Connecting an '86 5.0L to a '65 T10 transmission

I think all you really need is to have the crank balanced including the correct damper(50oz) for the 1986, and the correct starter for the flywheel (160t flywheel, 1965 starter) and you are all set. The Windsors are internally balanced... keep the flywheel that matches the bell housing & transmission.

If the damper has failed/slipped, it will set up a vibration - but it's torsional, not weight related. The flywheel is itself balanced, not to the reciprocating assembly.

It seems you are making too much work for yourself... other than the starter mismatch, what is the problem you are trying to fix?

Rob

This is most definately not the case. Late model 302s need a 50oz flywheel, earlier 302s are 28oz if I remember correctly. The wrong flywheel *will* give you problems. Should be using a 50oz 157-tooth flywheel most definately with an '86 engine.

Ironradio - the 1986 style flywheel and starter should be used. Hopefully the bolt patterns will be similar so that the pressure plate will mount to it, but I'm not sure. You may want to check on some resto sites to see if they make a flywheel specifically for adapting late model blocks to early model transmissions. I'm sure many people have dropped a late model crate engine in their old pony to freshen it up, so the information must be there. Unfortunately, I've not done this before...

JS

If I remember correctly, the bolt pattern on the crankshaft is the same for all SB V8's. The bolt pattern to mate the bell housing to the block is the same as well. The early 289's used a 5 bolt configuration for the bell housing, and switched to a 6 bolt in 66. I have an 84 302 with a

60's C4 mated to it, with no issues. I even have one of those small high torque starters, that has the selinoid on the starter bolted to it, and it works great.

I think in his case, he should use the flywheel, pressure plate, bell housing, and throw out bearing for the 86, and the clutch disk and pilot bushing for the manual tranny of his choice. There should be no problem bolting the early manual tranny to the 86 bell housing.

Gary

I agree...you need the 50oz/157t flywheel as small block Fords are not internally balanced and need the right imbalance damper/flywheel combos for the engine. Match the imbalance to the engine and the flywheel tooth count to the bell housing. (this impacts the automatics greater since the '65 C-4 flexplate has 157t and the AOD's has 164t...which won't fit in a small bell housing C-4)

I have done this -- '88 5.0L in a '65 with a '65 tranny. Side note. I used the '65 starter without any problems and recall seeing that a late model starter will work as well.

DP

re: "Ironradio - the 1986 style flywheel and starter should be used. Hopefully the bolt patterns will be similar so that the pressure plate will mount to it, but I'm not sure. You may want to check on some resto sites to see if they make a flywheel specifically for adapting late model blocks to early model transmissions. I'm sure many people have dropped a late model crate engine in their old pony to freshen it up, so the information must be there. Unfortunately, I've not done this before..."

Thanks for the information, that was what I suspected. Thanks for the later replies that I can see on XASA but they haven't shown up yet on where I'm replying (Google).

Anyway, The two critical points I see with my proposed configuration are the following:

1) Bellhousing - will using the '60s bellhousing work? Will the 50oz 153t flywheel fit in it OK? Will it and its block plate properly orient the '86 type 10-tooth starter?

2) Will the '60s diaphragm clutch pressure plate bolt up properly to the 50oz 153t flywheel? I got an aftermarket SFI one with the most holes I could find thinking somewhere in those 7 bolt patters gotta be the answer.

Alternatively I'm thinking about dumping the '60s stuff and going with a period correct T5 setup...

Thanks! Dave

I could be wrong here, but I think you're making this way more complicated than it needs to be. The trans connects to the engine in only three places, and those are the only three things you need to match. Other than that, the engine doesn't really care what trans is behind it.

1. Bellhousing. Since the bell housing to block bolt patter has been the same on these 302's since the beginning of time, use the bellhousing that matches the trans. You'll need to put a stud for the release fork on the right side, just like the '86.
2. Clutch disc. Open the catalog (or call Mike Forte) and find a 10" clutch disc that matches the trans splines. Personally, I would get a new pressure plate to match; either Weber or Centerforce.
3. Pilot bearing. Again, open the catalog (or call Mike Forte) and find one that fits the way you want it to. I don't think the outside diameter has changed over the years.

The flywheel, pressure plate, and blocking plate that's currently on the motor will fit just fine, leave it alone.

What you might be forgetting is where the trans crossmemeber fits,, and driveshaft length. Since the bellhousing is a different depth, the dimension from balancer to tailshaft has changed. Depending on which motor mounts you use, this could be an issue. I would think that using the motor mounts that match the chassis year - and not the engine year - would solve that. But I would check anyway, and be prepared with plan B.

One thing to consider is ~ '85 Ford stopped drilling the hole in the blocks for the clutch linkage and a cable system will be required.

bradtx

Yes, a 28oz flywheel will technically bolt up to an '86 engine, but the '86 requires a 50oz imbalance flywheel, and potential engine harm could come from the 28oz.

GEB and others here are hinting that a late-model clutch and pressure plate could be used... and I'm pretty sure that a flywheel exists that would put a vintage clutch on a 50oz flywheel. As for starters fitting the older bell, I'm not sure. Maybe, if exists a vitange flywheel, it is 50oz 160t?

Good luck. If you decide to go T5, there will be many more parts available. You may need to do some custom work to get the cable setup to work...

JS

What i was saying us to use the correct flywheel & pressure plate for the motor, and use a clutch disk & pilot bushing for the year of the tranny. That is only if the spline count is different on the input shaft. If it's the same, then you can use everything for that motor.

Gary

Well, custom work's what its all about. ;-)

This is for my '27 Tbucket after all...

Well, I've had enough indigestion wondering if this will fit to that and am dumping all of the '60s stuff right up to the block and crank (including the '28oz flywheel) I'm going with a period correct setup for the '86 engine. I have an '87 block plate, 50 oz SFI flywheel, clutch kit, bell housing, clutch mech, and T5 coming. It's worth it all just for the T5 in my opinion which, among many other benefits, has a real first gear as opposed to the T10. I realize I'll have a littlle work to do in the T5 mount department but that's OK.

But like JS said above, I now have the 'opportunity' to figure out the cable arrangement. I have seen photos of the cable, firewall adjuster and quadrant but not one with them all together with how the clutch cable mechanics are supposed to work. Can anyone steer me to a diagram or photo?

Thanks, Dave

Good luck with your setup. While I don't have pics, I can kinda describe.... I don't know if you'll want to use a quadrant or not.

On the late model cars, the clutch pedal is attached to a shaft that runs to the right of the gas pedal. It is on this shaft that the quadrant is installed. The quadrant pulls on the cable. The bellhousing is set up with the pivot stud on the end of the fork opposite the cable, so that the cable pulls the throwout bearing. The routing doesn't matter too much - think big bicycle cable - but definately keep it away from the exhaust system and off of anything hot... they don't last long that way. ;-) I'd shy away from the firewall adjuster in your situation - get the adjustable cable and the firewall adjuster isn't necessary. It would probably also take away from the looks of the engine compartment.

I don't know if you can get away with using the (modified) clutch pedal itself to pull the cable - I don't know what your setup is. I also don't know the exact length of pull that's required. When the bell, fork, and stud come in, you should be able to guesstimate.

Also check shifter placement between the T10 and T-5 to see if they'll end up coming up in the same transmission tunnel hole. There is an option to get a '94-95 bellhousing and T-5 if the shifter ends up too far forward. The '94-95 cars had a longer input shaft and deeper bell to accomidate the change to the body. If the shifter's too far rearward, you'll have to do some more creative thinking. Something tells me it should be close though.

JS

If I remember correctly, the bolt pattern on the crankshaft is the same for all SB V8's. The bolt pattern to mate the bell housing to the block is the same as well. The early 289's used a 5 bolt configuration for the bell housing, and switched to a 6 bolt in 66. I have an 84 302 with a

60's C4 mated to it, with no issues. I even have one of those small high torque starters, that has the selinoid on the starter bolted to it, and it works great.

I think in his case, he should use the flywheel, pressure plate, bell housing, and throw out bearing for the 86, and the clutch disk and pilot bushing for the manual tranny of his choice. There should be no problem bolting the early manual tranny to the 86 bell housing.

Gary

The early transmission wont bolt up to a 84-93 5.0 bellhousing, the

79-83-1/2 5.0 SROD bellhousing (commonly used for tremec 5 speed swaps) has the older bolt pattern and is identical to the 84-93 except for the trans bolt pattern, the block plate is the same from 79-93.