally through the spring and, driving from my duty station near Seattle to Spokane to get a new pair of boots at Whites... I lost 5th and reverse on Interstate 90. I got the transmission rebuilt again, and sold the truck. This is just one guy’s experience with that Mazda Transmission. Like I said before, maybe I’m just unlucky. In 88’ they also introduced the ZF S5-42 from ZF Friedrichshafen AG which was used in 88-91’ F-150’s with the 302 & 351. These can These were put in 87’ models with the 460 V8, but don’t get it out of an 87’. 88-91’ are the good ones. The 87’s were experimental and had a weird first gear that was changed to be more useful in 88’. Quote Link to comment
DaBlist Posted March 26, 2021 Report Share Posted March 26, 2021 What, You can swap motors other than an LS? Is that allowed? 2 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted March 26, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2021 17 hours ago, Soundline said: It came from the dealership with 31x10.50r15 so I should have been fine to go up to 33’s What stands out to me is while that may not seem like a huge change, it's a pretty big change in final drive ratio, which is putting more strain on 1st gear, which is the one that broke. I don't doubt your experience in the least, and it may be a terrible choice of transmission for that, but not for this. Know what I mean? You were definitely putting more strain on it than I likely ever will. And a year or two from now, if it kersplodes, you will be the first to know. 😄 17 hours ago, Soundline said: In 88’ they also introduced the ZF S5-42 from ZF Friedrichshafen AG which was used in 88-91’ F-150’s with the 302 & 351. I looked at those also, and they are a hoss. Like, I am not even sure it would fit without some serious mods to the floor. 😁 Way too beefy for my application (and I think first gear would be useless), but would have been perfect in yours. 👍 1 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted March 26, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2021 12 hours ago, DaBlist said: What, You can swap motors other than an LS? Is that allowed? There's one guy in the 67 Galaxie Facebook Group that put a 6.0 LS in his. He is taunted mercilessly. They do not cotton to non-Ford swaps in most Ford circles. 😄 Quote Link to comment
Soundline Posted March 26, 2021 Report Share Posted March 26, 2021 Yep, I’m just 1 dude on the internet with a very different application and use. So that isn’t a great sample size when they made thousands of them. But, figured I’d share. I hope it works out well because I never wanna see someone’s project car break. Especially when they’re building it. 1 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted March 26, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2021 1 hour ago, Soundline said: I hope it works out well because I never wanna see someone’s project car break. Especially when they’re building it. Me neither. 😁 I'm gonna keep that ZF info in my brain though, because I reeeeally want to do a 70-72 F150 next... 👍 Quote Link to comment
dimlight65 Posted March 27, 2021 Report Share Posted March 27, 2021 21 hours ago, datsunfreak said: There's one guy in the 67 Galaxie Facebook Group that put a 6.0 LS in his. He is taunted mercilessly. They do not cotton to non-Ford swaps in most Ford circles. 😄 Nor at this shop! 1 Quote Link to comment
dimlight65 Posted March 27, 2021 Report Share Posted March 27, 2021 (edited) On 3/20/2021 at 1:45 PM, datsunfreak said: At this point it's ready to pull out, but we couldn't because the hydraulic jack on our engine hoist decided to shit itself. When I mentioned it to Tim, he said don't worry about it because his uncle Sam is buying us a new one this week. Weird, I don't remember him having an uncle called Sam... It is in the back of the Smart as we... type. Yeah, old Sam is a bit bi-polar. He's starting in on one of his socialist rampages again. He and this Nancy bitch he hangs with keep trying to get the keys to my gun safe. Edited March 27, 2021 by dimlight65 1 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted March 27, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2021 Well, that escaladed quickly... Unsurprisingly, this raised the front about 3"... 😄 Got the fender brace off and the blower motor out. Yet another hole to fill... 😁 Took off the wiper cowl and removed all the wiper stuff. Also removed basically everything but the steering gear box. Scraped off as much dirt as I could and went over it with a vacuum. Think I might need to borrow a pressure washer before painting it though... With all the wiper stuff out, it may go back in, it may not. Who's to say... 😁 And yes, I saved all the wiper gubbins in one box just in case future John gets pissed at me for taking it all out... 3 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted March 27, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2021 I may have gone down a dark path by removing the wipers. Because now all I can think about is what else I can take out... And wondering if I have the craftiness to make a carbon fiber hood... 😄 2 1 Quote Link to comment
dimlight65 Posted March 28, 2021 Report Share Posted March 28, 2021 (edited) Oops! Disregard! I just went back to look at a picture and it totally negated my suggestion. If anyone read it in the minute it was up... well, we'll just keep it between us, shall we? Edited March 28, 2021 by dimlight65 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted April 1, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2021 (edited) In preparation for repainting the engine bay, I decided to go ahead and remove the grill so I could paint behind it as well. Good thing I did too because all but one of the mounting tabs were wicked bent. The middle, after some tweaking... The passenger side brackets were the only ones not bent... And while it's out I am going to try and straighten some parts of the grill than have fallen on hard times. We shall see if I can... Edited April 1, 2021 by datsunfreak 1 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted April 1, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2021 Also, I was able to borrow my neighbor's pressure washer, so hopefully that gets squared away on Saturday so I can start painting... 👍 1 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted April 3, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2021 On 3/31/2021 at 10:04 PM, datsunfreak said: Also, I was able to borrow my neighbor's pressure washer, so hopefully that gets squared away on Saturday so I can start painting... 👍 And it did. Made one pass with the washer, then went over everything with a wire brush to break loose any stubborn dirt, then made another pass with the washer. I wouldn't say you can eat off of it, but it's pretty dang clean... Then after one coat of POR-15... I'll have to wait until that dries so I can climb in there and touch up some small tight spots I missed, and hit more of the trans tunnel. What do you think? I might go back over the whole thing with some satin black paint because this is a bit shiny for my taste... 4 Quote Link to comment
Draker Posted April 3, 2021 Report Share Posted April 3, 2021 I dig it. Looks fine with the shine, also easy to clean next time it gets dirty. 1 Quote Link to comment
datsunfreak Posted April 3, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2021 15 minutes ago, Draker said: Looks fine with the shine It's definitely growing on me... 😁 1 Quote Link to comment
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