4.6 in a 95. What's needed?

[jwhisl]

Hey guys and gals.... I need any help, suggests, advice, etc that you can give me on this subject. I overheated the 3.8 in my 95 the other day and now getting exhaust in my radiator. Thing is for the parts and labor to have someone replace both gaskets, clean up the heads, and check them for warpage I can get a 4.6 that is out of a 96-98. I also have access to all the engine wiring and ecu for that engine. I need to know what sensors, parts, etc I can re-use for the swap.

I need to know if my t5 will take the 4.6 or if I need a different bell housing. The ecu was in an abs car but mine doesnt have abs. Will this be an issue? Anything you experienced 4.6 guys can tell me or give me a heads up on would be appreciated. I really don't want any nasty surprises.

 

[Ferocious]

I believe you will need a different bellhousing to run the T5. There's was actually a guy in my area selling a T-45 with a bellhousing machined to fit a 302.
Now what you're looking for would be pretty much the opposite.

However, it would be easier to either get a T-45/t3650 or just find a used 5.0 to fit your current T5.
Frankenstein-ing cars isn't the funnest thing in the world.

 

[jwhisl]

Alright, well the guy had a t45 with the motor so I might offer to trade him my t5. Anything else I should know?

 

[330CubeGt]

Motor, T-45 Trans, ECU, ECU harness, Engine harness, Transmission harness, 96-2004 specific Mid pipe as the header flanged changed.Stock fuel lines up at the motor "might work". A slighy bigger fuel pump or maybe just a 255. 96-2004 specific k member.

No T5 will never fit a 4.6/5.4 based motor, bell housings are different and are not interchangeable.

 

[SVTstang96]

Motor, T-45 Trans, ECU, ECU harness, Engine harness, Transmission harness, 96-2004 specific Mid pipe as the header flanged changed.Stock fuel lines up at the motor "might work". A slighy bigger fuel pump or maybe just a 255. 96-2004 specific k member.

No T5 will never fit a 4.6/5.4 based motor, bell housings are different and are not interchangeable.

also radiator, hydroboost system, vac lines, small stuff like that, cluster is probably needed as well. When I swapped mine I had a whole parts car so I just took everything!

 

[jwhisl]

I knew about the radiator and the vac lines. The guy still has the car the engine came out of but I haven't seen a transmission harness or 02 harness on it. I could probably get the kmember from him and he already has all the engine wiring/ecu with the engine. Oh and I am getting the hydroboost system.

 

[ScottyDsntKnow]

Motor, T-45 Trans, ECU, ECU harness, Engine harness, Transmission harness, 96-2004 specific Mid pipe as the header flanged changed.Stock fuel lines up at the motor "might work". A slighy bigger fuel pump or maybe just a 255. 96-2004 specific k member.

No T5 will never fit a 4.6/5.4 based motor, bell housings are different and are not interchangeable.

Not true. If you pop the integrated bellhousing off the front of a t-45, t45source sells a $300 kit that bolts right on and allows you to use the t-45 behind any Tremec bellhousing. Great for the guys who want to use a T-45 but have to pass tech at the track since the stock bell is not anywhere close to SFI rated.

As for the rest though. yeah you will need:

-Motor
-ALL harnesses
-K member
-Midpipe
-ECU
-Cluster

etc... etc... There is more.

IMO if you want a V8, buy a V8. By the time you get done with the parts and the cost and all the labor (even if you do most of it yourself) you will be able to find a running 5.0 in decent shape.

 

[5litrarag]

why bother with this when there are literally hundreds of thousands of these cars around? Seems like a exercise in terminal frustration. hahaha

 

[330CubeGt]

Ahh last time I was on there it was not available and there the only ones who make it believe. $300 for an adapter ain't worth it, a t-45 has the same weak points as a T-5 being the shift forks.

 

[330CubeGt]

For the cost of the swap in pieces you could honestly buy a complete 96Gt that's been hit or neglected for a parts car and have everything you need.

 

[ScottyDsntKnow]

Ahh last time I was on there it was not available and there the only ones who make it believe. $300 for an adapter ain't worth it, a t-45 has the same weak points as a T-5 being the shift forks.

The T-5's weak point is the gears are tiny and the case can crack. Half the blown T-5s are from shearing the teeth right off 3rd. G-force makes a $300 case that isn't supposed to have any strength issues and the Astro A5 gearset is good for about 600 ft lbs. But the stock T-45 case and gears are good for that already. Forks do suck but you can buy everything you need to rebuild one good for as much power as you can reasonably throw at it before having to go to auto here. That's also that adapter plate I was talking about at the bottom of the page. One exists for the 3650 too. If you just rebuild the T-45 as is with the stock bell you can DIY for around $1k or have them do it for $1500 ish IIRC, plus shipping. I'll take that price all day vs a T-56 but that's just me.

But getting back on topic, yes it is pointless to try to convert a 94/95 v6 to a NPI V8. Like I said if you want a V8, buy a V8, they are a dime a dozen and CHEAP. The only cars worth converting to V8 IMO would be if you could find a really REALLY clean 4 banger fox as a starter platform since its getting very rare to find a mint unmolested fox of any type to start with.

 

[jwhisl]

Believe me I hear what you all are saying. This is my daily driver and the last thing I want is another project on my hands with no money. What I am up against is I could have the head gaskets redone and the heads be warped or something. I'm having the work done because I don't have the time to do it myself right now. On the other hand I have access to this engine and a t45 cheap with complete wire harness and ecu and someone else will be installing it if I go that route. I'm really just kind of screwed at this point

 

[rz5.0]

There is a bell housing to use a t5 on a 4.6

 

[ScottyDsntKnow]

There is a bell housing to use a t5 on a 4.6

I already detailed that a few posts above.

 

[rz5.0]

I already detailed that a few posts above.

I missed that I guess. I read where you talked about the weakness of a t5 and t45 and how to bolt the t45 to anything. But nothing about the t5 to a 4.6.. oh well. .

 

[330CubeGt]

T-5 is old junk and T-45 is new Junk...

 

[full force]

Believe me I hear what you all are saying. This is my daily driver and the last thing I want is another project on my hands with no money. What I am up against is I could have the head gaskets redone and the heads be warped or something. I'm having the work done because I don't have the time to do it myself right now. On the other hand I have access to this engine and a t45 cheap with complete wire harness and ecu and someone else will be installing it if I go that route. I'm really just kind of screwed at this point

Wait, you have time for a complete 4.6 swap that's gonna cost WAY more and take WAY MORE time to do? you still needthings and by the time your done you will double your 700.00 head gasket job that you can do yourself including head milling for 2-250.00 total and that includes oil change, and about 4 hours work?

BUY A V-8 car and save yourself the nightmare, if you don't have time to do head gaskets or know how, then a full v-8 swap is not gonna happen...

 

[Magic]

1.) Too much wiring swap/bullshit involved on a 95 to go from V6 to a 4.6 V8. Most straightforward swap would be a 5.0L (using a 94-95 v8 harness(es)). My old 95 was a V6 to 5.0L swap, all harnesses (engine, trans, O2, cluster were plug and play) take out the V6 stuff, put in the V8 stuff, easier than pie!! No K member to swap out, no body harnesses to swap or splice.

2.) find a 99-04 V6 engine to swap in

3.) If you really want a 4.6, get a 4.6 car. Even though you are getting parts cheap enough, all the little things will nickle and dime you to death especially if there is someone else doing the work for you.

4.) If you really insist, have the entire parts car there.

 

[ScottyDsntKnow]

T-5 is old junk and T-45 is new Junk...

Stock T-5s are weak but I challenge you to find a smoother shifting manual trans anywhere. I've shifted them all and nothing, NOTHING comes close to being as easy and smooth as a T-5. I never hated a stick until I got a TKO. Should have kept the T-5 in that car and done a A5 gearset. T-45s are not junk at all. There are no parts made by Tremec for them anymore but there are so many good cores its easy enough to find what you need and there are places that do all all the small parts. T-45 is the best of the T-5 and the 3650. Strength of the 3650 with the single rail shifting mechanism of the T-5.