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  1. #1

    Question Hellllp? 85 v6 fox

    What all will I need to do a manual t5 trans to a 3.8l Essex in my 85 fox The car has no trans and they only came with aod trans my grandparents owned it but my uncles ragged it out in their 20s it's sad the old trans was rebuilt twice and then they sold it for weed money and its been in a garage pilled up and around with junk since 08

  2. #2
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    You will need a 157 tooth flywheel with the 28.2 oz imbalance flywheel. Good thing is, your V6 and old AOD have a gearbox the same length as the 7.85" input shaft 1994-2004 Mustangs,so your existing drive shaft will fit.


    I seriusly doubt any 85 3.8 is AOD, as Ford dropped that option for the C5 Cruisomatic Selectshift. No matter, both the AOD and C5 were similar lenghts.


    Earlier 83-93 5.0 T5's have a 7.18" input shaft, and a different depth bellhousing. Starters, the later mini starters go in, you just have to find the smaller 157 tooth starter.

    Later SN95's 3.8 or even 3.9 V6 manual gearboxes go right in. You need a 28.2 Oz unbalance clutch, bell housing and T5 from a pre 1997 SN95. Drive shaft should fit. The 98 up used a fully digital speedo, and you have to then find an earlier extension housing to hook the speedo cable drive up.

    Your looking for the


    1. full 157 teeth V6 seperator plate,

    2. clutch cable,

    3. Clutch quadrant and pedal hanger

    4. bellhousing,

    5. clutch plate,

    6. 28.2 Oz flywheel and

    7. the right gearbox extension housing.

    8. Mini starter

    9. There is a gear interlock that is manadatory with the stick shifted 85's, so you need one from either the dinar vehicle, or another 85 on up stickfift car, a 5.0 or 2.3 1-BBL carb or 2.3 Turbo.


    Any other issues, just holler....

  3. #3

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    First off, aod was optional from 1982 on in every v-6 I've ever seen. Easy way to tell, 3 speed will say 1-2-d while the aod will say 1-d then a d in a circle. Second, the c-5 is a totally different length then the aod, I wanna say 2" inches shorter meaning a longer driveshaft. And third, all 3.8 cars had a 164 tooth flywheel, not a 157t. They also used a larger 11" clutch vs the gt 10.5.

    The rest of what you posted was pretty much spot on. Btw, I seriously don't think that the sn-95 t-5 is any longer then the fox gt stuff. You can also use the old style starter if you want to clearance it some. Its really not that bad. When I put a 01 t-5 behind my 302/aod car, I actually had 1/4" less driveshaft then with the aod, probably due to weight. Probably dropped 150lbs in the swap.

    I also think that the driveshaft length might be made up in the length of the yoke. I lost my front ujoint and yoke down shifting on the freeway. After searching a junkyard I could only find one that was about 2" longer. I hacksawed it and debured the edges and it worked fine for another 20k miles or so after before I got rid of the car, so you might be able to do the same. Also, you can hammer off the weight that is added to the yoke, its a vibration dampened usually included on automatics. The cast iron ring is just pressed on over a rubber ring. Mine was cracked so I just popped it off. Had no vibration after with the t-5.

    When I did my swap, a f-150 clutch/flywheel was less then $100 vs $300 for the newer v-6 stang, so I went that way. The m5od trans uses the same size clutch and input shaft and will swap right over. The 351 uses the same 28oz imbalance but the bolts will be standard 3/8" instead of the 10mm of the stang stuff. So you will have to get the same clutch/pressure plate as the flywheel.

    The flywheel will have either a 3/8" offset or a 5/8" offset. The stated will have to match. Tooth count is the same no matter what you get the starter out of.

    Overall, its a pretty easy swap and a rather fun project.
    2 1986 cougars (both 4 eyed and 5.0)
    1 1987 cougar

  4. #4

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    Thank y'all till will help in the future as I'm part hunting but question dont the t5 trans have a 26 spline and the Essex needs a 10 spline? Am I correct and or how to fix the problem

  5. #5

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    No, certain 96 up stuff swapped to 26 spline. The 302/3.8 stuff is pretty much the same. From 1964 on it was all 10 spline.
    2 1986 cougars (both 4 eyed and 5.0)
    1 1987 cougar

  6. #6
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    As always, I bow to supperior knowledge, Haystack. You've gotten it nailed down right off.

    AOD was for sure deleted as a 3.8 option just for Fox Mustangs and Capris according to my consumer guide. Same time when the CFi got added in for the US market. Everything else, it was still standard or optional.

    C5 uses the F100 and Bronco II truck C4 bellhousing length, and is an FMX replacement. Length relativity, yep, your right, so a drive shaft swap might be needed if its C5. I'd bet money every CFi 3.8 Fox Stang or Capri is C5, with the AOD withdrawn, but hey, I'm a Kiwi stock in an island offshore...

    164 teeth manual flywheel, your right.

    I love your excellent knowledge, man.

    If anyone here ever gets stuck, out comes HS with a paper clip or proven experience, and you'd apply MacGyver hacks like a pro Ford Technician does.

    Freekin awesome!

    All other stuff, you are right.


    Where's the reps botton.....

  7. #7

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    Lol, im no expert. I'm almost a bit offended when people quote me like I know what I am talking about .

    All my experience has been with cougar birds pretty much. I had a 83 carved v-6 with an aod and a few other Sixers with them. I was pretty sure they were optional behind the 3.8 ltd as well, but I might be wrong.
    2 1986 cougars (both 4 eyed and 5.0)
    1 1987 cougar

  8. #8
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    I'll try not to oversell your great work. Sorry for me being a dic|<.

    Lucky139724 has gotten some good advice.

  9. #9

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    I'm going to be trying my best and anything I need to know about the carburetor 3.8 v6 and what would be the then way to get rid of rust and corrosion in The coolant system I have rad. Water pump and thermostat off and it's not that good underneath have replacement already just want to clean up the engine without doing any teardown
    Last edited by Lucky139724; 11-08-2017 at 12:29 AM.

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