severe vibration after t5 swap

[manicmechanic007]

So, with the trans installed, the only thing spinning then is the input shaft (first gear) and the countershaft in neutral with the clutch out
Sounds easy on paper but try a different known good transmission

 

[Dan_Fish_Pro]

If I can find a good t5 tranny to test . Cost $1000 for a rebuilt tranny. That's an expensive test.

 

[Nicolaj]

Hey Dan did you try to support the transmission on a jack to see if it changed anything? I am thinking we kinda have the same issue here. I maybe want to take out the trans again and install a new pilot bearing but not sure if it would work

 

[manicmechanic007]

If I can find a good t5 tranny to test . Cost $1000 for a rebuilt tranny. That's an expensive test.

Sounds like you need one anyway
1000 is s steal, usually 1500 around here

 

[Nicolaj]

If only a T5 would cost that! Getting one to Denmark where i live would be around 5.000 dollars. I hope Dan gets to crack the code since i am currently giving up. I am certain we have the same issue.

 

[manicmechanic007]

You then should get a service manual and try to cookbook the trans yourself
Even over here labor is expensive and good help hard to find for employers
As a pro tech I have always said "bloom where you are planted" and pay for the stuff I am not well versed in (plumbing, carpet etc.)
These days, I have had to take up some of that as labor is tight and time is money
I will be laying my own outdoor patio carpet for the 3rd time in 25 years
You can cookbook that T5
Parts however to fix yours will be tough (even around here they are pricy). You'll be in the same boat (or worse)
Maybe wait till one of us goes to Denmark for vacation and have them cart a trans over on the plane. That might be the cheapest route

 

[Nicolaj]

Yes that would be another option to do so. Actually thinking about it here in Denmark we do have services that can overhall / rebuild transmissions and it would only cost around $1200 so i am thinking to do that but again maybe thats not even the issue haha

 

[AeroCoupe]

These guys have always had the best T5 parts prices and being they are in Florida my guess is they can ship DHL which is usually pretty reasonable on international shipping. Might be worth a call to see if they have a master rebuild kit. A rebuild kit will only have the wear parts so if the trans needs gears, blocker rings, or other hard parts this will be extra. Also, Tremec quit making parts for the T5 so pretty much everything out there is old stock or aftermarket.

Astro Transmission Parts
601 E Alfred St
Tavares, FL 32778
(352) 343-0956

You need to tear the trans mission down and completely disassemble it. Document with photographs and then you can post the pictures here and the T5 gurus can review and suggest what parts need to be replaced. Sounds daunting but it’s really not.

One thing I cannot recommend enough is this part:

T5 5 Speed - Parts - Gears - Transmissions

Great series on rebuilding a T5 with one of the guys that’s built thousands of them:


View: https://youtu.be/XREsRG9Y1mU?feature=shared


View: https://youtu.be/mR8LetFQSoc?feature=shared


View: https://youtu.be/BhbI4c6UFiQ?feature=shared

 

[Dan_Fish_Pro]

I guess my next step is to take tranny and bellhousing out , replace pilot bushing, put bellhousing back on without pressure plate and clutch disc, index the bellhousing and adapter plate,(I just bought magnetic base and dial indicator from harbor freight, not sure if it will fit inside bellhousing/adapter plate center hole?), replace input shaft, put it all back together and pray!

 

[Nicolaj]

Hey dan How did it go? I did the same, but not with a runout alignment. I removed the pressureplate and clutch and still had vibration. At this point i have nothing else to rule out and i just want to buy a new transmission cause i dont know what else to do. Please give some feedback on what you experience

 

[Dan_Fish_Pro]

To Nicolaj: My mechanic said he took tranny out , left bellhousing, pp, clutch disc on and had zero vibration. As soon as tranny installed vibration begins no matter what gear or if clutch in or out same vibration. still vibrates with driveshaft out with spare yoke in tranny.. I never tried indexing yet, BIG job not for the backyard mechanic. No one around here works on tranny and most don't even know about indexing. I'm like you, at this point I don't know what to do , I have about $2600 invested in this project​

 

[Dan_Fish_Pro]

To @Nicolaj: One of my mechanics said it might be harmonic balancer, I replaced mine and it didn't help. Since you removed pp and clutch and still vibrate, it might be harmonic balancer. It's not hard to replace and pretty cheap on ebay​

 

[Nicolaj]

@Dan_Fish_Pro
Hey Dan, actually i changed my entire engine because of other reasons, so not the harmonic balancer. I found out my vibration is absolutely insane when i am at 2200rpm. I have literally changed everything, and tried everything but nothing worked. Only last thing to try for me is the transmission. Expensive AF to have it shipped to Denmark but thats life. I hope the new transmission will fix my issue

 

[Dan_Fish_Pro]

@

Nicolaj​

My extreme vibration starts around 1800 rpm . It's a pulsating rhythmic type of vibration that shakes the whole car. Good luck with new tranny, please let me know if this takes care of problem/issue

 

[Dan_Fish_Pro]

So to summarize:

Mechanic replaced 3 speed manual with t5 and then had extreme rhythmic vibration no matter which gear or clutch engaged or disengaged
Another mechanic took t5 out and bench tested, said tranny was fine
First mechanic took t5 out again with bellhousing, pressure plate, clutch disc, etc.. still on and ran motor, no vibration said smooth as silk
Put t5 back in, vibration still there
Took driveshaft out and ran with yoke in to keep oil in, still vibration

Next step

loosen tranny mount and jack tranny up SLIGHTLY to see if any difference? May have to widen shifter hole in floorboard
Check again to make sure tranny not touching anything
Take stick of dynamite and blow whole thing up(just kidding, maybe)

 

[manicmechanic007]

Not just the harmonic damper has a weight
The flywheel has a weight too
They changed those weights around 1981 to be 50 oz. imbalance from 28 ounces
That might be your problem? Mismatched engine parts?

 

[Dan_Fish_Pro]

didn't change flywheel , pp, clutch disc , worked fine in 3 speed. no engine parts changed

 

[AeroCoupe]

I still say the transmission is misaligned.

 

[Dan_Fish_Pro]

I had a person that works on mustangs with t5 tranny come by and check it out. He took two nuts holding the poly transmission mounts off and vibration reduced considerably . He is going to get a 67 mustang rubber mount from O'Reilly($14) and install. He doesn't like poly mounts says too hard. I'll let you know if that takes care of vibration

 

[Dan_Fish_Pro]

@

AeroCoupe: I think you may be right and removing nuts holding tranny down is probably indication of misalignment​