2.3T driveshaft same as V8?

[Mike Croke]

The driveshaft on our 85.5 SVO went kaput a while ago. Specifically, the big damper ring at the transmission end freed itself from the confines the rubber and was sorta wedged against the trans tailshaft housing.

So I stole the driveshaft from our '84 Turbo RS Capri, installed new u-joints, and have been driving the SVO around. Not by mere coincidence, an vibration that used to occur around 75mph has been solved. :D

I will need a driveshaft for the Turbo RS soon, I hope. Do I need to get the giant damper repaired and keep the 2.3T driveshaft? Or can I just use a 5.0 V8 driveshaft which I have laying around?

[NoStang]

I'm also curious about this, the driveshaft I pulled from my 88 TC has the same big damper thing at the front and I'd rather not have to use it on my Coupe.

[FoxChassis]

I thought the driveshafts with the dampner were originally from autos?

[NoStang]

My Turbo Coupe is a 5-speed and has it?

[Ford'sCapri]

I've seen the dampner on my 84 with the 2.3 4 speed, my 87 LX with a 2.3 5 speed and 82Tony's 91 2.3 5 speed so maybe it's a 4 banger thing not limited to just autos?

[mfpmax]

2.3 T5 driveshaft is the same length as the V8 T5/AOD driveshaft...

In fact I believe I have an 86 GT driveshaft in my car right now.

If you had an Auto you'd probably be screwed however.

I'm also curious about this, the driveshaft I pulled from my 88 TC has the same big damper thing at the front and I'd rather not have to use it on my Coupe.

Unless you have already found out, I've read that the Turbocoupe driveshaft is a different length.

I thought the driveshafts with the dampner were originally from autos?

Think the 4 cylinders both auto and manual have dampers since both my C3 and 4 speed driveshafts have them.

[NoStang]

I figured the T-Bird DS would be a different length I was just wondering about the damper...sounds like it's not necessary.

[Mike Croke]

So is it required that I retain the damper with the 4 cyl? Are there some awful harmonics that will be annoying or destructive without the huge rubber and steel donut?

[bosscar]

I've always wondered if I could use the motorsport aluminum driveshaft in my 83 RS turbo 4cyl. Maybe someone out there has tried it?

[Jimmy2.3Mustang]

Take the damper off the driveshaft. Have a driveline shop rebalance the driveshaft and you're in business. It shouldn't cost much, I want to say it was under $20 to have a Lincoln driveshaft rebalanced after the same problem but it's been a few years.

[mb84gt]

My 84 gt turbo has the big round dampner on the driveshaft also.

I took it out and ran my extra ford racing aluminum driveshaft. I ran it for a few months and never noticed any strange vibrations or anything.

The only reason I took it out was to run the aluminum driveshaft in my cobra.

[TurboBeater]

I used to run a TC drive-shaft which I had cut down to the proper length. It did have the weight mounted on it. It weighed a ton though so I opted for the motorsport aluminum one. Seems to make the car feel a tiny bit more peppy. Only vibration from "harmonics" that might be due to not running the weighted shaft occurs while slowing down in 4th gear with the clutch out (engine helping to slow the car). It's not bad, but it's noticeable only while slowing in 4th when above 30-35 mph. It's somewhat intermittent also (depending whether your on a hill, rate of braking, etc.) so you may not even have this problem. It's nothing that would make me stay away from ditching the 22 lb. TC shaft.

[mfpmax]

I have experienced no ill effects due to not having a damper on my engine.

...however my stupid exhaust isn't making it better by rubbing against the driveshaft :(

[Mike Croke]

So how does a damper on the engine relate to a damper on the driveshaft? :)

[mfpmax]

The neck bone connected to the shoulder bone...

But yeah, you shouldn't have a problem without the damper on the driveshaft.


(oh and according to my post time...I was just woken up by some insurance company :mad: so yeah...total daze ;) )

[gtluke]

something sounds wrong. mike that should be a SVO specific aluminum driveshaft.

2.3's use the same trans in the same spot, so the driveshaft will be the same.

you can find a replacement svo aluminum driveshaft in an awd aerostar that had the "vibration" recall procedure done.

[mfpmax]

I haven't heard of SVOs coming with aluminum driveshafts...then again I don't know a lot of SVO specific stuff.

[8T6 SVO]

SVO's came with a steel driveshaft with the dampner on the front. The dampner drastically reduces any vibrations in the driveline. If you use an Aluminum Ford MS driveshaft, you will "feel" some vibrations eliminated by the stock dampner.

The Ford Motorsport aluminum driveshaft M-4602-G fits 1979-95 Mustang/Capri 5.0 vehicles with T-5/SROD/C-4/AOD transmissions. It also works with the SVO.

[martin0660]

As has been said, the FMS aluminum shaft fits the fox mustnag / capri cars no issue. I run it on my Capri.

All of the 4 cylinder turbo cars got the DS with the large damper on the front.

I noticed no difference in vibration in my Capri from the stock DS with damper to the FMS aluminum shaft. The only difference, the aluminum shaft seems to transmit more noise from the rear than the steel shaft. It isnt really a vibration, but when you are lugging it a bit, it picks up this harmonic noise. simply solution for me, don't lug the turbo car ;)

A long(er) story. I had an 88 TC that I was trying to reduce weight on a bit. As I removed driveline dampers, the car kept getting smoother and smoother rather than the expected result of picking up a vibration. My belief is that all of the elastomers in these dampers are simply so dried out now that they just no longer do what they where meant to do, and actually introduce vibrations. That car was as smooth as could be with no dampers, and the TC's have a DS damper, the dogbone on the rear, a damper on the X-member, and off the transmission tail shaft. I never missed any of them.

Bob Myers

[kj_80Cobra]

All of the 4 cylinder turbo cars got the DS with the large damper on the front.



Not the older ones with the RAD four speed. My old driveshaft laying in the garage has no damper and it is longer than the T5/V8 driveshaft laying next to it.

[martin0660]

Not the older ones with the RAD four speed.

You are right, I should have said FI / T5 4 cylinder cars.

Bob Myers

[7t9cobra]

v-8s and 4 cyl. driveshafts are the same. the damper keeps the aluminum driveshaft quiet. if you run an aluminum driveshaft without the damper, you can hear the slop in the trans. it has a clank noise. but the point of having an aluminum driveshaft is to save weight, so we dont run a damper. we can live with the noise.

[varn82]

when i swapped the auto out of my 79 for a tremec, the stock driveshaft was too long. i took a driveshaft out of an 89 lx 5.0, 5-speed, and it was about an inch and a half shorter. the 89 had a t-5, so i guess the tremec overall length is the same as the t-5, but whatever auto was in the 79 was shorter, requiring a longer driveshaft.

[Ford'sCapri]

Not the older ones with the RAD four speed. My old driveshaft laying in the garage has no damper and it is longer than the T5/V8 driveshaft laying next to it.

My 84 had the carbed 2.3 with a 4 speed and the dampener on the drive shaft.