T5 in, speedo question

Powerstroke w/smoke · 01-13-2011, 12:47 AM

So, I got my T5 in and juiced it up, question is: I went from a 3 speed to the t5, but my T5 has an electric speedometer thing and the one in my car is the stock mechanical one. So what do I do with my speedo issue?

I have a Ford 9" rear end and stock size tires, not sure of my gear size...

on a side note, i didn't have to shorten my drive shaft because my car was swapped from a 6 cyl to the 289 and it was forward further than normal lol

22GT · 01-13-2011, 06:38 AM

Too easy. Pull the electronic thingamabob out of the T5 and stick a speedo cable in the hole.

kenash · 01-13-2011, 07:01 AM

...wait! I hope he's not talking about the back-up light switch?

Powerstroke w/smoke · 01-14-2011, 01:20 AM

the speedo is the one closest to the tail shaft...right? lol. Do I leave the gear on my cable? cause a gear didn't come out of the t5, only the electric part with a square rod (like whats found in the cable of the mechanical speedometer)

kenash · 01-14-2011, 01:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Powerstroke w/smoke

the speedo is the one closest to the tail shaft...right? lol. Do I leave the gear on my cable? cause a gear didn't come out of the t5, only the electric part with a square rod (like whats found in the cable of the mechanical speedometer)

Yes. Your speedo cable and gear should go riight in and be secured by a 1/4" short bolt through the cable clip. The cables are the same for both the T5 and the C4. At least it was for me.
The only issue I had to deal with was calibrating the speedo. But, you have to first, determine how far off your speedo is relative a GPS, for example.

Powerstroke w/smoke · 01-14-2011, 01:41 AM

I came from a 3 speed stick...to calibrate, I would change the gear right?

kenash · 01-14-2011, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Powerstroke w/smoke

I came from a 3 speed stick...to calibrate, I would change the gear right?

You, most likely, will need to change the gear on the end of the speedo cable. Very easy to do, typically, no loss of fluid. But, first, you need to know what your error is.
Any time you change rear ratios, tire sizes, tranny final drive ratios, if not 1:1, as in having a 5 speed, you will need to check for speedo error.
Do a search on this site for threads regarding "correcting for speedometer error". There numerous.
Happy Motoring!

pprince · 01-14-2011, 10:12 AM

I am not aware of any Ford T5's that used an electronic sensor for the speedometer. They are all mechanical.

No, if your speedometer was accurate before the T5 switch you do not have to change the speedo driven gear. Caviet, unless the T5 for some reason has a driven gear different then the driven gear your 3 speed had. I think they both should be 7 tooth driven gears.

If you change your axle gears then you will have to change your speedo driven gear.

Mrfleet12 · 10-19-2011, 11:17 PM

Hey All
I am in the midst of swapping my 3 speed m/t for a 5 speed T5.. I am not at the point of sliding the T5 in place but in looking at the speedo cable and the placement on the T5, it would appear my cable will be too short?? Is that the case?? And will the gear on the speedo cable fit in the T5?? The T5 is out of a md 80s...
thanks
One more question...... Will the trans mount from my 66 work in the T5 conversion?

PrecisionTrans · 10-19-2011, 11:47 PM

Hold on a minute people. If the T5 in question has an electronic speedo drive, shoving a speedo cable in the hole isn't going to get the result you think.

Starting in 1999, the T5s behind V6 engines switched from a mechanical speedo drive to an electronic one. A tone ring replaced the drive gear, located behind the 5th speed gear location. If you want to use one of these units with a speedo cable, some machining will be necessary.

And don't even think about using the '05 and up V6 unit. Remote shifter, bolt-on drive shaft flange, etc. make this a nightmare, About the only good thing, is this unit uses a concentric slave cylinder for clutch release.

Don

v8only · 10-20-2011, 12:54 PM

he hit the nail on the head.

I've converted these trannies to mechanical speedo, but you have to take the trans apart, cut a groove in the mainshaft for the mechanical speedo clip, then you can run the mechanical speedo.

i've heard of people using the digital signal off that connector for a speedometer...you may have to do that, and go with some sort of digital speedometer, or take the trans back out and adapt it for a mechanical speedo.

ScottsGT · 10-20-2011, 10:12 PM

Ok, '94-'95 Mustangs with a T5 use an electronic speedO sender that plugs right into the speedO cable location. The VSS sender uses the same gear that will fit on a C4 cable. As 22GT said, pull out the VSS sender and plug in your cable with the correct gear.
The Fox body Mustangs use a cable as you use in an early Mustang, and you can easily swap transmissions between a Fox and an SN95 as long as you take in account of the different input shaft lengths.
Which I must add, if you have a trans with the VSS, what year car did you get it from? Make sure you have a matching bell housing if you got your hands on an SN95 T5.
Steeda has a listing on their website to show which gear you need on your cable. But be advised, the output shaft also has either a 7 tooth or 8 tooth gear that your cable gear has to match up with.

v8only · 10-20-2011, 10:48 PM

electronic speedo and vss are two completely different things...

all mustangs were offered (cruise control had them for sure) 86+ with the vss, it's just a vehicle speed sensor for the computer so it can handle the cruise control.

that's completely different than a digital speedometer, which the original poster is referring to. The newer style t5's did away altogether with the plastic inner gear, and in fact have a different tail shaft....this is a picture of the gear that's used on newer style t5's with a digital speedometer...

if he has this newer version, it will not be possible to just add a speedometer gear.

v8only · 10-20-2011, 11:03 PM

forgive the very large picture, I'm on a real ancient computer, as my primary broke...

here is a shot of my t5 with electronic speedo...I'm holding the electronic sensor, and you can see the mechanical speedo gear inside

and here, if you cut a small slit, you can adapt the mainshaft and put a plastic mechanical speedo gear back on

PrecisionTrans · 10-20-2011, 11:30 PM

Thanks for the pictures V8only, even if the first two are of a GM configuration. They clearly illustrate the difference between a mechanical and electronic speedo TRANSMISSION, which is what I thought the original poster was referring to. I could very well be mistaken because yes, a Ford VSS from the 80s and early 90s is mechanically driven. I assumed, perhaps wrongly, that the OP was trying to use a T5 from a 99 to 04 V6 Mustang, which is considered an electronic speedo transmission, in his classic.

I too have modified the late electronic speedo output shaft to take a plastic gear, but I use a carbide drill to replicate the earlier style hole for the clip. Was always wary of grooving the shaft. Stress riser and all that.

Hope this clears things up.

Don