t-5 vs t-56
 

so i just priced a rebuild kit on the t5 from the mustang donor. GTFO with roughly 3300 dollars the way i want it built. 2.95 first gear and a .63 od all by gforce plus bearings and synchros. So now I'm here asking what a t56 would cost in the miata swap. I have been able to get a few t56 for roughly 1500 out of a fbody maro. Granted ill need a different bell and other misc parts. Whats the total cost of getting it in a 5.0 miata car compared to using the t5?

I don't know what you are doing to the T5 for that kind of money but I know for sure to build a T56 to the same level would cost more. Go out on Texes drive train performance or Tick performance and price build parts for a T56. Then double it because any T56 with miles on it will need at least 2nd and 3rd gears plus all the blockers that are not in their prices. I would figure 1800 to 2200 get a used T56 healthy enough to play hard with behind a stock engine. Add 1000 if you are over 500 HP. Oh, plus the price of the trans...

You can get a T5 built to have the right gears for a Maita all day long for 1700 and a T5Z for under 2500 usually. I can't imagine what you are doing to spend 3300 on a T5. There is just not that many spendy parts in them which is why they are such great trannys for us.

But I don't really understand what you are asking here. Are you trying to figure the cost of a T5 to a T56? Behind what motor? That makes a big difference.

You can use either transmission for either motor with an after market bell housing but it is eaiser to use a T56 with the LS and a T5 with the Ford so you can use factory parts. Most folks say the T56 is not worth the cost or weight in a Miata and though I have not driven one yet I would tend to agree with that statement. They are delightful transmissions in a 3500+ lb car but just and extra shift in a 2500 lb miata.

Well according to g-force who admittedly was giving prices out by the seat of his pants, the g-force kit for the t5 is 3300 bucks. If I were to do the whole thing. Coming from the mustang world I see 2 problems with the t5. One it tends to be a crap shoot at higher output and 2 for a street driven car the 5 speed isn't as efficient as the 6 speed. Granted it wont be a dd but still I will be driving this beast in all conditions.

just looked at the astro a-5 kits. legit.

Looks to me like you are not comparing apples for apples. 3300 bucks for a race built T5 verses 1500 for a bone yard T56 us about as far as the east is from the west in compairson.

I still don’t know what engine you are running or what you are planning to do with the car so I can’t really comment on one over the other. But I do know the 6 speed will be more expensve to build than a T5 built to the same level, no matter what level you are building it to.

Sorry im not being clear. My swap is coming from the 94 mustang gt I own. Its a total loss so I've decided to do a monster swap. So 5.0 with a t5. I figured I'd rebuild the trans when I rebuild the motor after the car is reffed. I called g-force and a t-5 rebuild kit with their beefed up gears new synchros and bearings and the od of my choice was stated to me worse case scenario 3300.

Again the guy on the phone seemed he was spit balling. So my question was basically what would be more cost effective. The 3300 g-force trans or a cobra t56 plus associated parts to get it in the car?

Again coming from the mustang community the end all be all for a manual trans car is a cobra t56. So that's what I was basing this thread off of. Sorry if it wasn't clear. I get watched from time to time at work.

Oh man that is a no brainer then IMO. If the trans worked good when you last drove the stang why mess with it? It's more than enough work to do a conversion without digging into a good working transmission too.

Considering it takes about a half hour to drop that trans I'd run it just the way it is at least till you shake all the bugs out of the build. Who knows you may love the gearing the way it is and if not you certainly will be better educated as to what direction to go after you run it in the Miata for a while.

In your situation, since you have a good trans already, I really don't think the t56 is worth the trouble, weight or cost. In fact I doubt you will find any Ford guy that thinks it is worth the trouble to haul around 6th gear. But give that t5 3000 miles in its new home and then you will be much better informed that I am on it!

Well said sir. Thank you for putting that into better perspective.

How can I give you props sir?

Trust me. You will destroy the rear tires before you will destroy the transmission.
I have had good service from these guys:Southern Gear Co. - The Standard Transmission Professionals

My current T5 came out of a 91 Mustang GT and cost me a whopping $150 with the bell housing. I really thought it would not last to get the car home from the exhaust shop but here I am 3 years, 13,000 miles and 12 or so track days later without a single issue. Would I drag race with it? No. But for street/track days without a lot of downshifting it's done fine.

That said, my plan is to pull it out one of these winters and ether rebuild it myself ($300 for a rebuild kit) or have someone else do so.


I'm at about 360 crank horsepower.

-Jason

My current T5 in the mustang isn't in bad shape at all. Only issue i get is putting it in reverse it grinds from time to time with my foot to the floor. All forward gears are functional.

There is nothing wrong with your T5. All T5's, even brand new ones will do that because reverse has no syncro. The only time it will not is if you start the car with your foot on the clutch and do not lift it up until you put it in reverse. Once the input shaft starts spinning you have to stop it by first shifting into fifth and then back to reverse (essentially using fifth's syncro to stop the input shaft).

-Jason

Makes perfect sense!