can the trans from a 2.8L manual be used for a V8
 

My question is simple I want to know if I could use the same tranny off my camaro for a V8? If been told before that I couldn't, but a guy at work was telling me that all I have to do is change the bell housing. He told me that the tranny was the same.

I didn't think the removable BH on those trans was until after the 3rd gens were long gone.

Well that idk ima have to get under the car and check it out tomorrow and ill get back to you on that.

Wait, you're talking manual trans, as in a T5 5-speed? From what I remember, a T5 from an early V6 car only has a 10-spline input shaft so you'll need a different flywheel/clutch combo when you're swapping it onto a V8, and you'd also need a V8 bellhousing. And I also seem to remember the V6 T5 internals being rated at even less than the V8 parts, so you will most likely blow it up after all that work anyway.

oh for some reason I thought we were talking automatics. d'oh

i did a similar swap about 15 years ago for a buddy. the v6 bellhousing and flywheel will not bolt up to a v8(first gen sbc, or ls1) you will need a v8 bellhousing and a flywheel. Is your v8 a 1 or 2 piece rear main seal? cause the flywheel mounting pattern to the crank is different on either one.

you could use the v6 trans,it will bolt up to a v8 bellhousing. i did for a short while and wound up breaking it. i used a v8 pressure plate and the disc out of the v6 set up. it worked but it was only a temporary solution till i got a v8 trans to replace the one i broke.

i strongly recomend gettin a v8 t5 trans out of a 87 or newer fbody. supposedly their stronger and are geared better than the older t5's. i may still have a v8 bellhousing and 2 piece rear main seal flywheel layin around i'd have to check. and 83 was the only year that there was a manual clutch linkage, everything after that was had a hydrolic set up. its been 10 years since i owned a 3rd gen so not sure wats left parts wise. hoped this helped. any questions hit me up

or T56....i know its more money but if your gonna do the swap why not go all out....it fits...you just use the T5 bellhousing. just note you will either have to do a 4th gen console swap OR modify your factory console so you can get into reverse lol

its more involved than a console swap. and the t56 will only fit the t5 bellhousing with an adapter plate. the trans mount is different and depending on which t56 is used the speedometer sensor in the t56 will not work with the drive cables of the 3rd gens speedometer. here is a link to a t56 swap. there are many more swap articles on the web, this one is short and to the point.


http://www.sallee-chevrolet.com/Borg.../bwt56pics.cfm

I'm using a t-56 bell housing on my t-56 trans. And using factory console.

As said above, you will need a V8 Bellhousing & flywheel. You will also need a custom clutch that will marry the number of splines on the V6 trans to the size flywheel the V8 uses. Once everything is installed & working, you will find that the gears inside of the V6 trans are much steeper than the V8 trans. I guess this could be good or bad depending on what your rear end ratio is.

Have you have ever seen how much weaker and smaller the internals of a v6 t5 are compared to a v8 t5? putting it in behind a v8 even if its a 305 is a bad idea. it'll hold up for a little while, but when it breaks you're at square one again. better off just buyin the right trans now cause he already has to buy a clutch. do it once and be done with it

Thanks for all that info. I was never planning on using that trans for anything more then the V6 . I just wanted to know. Also I was wondering cuz I'm living in PR now and here a manual trans is like finding a gold unicorn that can talk. When they see the camaro there all amazed

Can I use a V8 T5 tranny on an LS1?