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Topic: 50tbrd88's T5 swap thread (Read 9430 times) previous topic - next topic

50tbrd88's T5 swap thread

As I'm sure some of you have seen in my other thread, I am doing the T-5 conversion on my car.  I have committed to going on Hot Rod Power tour the 1st of June so the goal is to have the swap done and get some "shakedown" miles on it beforehand.  This will be somewhat of a challenge time-wise as I work 6 days a week!

I figured I'd start my own thread because I'm sure I may need the help of some of you experts here in case I hit any brick walls!  So far, working on it for a couple of hours a night for the past two days I have got the steering column out along with the drivers seat and am about to get the stock brake pedal assembly out.

I have used the search function extensively but there are a few things I am still unclear on:

1.) The swap kit I bought came with a complete T5 wiring harness out of a Fox Mustang.  I see on the clutch pedal assembly there are a couple of wiring plug-ins.  I assume one is for the neutral safety. I'm not sure what the other is for (cruise control?).

Question is, should I use the fox Mustang harness or will I be able to get by somehow with what is currently in my T-bird?  If I do use the fox harness how involved is it to change out and what would be the benefit?  If I can somehow splice my current wiring, what needs to be done?

2.) I have searched everywhere for this but does anyone have a pic of how the clutch cable routes out of the firewall and down to the tranny?  I even have a Haynes shop manual and don't see any clear pics of the cable routing. 

3.) I printed out Eric's template off of coolcats for cutting the hole in the trans tunnel (btw, good job Eric).  The template was actually listed under "AOD column to floor shift conversion".  I assume the hole a guy needs to cut for the 5 speed is in the same spot and is of the same exact dimensions as a AOD floor shift?


Guess that's it for now.  Any help on those questions would be greatly appreciated.  I hope to be grabbing gears soon!
'88 'bird, 10.9:1 306 w/TFS top end, forged rods/pistons, T-5 swap & bunch of other stuff, 1-family owned, had it since ‘98, 5.0tbrd88 on Instagram and YouTube

50tbrd88's T5 swap thread

Reply #1 –
On the clutch cable, you should see a grommet/plug near your brake booster, at about the 10:00-11:00 position.  This is where the clutch cable comes through the firewall.

The cable itself goes forward in the bay a bit, then loops back and down to get to the bellhousing.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo - '85 Marquis LTS - '86 LTD Wagon

50tbrd88's T5 swap thread

Reply #2 –
And make sure you use some method of securing it away from your headers...
'98 Explorer 5.0
'20 Malibu (I know, Chevy, but, 35MPG. Let's go brandon, eh)

50tbrd88's T5 swap thread

Reply #3 –
OK Chuck, I did notice that grommet last night and figured that would be where it comes out. 

Quote
And make sure you use some method of securing it away from your headers...


That's the part I can't envision in my head.  It's one of those things I will probably just have to deal with when I get to that point.

The portion of the swap I'm sweating a little bit right now is the wiring.  I don't want to get all this swapped in and the car not want to start up!  I have this T-5 wiring harness but I guess I just don't understand where it all routes to and connects in.
'88 'bird, 10.9:1 306 w/TFS top end, forged rods/pistons, T-5 swap & bunch of other stuff, 1-family owned, had it since ‘98, 5.0tbrd88 on Instagram and YouTube

50tbrd88's T5 swap thread

Reply #4 –
Tonights progress:  got the original pedal assembly removed, driveshaft out, h-pipe out, all the trans linkage out, removed the tranny cooler lines, starter unbolted and pushed aside.

I do need help identifying these connectors on my new pedal assembly.  What am I supposed to do with these suckers?  I'm totally lost as to what to do here.  Wiring stuff is totally not my strength when it comes to wrenching on cars. 




I noticed this connector on my AOD (disregard the tranny fluid coating everything).  I assume I will need to somehow splice into this?:

'88 'bird, 10.9:1 306 w/TFS top end, forged rods/pistons, T-5 swap & bunch of other stuff, 1-family owned, had it since ‘98, 5.0tbrd88 on Instagram and YouTube

50tbrd88's T5 swap thread

Reply #5 –
I have those plugs and don't use them, nor did I use a T-5 harness. I just plugged my T-5 into the harness I already had for the backup lights and left it at that. It's been great....just remember to press the clutch before I start the car.LOL.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

50tbrd88's T5 swap thread

Reply #6 –
OK sweet I guess...I just thought it would be nice for the neutral safety to work in the situation where my future kid gets in, turns the key, and crashes through the garage wall.  lol.

I usually always press in the clutch anyway so it shouldn't be a problem if it doesn't work.
'88 'bird, 10.9:1 306 w/TFS top end, forged rods/pistons, T-5 swap & bunch of other stuff, 1-family owned, had it since ‘98, 5.0tbrd88 on Instagram and YouTube

50tbrd88's T5 swap thread

Reply #7 –
The first pic is  a clutch neutral safety switch I didn't use that i wish I did. The second plug what does it go to ? the third ?
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]:ford:87 Turbo Coupe through the floor sub frame connectors, 5.8 swap Ford racing heads Harland sharp 1.6 rockers BBK shorty swap headers 2 1/2 BBk X pipe magnaflow ler's. Megasquirt 2 with 36lbs injectors on hurricane intake with 4150 throttle body.Tremec TKO 600 Quicktime blowsheild spec stage 3 clutch. 3.73 gears and still not done

50tbrd88's T5 swap thread

Reply #8 –
If you want the clutch switch to function you just have to pull the plug on c545 and run 2 wires from it to the plug in your hand. There is no difference to which wire goes where. C545 is tucked up near the left side of the pedal assembly. and has a white/pink and a red/light blue wire.

The switch simply opens unless the clutch is pushed. If closed it completes the circuit sending power from the ignition START to the starter solenoid on the fender well.

I don't know for sure, but if the plug has a single wire looping back into itself you can use that connector and cut the looped wire, using the cut wires to run the extension wires into your clutch plug.

You can't mess it up, really.

50tbrd88's T5 swap thread

Reply #9 –
Worked on the car for about 2 hrs tonight and got the AOD out.  Tomorrow's work will involve cutting the hole for the shifter and getting the new pedal assembly in.  Hopefully all goes well and we make good progress.

flylear45, I will look for this c545 you mentioned tomorrow when I hang the pedals.  It would be nice for the clutch switch to work correctly.
'88 'bird, 10.9:1 306 w/TFS top end, forged rods/pistons, T-5 swap & bunch of other stuff, 1-family owned, had it since ‘98, 5.0tbrd88 on Instagram and YouTube

50tbrd88's T5 swap thread

Reply #10 –
Pull the steering column and remove the driver side seat before you hang the pedals. If you do that, it's really not a big deal after that.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..
 

50tbrd88's T5 swap thread

Reply #11 –
On second thought, c545 might just plug right into that connector.

50tbrd88's T5 swap thread

Reply #12 –
Quote from: vinnietbird;359875
Pull the steering column and remove the driver side seat before you hang the pedals. If you do that, it's really not a big deal after that.

 
Oh don't worry Vinnie, pulling the front seat and column was the 1st thing I did on the whole project.

Made huge progress today (I took pics but forgot to bring the camera home):

1.) bolted tranny to bellhousing
2.) installed crossmember, tranny mount, etc
3.) marked and cut hole for shifter (ending up drilling pilot holes and then cutting it out with some tin snips)
4.) installed center console (thanks vinnie for the sweet console lid, matches my dashtops.com dash cover perfectly)
5.) installed shifter, shifter bezel, etc. This was a big moral victory...seeing the shifter poking up though there was a feel good moment!
6.) rewired my Stewart-Warner tach
7.) fixed some slop in the steering column (had to remove turn signal switch and hazard switch, there were two bolts that had backout out over time allowing too much side-to-side play in the column)
8.) hung steering column,hooked steering shaft back up
9.) re-installed stock driveshaft (old AOD shaft fit perfectly)
10.) found out my brake lights stay on all of the time.  I installed the brake light switch incorrectly, will have to fix that tomorrow.

Still to do:
1.) finish installing all interior trim
2.) hack the old consolette off the seat and re-install seat
3.) secure the clutch cable to the firewall and find a good way to secure it to the frame rail
4.) add tranny fluid (bought Mercon V, from everything I read this is the correct stuff to use?)
5.) fire it up on jack stands and set up the clutch pedal
6.) fix my incorrectly installed brake light switch
7.) reinstall h-pipe, o2 sensors etc
8.) drive, drive, drive

My Uncle and I have done all of the work and have had a lot of fun.  We never really spent a lot of time together when I was growing up so its been great spending "bonding" time with him.  Everything has just fell into place and worked great so far.  I am hoping to have it on the road by the end of the week and plan to put on as many miles as possible in the next couple of weeks before Power Tour to work out any gremlins.
'88 'bird, 10.9:1 306 w/TFS top end, forged rods/pistons, T-5 swap & bunch of other stuff, 1-family owned, had it since ‘98, 5.0tbrd88 on Instagram and YouTube

50tbrd88's T5 swap thread

Reply #13 –
Still plugging away...we ran into a few snags tonight.  Its always the small details that take so much time!

The hangers for the H-pipe would not work so we had to cut them off.  I plan to run to the welding shop tomorrow and buy some cold rolled steel to use to fabricate new hangers.

We noticed that the battery tray is loose due to some rusty fasteners.  I need to go to the Ace tomorrow and get some new hardware. 

Fastened the clutch cable bracket to a hole in the strut tower, fixed the incorrectly installed brake light switch, and filled the trans with fluid.

I was really hopeful that the car would be sitting on the ground and running under its own power tonight but it looks like we have a couple of more evenings of work left.  I still need to cut the consolette off my seat which may take longer than expected as well.  She should still be on the road by the weekend baring any serious problems.
'88 'bird, 10.9:1 306 w/TFS top end, forged rods/pistons, T-5 swap & bunch of other stuff, 1-family owned, had it since ‘98, 5.0tbrd88 on Instagram and YouTube

50tbrd88's T5 swap thread

Reply #14 –
I know how the details make the difference in time, believe me!

Some things fall together, others just have to be wrestled to the ground. I especially hate having to run out for parts after I thought I had everything.

Sounds like you are getting close. Should be a nice swap.