hi all.i have a 95 f 150 4x4 with a worn out mazda 5 speed and i'd like to know if the heavy duty 5 speed out of a f250-f350 is a direct bolt in? are the transfer cases the same? i have the 300 6 cylinder engine.i think if the tranny comes from a 300 6 or 302,351w that it will bolt? thanks for any help. jim

 

Yes it is you can bolt a f250 ZF5speed tranny off a 351W moter.

 

I believe so but I haven't tried it (yet). Have you located one of the ZF trannies to swap? Be aware some F250/F350s were equipped with the Mazda 5 speed (my F350 has one). I have been thinking that some day I would change to the ZF but so far the Mazda has held up just fine.

 

The mazda 5 speed was NEVER offered in a F350, it was also never offered behind a 351W. The tranny is horribly weak even inthe F150 application that it would be completly poinless to even buy an F350 with one. The ZF is huge and easy to identify. The case will have 2 PTO plates on the bottom and it will also have diagonal case ribbings on the sides. They came in SB and BB patters and there was also a diesel version. The Tranny is a direct swap, when it's out i reccomend replacing the concentric slave, clutch, pressure plate, and pilot bearing.

 

Never say never. My '91 F350 came from the factory with the M5OD trans .. vehicle data code "M". The ZF trans has a trans code of "Z". Ford probably ran out of ZF trannys and put in the Mazda when mine was built. It is the Mazda trans and it has held up well though I can't say I'm happy about it.

 

An M5R2 in a big block pattern and on a 1991 F350 Dually no less? That's a rare one! I've never heard of an M5R2 in a big block pattern, just small block and modular. Can you take a picture and post it? I would hope that you have a ZF S542 though, especially in a dually. The Mazda isn't rated to handle the torque that a 460 makes, it can barely handle the 4.6L. I've heard that the M5R2 is rated at 330 ft/lbs of torque while your 460 V8 puts out 400-410 ft/lbs.

 

It has to be a misprint. There's no way a Mazda would hold up to a 460. Are the ribs on the side of the tranny diagonal or horizontal and vertical?

 

I didn't even read yor sig, now that i have i know for SURE you don't have a mazda. They were never made in a BB bolt pattern and the bellhousing cannot be swapped as they are integral to the transmission. You defn. have a ZF.

 

you can get a ZF 5 speed and a zf 6 speed.

zf has a really low first gear, which basically you dnot even need most of the time.
I found it more frustrateing to drive a zf then a mazda cause you have to shift so soon.

 

talyn makes a good point... I have an f-250 with 5.0 and mazda 5-speed... as much as I like the idea of a heavier duty transmission, I am already shifting gears all over the place to keep the engine revving in its narrow power band, the thought of changing to a ZF which for most purposes has one LESS usable gear, does not sound appealing...

 

There's no way he could fit an S6-650 on a small block like his 300 I6. (Unless someone makes an adapter.) The S6-650 is only available in 1999-present Powerstroke pattern and 2002-present Modular pattern. It's also in the newer 1999-present GM 6.0L/8.1L engine patterns. He could, however, get an 1987-1994 small-block S542, but not the 460 big-block or 6.9L/7.3L IDI patterns. Also, he could get a 1995-1997 small-block S547 and he would have to be careful not to pick up a 1995-1997 big-block pattern, 1999-2001 Modular pattern, or a 1995-1997 Powerstroke S547 transmission. There should be enough of these things out there so that he can forgo the adapter (if one is even available for the 6-speed).

 

you actually shift less in a zf cause it has one less gear in normal driving. you start off in second. you only shift through 4 gears and hold each one longer. you shift more in a mazda w/ 5 gears. the only time you shift 5 gears in a zf is w/a load.

 

mazda simple shift pattern.
1st, 1-20 mph to 3rd. to 45, then to 5th gear, which the book tells you to shift to at 42 mph for good gas mileage.
3 speeds for conviencence.
5 for power.
1-28, to second to 40 mph, use 3 to take you to 60, and then 4th or 5th.

mazda is fast.
I stayed in zf gears less time, i got to 5th asap cause of high revs in all the gears compared to my mazda, and 5k rmp higher 5th gear rev at 60 mph. mazda ran at 2000 or 2500,i can't rmember, but the zf had 5k rmps' more at 60 in 5th.

i'd go for the zf 6 speed if i was to buy a zf. the granny first with a mazda 5th. =)
mazda might be a cheepo trans, but taken care of properly with a good clutch, its awsome. I wanted zf so bad till i drove one, and realized that you better just work with your zf, not try and hot rod it around.
with my mazda, i could easly haul 30 bails of hay in the back of the truck safely. and had plenty of power, once they were done race away like a bat outa hell.
ZF takes off slow and you gotta shift sooner, so its more of a pain unless its a towing vehicle.

tahts just my 2 cents, you can get zf if you want, but mazda better for driveing, its not made to haul super huge loads.

 

The ZF's OD is actually slightly better than the mazda's...

 

n578md i understand the bolt pattern thing and know it will have to come from a 351w i also understand stand it will have to come from a truck around my year. Talyn i see your take on the mazda and see your point.i have a 1991 F150 4x4 with a good mazda tranny that i will leave alone the whole truck is in great shape.but my newer 95 is a well worn truck and the tranny is pretty fried and i grew up playing with F250 hi-boys with granny four speeds,i sometimes am pretty rough on my trucks and thought if i had to fix this one then for the money im going to spend i might as well upgrade.