- Edited
Please put any questions about anything below in a separate thread.
[1] I want to swap my factory Volvo transmission for a Tremec T5. What do I need?
A suitable World Class T5 gearbox
A replacement input shaft to suit your gearbox. More detail below
An M45 / M46 bellhousing, with good clutch fork, and a new throwout bearing. Note that fitting a pre-LH2.4 bellhousing to an LH2.4 car will require the removal of metal on the top of the belling for the RPM sensor.
An adapter plate kit - more detail below
A manual pedal box
A suitable gearbox crossmember. You can either modify the existing factory crossmember with a plate to support the T5's transmission mount, or Yoshifab sells replacement crossmembers off-the-shelf for fitting the T5 in a 140, 240, and 700/900.
A suitable flat flywheel. For LH 2.4 cars, this means having the 60-2 timing pattern on the flywheel.
A replacement spigot bearing. Australian Clutch's ASB501R (17mm x 35mm x 17.4mm) or similar is what you want.
A suitable clutch assembly, with a 10-spline plate to match the input shaft
Clutch master and slave cylinder, or clutch cable (depending on the manual configuration for your year model)
A shortened front driveshaft. You can replace the factory two-piece driveshaft with a single-piece unit, but be aware that the driveshaft might rub on a seam on the top of the transmission tunnel when the rear suspension goes into bump. So watch your driveshaft diameter.
(recommended) A slip yoke for the T5 end of the driveshaft, part number F6ZZ-4841-BA. This is a weighted slip yoke from a Ranger, and is recommended due to many swappers experiencing vibrations during throttle overrun. Alternatively, a rubber guibo similar to that fitted to some factory Volvo manual gearboxes.
If you car has a cable speedo - a Volvo speedomenter cable with the standard M18x15mm (gearbox) end removed, plus a Ford-type fitting on the gearbox end. If you don't want to make your own cable, Yoshifab sells a complete cable for $127 USD + shipping. You will also need to choose the correct speedo gears to match your diff ratio and tyre size. A chart is available here:
https://www.trackey.ford.com/download/pdfs/SpeedometerGearUsageChart.pdf
You'll also need the hardware for attaching the speedo cable to the gearbox - Australian-spec T5s were fitted with impulse senders for electronic speedos.
Time, patience, tools, and $BEVERAGE.
[2] What type of T5 gearbox do I need?
Let's start with some numbers.
The late 140/240 has a dimension of 525mm (20.6 inches) from transmission face to shifter centreline.
The 700/900 has has a dimension of 625mm (24.5 inches) from transmission face to shifter centreline.
The DeeWorks adapter plate is 12mm thick.
The 0552-066-903 extension housing (Ford EB-EL) gives a length of 555mm from transmission face to standard shifter centreline. With the addition of the adapter plate, this length becomes 567mm from bell to shifter centre. This places the shifter rearwards about 1 inch in a 140/240 from standard position. The 0552-066-906 extension housing (Ford AU) gives a length of about 605mm (23.8 inches) from transmission face to standard shifter centreline. With the addition of the adapter plate, this length becomes about 617mm from bell to shifter centre. This places the shifter very close to standard position in a 700/900.
The 0552-066-901 extension housing (Commodore VN-VS) gives a length of about 585mm (23 inches) from transmission face to standard shifter centreline. A bit long for 140/240; a bit short for 7/9. The V6 Commodore boxes have a Ford pattern maincase, and a needle roller type input shaft.
The 0557-066-926 extension housing (BA Ford) gives a length of about 624mm (24.5 inches) from transmission face to standard shifter centreline. Too long for 140/240, and a little big long for a 7/9 once the adapter plate is added.
Measurements for the US-type extension housings (1352-066-xxx part numbers) are published elsewhere on the web. No need to repeat them here.
What you're basically looking for is one of these:
0552-072 96DA-7003-BB EL V8 extn hsg 0552-066-903
0552-066 91DA-7003-DA EB2 V8
0557-020 WR2T-7003-BB AU3 XR8 extn hsg 0557-066-906
The V6 Commodore box has an extension housing numbered 0552-066-901.{***}
***(to be updated when more tag number and other info is available)
[3] Why are the gearbox tag numbers important, and why should I mostly ignore the numbers cast onto the external parts of the gearbox when trying to identify a T5 gearbox?
T5 gearboxes are a bit like Lego - they have a plethora of different internal and external components available to make up different assemblies. Tremec made OE gearboxes for a huge variety of vehicles, and many components are shared across the range.
For example, the maincases have part numbers stamped on them, and the same maincases are shared across a large number of different assemblies. Extension housings for Holden and Ford 6s and V8s are shared between models too.
Only the tag number tells the story of what components are inside (that is, presuming the box is unmolested).
The same numbered maincase may house a weak US 4 cylinder cluster gearset, or the strong "070" type V8 cluster shaft. Without pulling the thing apart, the only way to check what's inside is via the tag number.
At one time, some clevva fellas were swapping V8-type input shafts onto V6 Commodore boxes, and flogging 'em as V8 boxes. Then these got put into V8s and .....
... this sort of thing happened.So, buyer beware; check your tags. No tags? No buy.
See [9]
[4] Why can't I find my Australian-made T5 tag number on the lists of T5 assemblies found all over the internet?
Because Borg Warner Australia / BTR Engineering never published an application list.
Tremec in the USA, did. That list, and details copied from it, is the one you'll see all over the web.
Australian made T5s use a mix of US-type components, and locally manufactured items. For example, Australian-made extension housings have a "0552" or "0557" part number cast on them; the Nth American versions have a 13-52 part number instead. ("1352" denotes the part is a T5 family component). So you'll see maincases on Aussie boxes with 1352 part numbers cast on them. Likewise, the tag numbers on Australian T5s have either an 0552 or 0557 number on them. Here's an example.
91DA 7003 CA is Ford's part number for the gearbox, in this case, it's from a EB2 XR6 Ford.
0552-006 is the BTR / Tremec assembly number for an Australian-made T5.
1453 is the serial number for this gearbox.
[5] What adapter plates are on the market?
- The DeeWorks adapter plate kit. Available from DeeWorks in Canada directly, or via Yoshifab. Bolts on.
- The BNE Dynamics T5 / TKO plate. This adapter requires some machining of the Volvo bellhousing.
@Vee_Que makes an adapter plate here in Australia. A revised version is in the works. Bolts on.
[6] What type of input shaft will I need to make these kits easily work in my car?
Firstly, you must remove the input shaft from the box you've chosen, and do a tooth count. It will be either 23 or 24 teeth.
You'll also need to note if it's a needle roller type or tapered pocket type bearing shaft.
Then once you've done that, you'll need to order a 10-spline input shaft which has a total length of 9.25 inches (including the gear which fits into the box) and a shaft length of 7.18 inches.
Some call it the "Fox body Mustang shaft" which is a bit vague. Fox body, dog's body.... meh - I prefer actual part numbers.
For an original needle bearing input shaft with 24 teeth: 1352-085-020
For an original needle bearing input shaft with 23 teeth: 1352-085-025
For an original tapered bearing input shaft with 23 teeth: 1352-085-050
For an original tapered bearing input shaft with 24 teeth: 1352-085-060
See also [8] below.
[7] What's the difference between a needle roller input shaft bearing type input shaft, and a tapered input bearing type input shaft?
Pictures speak louder than words, so.....
Below is a needle-roller type input shaft. Note the ledge on the inside of the shaft.
Below is a tapered bearing type input shaft. Note how this version doesn't have a ledge, and how there's a bearing cup deep inside the input shaft.
This pic just shows the tapered input shaft bearing just peeking out after the input shaft's been removed, and sitting in the gearbox.
The tapered input bearing type boxes are more desirable, since they're somewhat stronger.
[8] Why should I look for a Ford V8 box, and not a Ford 6 cylinder box, or a Holden V8 box?
The later versions of Australian Ford 6 cylinder T5s with the tapered input shaft bearing used a cluster set which is not compatible with US-type input shafts.
So the tooth count might match with the list of 4 shafts above, but the helix angle of the gear on the input shaft and the angle of the gear on the cluster won't match, and so it won't fit in your 6 cylinder Ford gearbox.
The 6-cylinder Ford input shafts are too short to work with the kits listed above. That said, one person had his Ford 6 input shaft modified and lengthened by a specialist machine shop to work with an adapter kit, so it can be done, however this type of modification is a specialist job and isn't something that can be done easily with basic tools.
If you're got a Ford 6-pot box and you want to keep it, don't buy a shaft - getting the input shaft lengthened is your only solution if you want to use one of the off-the-shelf kits.
As at 2022-09-03, the search is on for a shop who will lengthen Ford 6 cylinder input shafts to work with the Yoshifab kit; a workshop in Sydney who did perform this operation in the past isn't in business any more.
The exception to Ford 6 cylinder T5 boxes having strange innards is the BA turbo box, tag number 3R23-7003-CB or 0557-008. This gearbox has a tapered bearing input shaft, the strong V8 cluster set and V8 gears, but has a fine spline input shaft as standard to fit the Barra 6. Since this box uses the '070' V8 cluster, it's compatible with a US-type input shaft. If you find one, bear in mind you'll have to change the extension housing and top cover to make it fit nicely, but it will look a bit funny at the back, since the BA box has a looong mainshaft. See?
As for why you don't want a V8 Commodore box, well....
There are two basic types of T5 maincases: GM, and Ford, The Holden V8 T5 gearboxes use a "GM" pattern maincase, which is like a Muncie pattern at the bellhousing end.
All other T5s fitted to Australian cars use a Ford pattern maincase (yes, even the V6 Commodores). The commonly available adapter plates listed above all require a Ford pattern maincase. See the picture below for the difference.
You could always strip out a V8 Commodore box and rehouse the guts in a Ford maincase to get the whole shebang to work, but.... yeah.
[8a] What's the difference between Borg Warner, BTR Engineering, and Tremec T5s?
None.
Borg-Warner Australia become BTR Engineering, and Borg-Warner USA sold the T5 design to Tremec Corp. The Australian made BW/BTR/Tremec boxes however have some unique parts to fit Commodores and Falcons; e.g. input shafts, and the Ford 6 boxes as already discussed.
[9] What's the difference between Non World Class (NWC) and World Class (WC) T5 boxes?
Three big ones.
Firstly, the countershaft bearing visible in the front of the box is the different between NWC and WC boxes. A NWC will have a groove around the bearing; a WC box won't, and will likely be labeled Timken and sit flush with the case. See pic below - WC on the left, NWC maincase on the right. Eagle-eyed readers will have spotted that these two transmissions below are GM pattern maincases, but the bearings in Ford maincases also share these differences.
Secondly, the NWC uses brass synchos inside; the WC uses fibre-lined synchos. This also means you don't use ordinary gear oil in a WC box - you should be using Dexron II ATF or similar because fibre-lined synchros.
Thirdly, WC boxes have better and stronger internal components from factory than NWC units.
[10] Is this all I need to know about doing a T5 swap?
No, of course not.
This FAQ is meant as the first stage of your research, not the end of it.
You'll need to think about other things like tailshaft balancing, runout checks (Tremec specifies 0.005 inch runout max), reverse light wiring, speedo drive, etc. The DeeWorks kit has a very good installation guide, which includes how to shim up your input shaft for end float. ENDThe usual disclaimers apply; E&OE, etc.
This FAQ will updated / corrected as necessary and when more knowledge becomes available.
2022-03-24: Updated [8] [and [6]
2022-09-03: Updated [1] with speedo cable and speedo drive info; updated [8] re input shafts.
2023-11-27: (finally) reformatted line breaks, etc, in post after server change created a dog's breakfast
