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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - T5 Transmission

I have a T5 tranny from a 1988 firebird. This tranny has a electrical sending unit for the speedometer. Is it possible to convert this electrical sending unit to a mechanical fitting so I can just use a speedometer cable to run my speedometer? If so anyone know where I can get one?
Bruce Mills

Have a look at this site: http://www.jagsthatrun.com/Pages/SpeedSensors_Speedometer.html

These folks do engine conversion kits for EFI Chev engines into various cars and have adaptors so that the gearbox VSS function is retained along with a speedo cable output.

The adaptors look like they may be rather pricey, so it would pay to check if earlier T-5's have an ordinary speedo drive assembly that will simply replace your box's VSS.
Bob Wilson

Check also past threads using the keyword "Shaffer". Arthur Shaffer has put a V6 and T5 into his CB car and used a VDO electronic speedometer which fits the MGB case and takes its signal directly from the T5 VSS. He's posted several times with details.
Bob Wilson

Interesting Post. It just so happens that I have a T-5 tranny in my 86 CJ-7 that uses a speedo cable. I'm not sure if this is the exact same tranny (but I hear it is.) But on my T-5 the bell housing bolts up separately from the rest of the tranny. And I believe the speedo cable screws into the bell housing. So maybe you could just pick up an earlier bell housing. I've also heard of people tapping their own holes above the ring gear I think. But I would only attempt that if you really know what your doing. If you want any info on Jeep shops where you could possibly grab this bell housing, let me know. I'll double check about where the cable threads in.
Bill Mertz

Heres an idea on the T-5. I asked this once before, but nobody answered me.
Does the input shaft on the T-5 go into a genuine Rover engine?
I know a T-5 works on a Buick/Olds, but my engine is a "Rover" engine.
I don't have a T-5 yet, but I want to use one if it works. Does anybody know?
Thanks again,
Wally
Wally Jonker

Wally Jonker, your question has been answered before. I had a 215 and T5 and then later bought a 4.6 ROVER engine. The difference lies in the end of the crankshaft. The pilot bushing were different, both inside and outside diameter. Simply find one with the correct outiside diameter and get machine shop to bore out inside diameter to t-5 input shaft size. didn't cost more than 5 bucks. Also, the Rover crank is slightly longer. Kinda hard to describe, but there is a longer "ring" around the pilot bushing. I simply cut it off the crank, to measure same length as 215, no harm done. You might have to cut this end depending bellhousing used.
joaquin

Bruce,

I have 2 T-5's. The '89 has a cable drive on the tailshaft under the shifter and the '91 has an electrical output.

Dan Lagrou at D&D says the early electrical speedo years the drives are interchangeable with the cable driven trans. I haven't tried it yet, but it does look like on my trannys that you could just unbolt the drive assembly and switch them out.

I will try it as soon as I can(the '91 is in the car or I would try it now) and report back.

As far as where to get one, I think most trany shops have a junk tranny bin. You might find good one cheap. I don't know if you can still gt a new one.
Carl Floyd

Joaquin- thankyou for the advice. I asked the question just recently and nobody answered me. I'm sure the question has been answered before, but I am fairly new to the MG BBS line.
Thanks again for the help.
Wally
Wally Jonker

Thanks for the info Carl. I have a 88 T5 and the electrical output is on the tail shaft. As soon as I looked at the T5 I couldn't see any reason why I couldn't just interchange it for a mechanical one. It is always nice to have a theory confirmed.

Thanks All

Bruce
Bruce Mills

Wally

There is lots of information kicking around about this but in brief. The T5 requires a bellhousing with the right bolt pattern to bolt up to the Rover engine.
The imput shaft pilot bushing can be purchased from several sources. D & D is one.
There are rumors that the tranny imput shaft may be ½" too long when matting up to the Rover 3.5 crankshaft. There are 2 fix's I have learned of through this bulletin board. One is to cut the input shaft down the ½" (after ensuring that this MUST be done) and the other is to drill out the crankshaft.
As my block is currently being rebored I am unable to mate it together to see how this works out.


A great place for links is http://www.mgbv8.com/links.htm.
Another place is http://members.aol.com/danmas4/start.htm
This one give you a good idea of what you have to do and parts that must be sourced.
http://www.mgcars.org.uk/v8conv/v8conv1.html#Pricing



Bruce Mills

Bruce,
Thanks for the websites. I'll check them out for more information. I'm pretty confident I can make this thing work with all the help I've gotten so far.

Wally
Wally Jonker

The subject of T-5 suitability for Rover V-8s (also the Rover 5-spd) was covered in a past issue of "The MG V8 Newsletter" (don't have the issue to hand now - about a year ago). There were drawings showing dimensions of the boxes, input shaft length, location of shifter, etc., and a lot of comments from those with experience. Also an article regarding hydraulic release brgs for the T-5 (recommended).

As has been said before here, anyone contemplating a V8 or V6 conversion into their B really must have this newsletter - great info. Their www site is linked above (the second of Bruce Mills' three, or e-mail them at: mgv8news@aol.com

Bob Wilson

I used a T5 out of an 87 Camaro which had a cable drive for the speedometer. The GM cable thread size is quite a bit larger than the MG cable end. I used a right angle drive from a B and modified it by mounting the threaded ring from the GM cable in place of the MG ring. I also had to grind down the cable stub on the adaptor to fit into the GM drive gear. So far it works great. Drop me a line if you want further information.
Bill Young

There is another way to mate the T-5 to the Rover block/crank. The actual interferance is closer to 1/4", not 1/2". Rather than cut the tranny shaft, I chose to machine a spacer 3/8" thick to go between the bell housing & block. That way, if a replacement trans were to be required, it would be a bolt in, with no modifications. I believe that a spacer between the bell housing & trans is a better solution, but the required accuracy was beyond my equipment/abilities. I discussed this with Dan @ D & D, & he now offers such a spacer. He also has the correctly modified pilot bush.

Jim Stuart
Jim Stuart

Has anyone outthere used the T-5 out of a 1986 Nissan 300ZX behind a alloy V8? The Shift linkage(to the rear housing is) shorter than Ford or GM, and has a much better feel through the gears. The rear housing length is dimentionally the same as the Ford. The serial number is 13-52-080 (18619). I also have a G.M.V6 T-5 housing for the bell housing . I have yet to discover the ratios and if it is a W.C. T-5.
Curtis Hunter

This thread was discussed between 16/02/2000 and 13/03/2000

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