2.9 5 spd swap

dazzleaj · #1 (**permalink**) 09-04-2008, 07:48 PM

I have a 89 2.9 with a dead 5spd available to me for a song. I have 2, 5 spds from rangers with 2.3L. One was from a 95 that was just rebuilt prior to my son in law rolling the truck and the other is out of an 84 (carbureted).

Is there any way to use either tranny or do I need to find one out of a 2.8/2.9?

mrshorty · #2 (**permalink**) 09-04-2008, 10:24 PM

Do you know which 5 speeds came from the 2.3's? or what year the 2.3's are out of? The 2.9 and 2.3 use different bellhousing bolt patterns. I don't know about input shafts, but I do know you'll at least have to swap bellhousings. Along those lines, Since the late '80's, the 2.3 has had the M5OD behind it, and I've always had the impression that the M5OD uses an integral bellhousing. So that won't work at all.

dazzleaj · #3 (**permalink**) 09-04-2008, 11:18 PM

Sorry, I guess I didn't make it clear. I have 2 manual 5 spd tranys. Both came out of trucks with 2.3/2.0L engines. One of the trucks was a 95 the other was an 84. I do not know if the the bolt patterns are even close or if there is a starter issue. I wonder if there is any kind of adapter plate available or if the shaft length is even close. I haven't seen any reference to anything other than the 2.8, 2.9, 4.0 compatibility.

Thanks

mrshorty · #4 (**permalink**) 09-05-2008, 10:20 AM

The '95 transmission is almost certainly an M5. You could visually verify, but, as I noted above, I'm pretty sure the M5 has an integral bellhousing, so this transmission is almost certainly not usable for your purposes.

I don't know what transmission the '84 is (TK5??). The blown '89 transmission is probably an FM146, though there's a chance it's also an M5 (with a different bellhousing) or a TK5.

1st step in this is going to be positive identification of the transmissions (especially the '84 and '89 transmissions). Then, if the '84 transmission has a removeable bellhousing, locate a suitable 2.8/2.9/4.0 bellhousing for that transmission. Then determine if you need a new input shaft and/or clutch parts. Then put it together.

TigerDan · #5 (**permalink**) 09-05-2008, 06:35 PM

Input shafts are indeed different between the 4-cylinder and the V6. You really need a V6-specific tranny whether it has an integral bellhousing or not.

dazzleaj · #6 (**permalink**) 09-05-2008, 07:49 PM

Thanks. I didn't think I could do it. I know a T5 has an available adapter plate to use it on a 2.8 2.9 4.0 but had never heard anything about the 2.3/2.0 tranny use on these.