I am slooooooowly putting together a mild 355 tbi. Ported vortec heads gmpp Intake 327 cam hopefully a big block tbi unit, anyhow it won't be anything wild mostly gm parts but should be stout. I've read on here that they don't hold up well to v8s so to the t5 gurus what factory t5 would swap right in and be able to hold up? How long would a 150k stock tranny hold up? What about rear ends? I know the manual increases rear end wear but are the astro rears strong?
Try a Muncie Syncromesh SM-460 or SM-465 (comes in a 2wd and 4wd version) They were used in school buses, small dump trucks, and 1/2 ton to 1 ton pickups. I have a spare one with the hydraulic clutch bell housing and clutch set up (2wd version of the SM465) it has provisions for a power take off unit on either side whereas the SM-460 only has the PTO on one side. There is one like mine on ebay right now for $245. and the don't pop up on ebay very often. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... ink:top:en The ultimate swap out be (for a manual transmission to bolt up to a 4.3 or SBC) try the New Venture NV-4500 (five speed) or NV-5600 (six speed). Thats Expensive. They come in 2wd and 4wd variations also. The NV 3500 might work (or some of the earlier versions), but those are light duty transmissions.
I have an 5.7L engine & 5-speed out of a '91 Silverado that will be going into my Astro, hopefully this spring. It is an earlier version of the NV3500, and I figure that it should work as it came behind the V-8 originally, but not sure how long it would last behind a stronger motor (I'm keeping my V-8 stock, for now). Don't hold me to this, but I think that my 5-speed is a few inches shorter than the one in there now, I think that the 5-speeds in newer (mid-late 90's) S-10s are the same length as the Astro's auto trannys, might want to look into those over the Silverado's to keep the driveshaft length the same.
As for the rear-end lasting, look into what Chevymaher did to his rear-end, he upgraded a few parts and he hammers on his w/o issues. I'm sure if you have any questions about it he'll be glad to answer them.
The NV 3500 is a light duty transmission. Its rated at 350 hp max. The 10 bolt rear end is good for about 350 hp as well. The main difference between the SM 465 or 460 tranny and the NV 3500 is: one is a four speed; really you won't use 1st gear because 6:35 : 1 or 7:1 is really too low for most applications (so its really a 3-speed for the most part. The SM -460 or 465 first gear isn't syncronized and the NV3500 is syncronized on all gears. Third point is the shifter is further forward on the SM 465/460 tranny (closer to the firewall about 8". I have a picture of a NV3500 alongside a NV4500; same length and shifter is in the same location; but, hoo boy is the ever a difference in price. The NV 4500 will probably run over a grand for a used one (more likely 1,500) and a rebuilt one is in the $3,500. range. The SM460/465 and the NV4500 have something in common. They are both heavy duty transmissions and they weigh a lot more than you might imagine (maybe twice as much). They have a large top cover on the transmission so its easier to actually see inside the gear box. The NV3500 has a very small square opening for the shifter to extend from which makes it difficult to look inside the tranny to see what the problem is. The SM 460/465 is shorter overall in length than the NV 3500 too
Is it ok to revive your own thread? Last time I checked (a long time ago) no one answered and I stumbled across this thread because I was doing some research and saw my own thread. Anyhow, are any of those trannys a direct swap from a t5? Or.would I just be bestoff getting a wc t5 to replace mine when it goes? Layoffs has slowed me down but I am still thinking about the project.
The standard trans in the Astro is a one of a kinds trans, due to the linkage, clutch assembly etc remember the Astro /Safari engine is off to one side so the trans was setup accordingly. I was told when I looked into this same thing that you will have to take the trans from the Astro and gut it and install the guts from the same trans from a Camaro or Trans am.
Thats kinda how it works. If you get a good T5 trans from the right years of camaro, they are WC T5, geared to run a TPI V8.
You can swap just the 'tailhousing/shifter-assy' from as astro onto that WC T5 very easily cuz the tailsahft length is the same between camaro and astro, and then it will bolt right back into the van.
Problem you might run into is the speedo drive gear location and electric vs mechanical drive speedo as well.
I always thought that all astro tailhousings for T5 were mechanical drive cable, but after meeting member "Tinworm" I see he has an Astro T5 Tailhousing that is designed for electric speedo pickups. So, If you can actually find the right parts, you could build a very nice T5 for a stock powered v8.
T5 # 1352-195 is a great camaro trans to use, and if you wanted to you could use the output shaft from a 93 S10 WC T5 # 1352-222 to convert it to a awd/4wd style.
The standard trans in the Astro is a one of a kinds trans, due to the linkage, clutch assembly etc remember the Astro /Safari engine is off to one side so the trans was setup accordingly. I was told when I looked into this same thing that you will have to take the trans from the Astro and gut it and install the guts from the same trans from a Camaro or Trans am.
wouldn't it be a lot easier to bolt it in and fabricate the linkage ? most of it would just need to be shorter if its off center anyway, I don't really know much about this so im just asking
Ya, In my 4wd van I had to just cut a hole above the trans for the shifter and make some bends to get it to be in the right place. The transfer case lever comes up thru the original shifter hole.
Just that the Astro Tailhousing puts the shifter in a really Fwd position and allows you to simply bolt the OEM Shifter re-location thingy right back where it came from.
Using the correct camaro trans will let you run a V8.
Thats kinda how it works. If you get a good T5 trans from the right years of camaro, they are WC T5, geared to run a TPI V8.
You can swap just the 'tailhousing/shifter-assy' from as astro onto that WC T5 very easily cuz the tailsahft length is the same between camaro and astro, and then it will bolt right back into the van.
Has anyone here done this? I swear there was something preventing the swapping of the Astro-specific T5 parts (tailhousing, shifter rail) into a World Class trans.
Problem you might run into is the speedo drive gear location and electric vs mechanical drive speedo as well.
I always thought that all astro tailhousings for T5 were mechanical drive cable, but after meeting member "Tinworm" I see he has an Astro T5 Tailhousing that is designed for electric speedo pickups.
I would LOVE to see a pic of this, or at least a part number for the tailhousing with the larger hole to fit a VSS(?).
I have yet to find a solution for the missing VSS in my '95 which uses 40 pulses/revolution, so while I can deal with no speedo, cruise and ABS, it would be nice to have them back.
I would LOVE to see a pic of this, or at least a part number for the tailhousing with the larger hole to fit a VSS(?).
I have yet to find a solution for the missing VSS in my '95 which uses 40 pulses/revolution, so while I can deal with no speedo, cruise and ABS, it would be nice to have them back.
I think the managment of this site would boot me off for posting a link to TinWorms Build Thread over on 'that other site', but I can tell you that there is some side by side photos of his electric tailcone and my mechanical tailcones on the write up., cuz I pointed it out.
I would also love a part number for a GM WC 4wd T5 Output shaft so I could make a 4wd version.
It isnt so much that that holes are larger, but it is that they point at the shaft at different angles.
The mechanical one points at an angle so it can ride the side of a gear.
The electric one point directly at the shaft to magnetically read the pulses.
Theres another thread out there that explains how easy it is
Here ya go... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/show ... p?t=280529
They should be able to search the tailcone part with the 1352 code.
Here is the 1352 number for the astro with an electronic speedo tailcone.
1352-189 GM 1989 M-Van 4.3L V6
Here is the 1352 code for the earlier mechanical M Van Speedo
1352-149 GM 1986 M-Van 4.3 V6
1352-164 GM 1986 M-Van 4.3 V6
Both of my 87&88 had a 1352-164.
This one I'm not sure which style it is, its an early 89...
1352-179 GM 1989 M-Van 4.3L V6 http://www.britishv8.org/articles/borg- ... d-tags.htm
Anyways, they arent getting any less rare, so you should get the auto wreckers to search one out for you, and then you might need to re-position the ring slightly to match the hole.
Not too hard for the determined mind. After that, its all good again.
Tinworm has one in his new diesel , Lol...
Good luck in your search.
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