ZF5 Upgrades?
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Elder User
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From: South Dakota
ZF5 Upgrades?
Anyone know of any upgrades for the ZF5 manual transmission? Its a very good transmission and it has never given me problems. I'm just wondeing, what are the fluid change intervals and possible upgrades? I see alot of deep pan kits and similar cooling stuff for automatics but nothing on the ZF5. I will be doing an old time shift kit here when I get into a turbo and rebuild this summer. Do you guys think I should also run some trans temp gauges? Just another thing to keep an eye on. You know how it goes, "you can never have too many gauges" 
. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
-Dave
. Any thoughts would be appreciated.-Dave
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From: New Jersey
Manual transmissions don't generate the heat that automatics do, so there's no need for increased fluid capacity, external cooling, or temperature monitoring.
If you do a lot of towing, changing your fluid every 15-20,000 miles is often recommended. Otherwise, you can change it every 30-50,000 miles. For manuals, it's more important to make sure your seals are ok and check periodically to make sure your fluid level is good (maybe once a year or so), more often if you have an actively leaking seal.
Unbalanced drive shafts cause a good amount of wear, too, but that's also true for automatics.
If you do a lot of towing, changing your fluid every 15-20,000 miles is often recommended. Otherwise, you can change it every 30-50,000 miles. For manuals, it's more important to make sure your seals are ok and check periodically to make sure your fluid level is good (maybe once a year or so), more often if you have an actively leaking seal.
Unbalanced drive shafts cause a good amount of wear, too, but that's also true for automatics.
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From: South Dakota
Originally Posted by matts156
Manual transmissions don't generate the heat that automatics do, so there's no need for increased fluid capacity, external cooling, or temperature monitoring.
If you do a lot of towing, changing your fluid every 15-20,000 miles is often recommended. Otherwise, you can change it every 30-50,000 miles. For manuals, it's more important to make sure your seals are ok and check periodically to make sure your fluid level is good (maybe once a year or so), more often if you have an actively leaking seal.
Unbalanced drive shafts cause a good amount of wear, too, but that's also true for automatics.
If you do a lot of towing, changing your fluid every 15-20,000 miles is often recommended. Otherwise, you can change it every 30-50,000 miles. For manuals, it's more important to make sure your seals are ok and check periodically to make sure your fluid level is good (maybe once a year or so), more often if you have an actively leaking seal.
Unbalanced drive shafts cause a good amount of wear, too, but that's also true for automatics.
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From: New Jersey
Shift kit - for a manual? What parts would that entail?
One thing that doesn't apply to the ZF5 but does to transmissions that have a separate bell housing - it's important to do a bell housing alignment if you're replacing the transmission with a different one or especially when using an aftermarket bell housing like a Lakewood scattershield. Without it, you can wear out the synchronizers in a very short time span. This won't affect anyone here because both the E4OD and ZF5 have an integral bell housing, but it's good general knowledge for those folks whose signatures include something with a power plant other than an IDI.
One thing that doesn't apply to the ZF5 but does to transmissions that have a separate bell housing - it's important to do a bell housing alignment if you're replacing the transmission with a different one or especially when using an aftermarket bell housing like a Lakewood scattershield. Without it, you can wear out the synchronizers in a very short time span. This won't affect anyone here because both the E4OD and ZF5 have an integral bell housing, but it's good general knowledge for those folks whose signatures include something with a power plant other than an IDI.
Last edited by matts156; Feb 22, 2007 at 09:39 PM.
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From: Kent WA
Originally Posted by matts156
Shift kit - for a manual? What parts would that entail?
One thing that doesn't apply to the ZF5 but does to transmissions that have a separate bell housing - it's important to do a bell housing alignment if you're replacing the transmission with a different one or especially when using an aftermarket bell housing like a Lakewood scattershield. Without it, you can wear out the synchronizers in a very short time span. This won't affect anyone here because both the E4OD and ZF5 have an integral bell housing, but it's good general knowledge for those folks whose signatures include something with a power plant other than an IDI.
One thing that doesn't apply to the ZF5 but does to transmissions that have a separate bell housing - it's important to do a bell housing alignment if you're replacing the transmission with a different one or especially when using an aftermarket bell housing like a Lakewood scattershield. Without it, you can wear out the synchronizers in a very short time span. This won't affect anyone here because both the E4OD and ZF5 have an integral bell housing, but it's good general knowledge for those folks whose signatures include something with a power plant other than an IDI.
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From: New Jersey
Well, you're right, it is hard on the input shaft bearings too, but the synchronizers take a beating because the input shaft binds in the pilot bushing. The synchronizers have a much harder time getting the input shaft to sync up and end up taking a lot more friction because the input shaft isn't totally free when the clutch is disengaged. Since most synchros are made of brass, they wear pretty quick.
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From: Delta B.C.
I had my ZF gone through before I installed it... the tranny shop told me to run royal purple synthetic ATF... I did, shifs great, am happy.... they said the best thing I can go is keep the fluid clean and happy 
You will never see enough trans temp from a ZF to warrent a gauge...
ZF6s have an external cooler, but to do this you would have to run a pump to pump the fruid through the cooler....
You will never see enough trans temp from a ZF to warrent a gauge...
ZF6s have an external cooler, but to do this you would have to run a pump to pump the fruid through the cooler....
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Originally Posted by Mr. Bob
I had my ZF gone through before I installed it... the tranny shop told me to run royal purple synthetic ATF... I did, shifs great, am happy.... they said the best thing I can go is keep the fluid clean and happy
You will never see enough trans temp from a ZF to warrent a gauge...
ZF6s have an external cooler, but to do this you would have to run a pump to pump the fruid through the cooler....
You will never see enough trans temp from a ZF to warrent a gauge...
ZF6s have an external cooler, but to do this you would have to run a pump to pump the fruid through the cooler....
Crap. I have a case of API GL5 80w90 that I've gotta use somewhere else then.
Any specific grade of ATF? Dexron/Mercon? Type F? FA?
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From: South Dakota
Well, while I was bored today looking at some external coolers I found something that just might work.
http://www.genosgarage.com/products.asp?dept=41
Among that list is a cooler kit called the "Fast cooler kit" for ZF5-6 transmissions. Looks like a good idea for a cooler. But I really don't think they are year specific. Anyone ever heard of these? Anyone have any experience with them?
http://www.genosgarage.com/products.asp?dept=41
Among that list is a cooler kit called the "Fast cooler kit" for ZF5-6 transmissions. Looks like a good idea for a cooler. But I really don't think they are year specific. Anyone ever heard of these? Anyone have any experience with them?
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you wont a good aftermarket zf5 unit? the ats verstion is awsome or I herd you can send your tranny to them and they will rebuild it with the upgraded parts.I pull stock trailers loaded with cattle a lot and my horses I get into some pritty steep roads around here.I burned up 2 zf5s and the ats I have now is great. it shifts smooth,has a shorter gear throw,and teamed with the center force stage 3 clutch BULLET PROOF.I have been told that nothing is bullet proof if you have a big enough bullet.I haven't found it yet.
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From: South Dakota
Originally Posted by whitefordaward
you wont a good aftermarket zf5 unit? the ats verstion is awsome or I herd you can send your tranny to them and they will rebuild it with the upgraded parts.I pull stock trailers loaded with cattle a lot and my horses I get into some pritty steep roads around here.I burned up 2 zf5s and the ats I have now is great. it shifts smooth,has a shorter gear throw,and teamed with the center force stage 3 clutch BULLET PROOF.I have been told that nothing is bullet proof if you have a big enough bullet.I haven't found it yet.
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From: Harrisburg, NE
there are some new companies coming out with a super-fine polishing, there is mikronite and rem finishing, along with cyrogenic freezing. car craft had an article where they had some rear end gears in a 5.0 stang subjected to the mikronite process, and picked up 7 horses at the wheels.