When we initially began Project Shark Attack, the car desperately needed an overdrive transmission of some sort. At the time, PSA was using the old school Borg-Warner T-10 four-speed, so a new tranny was a high priority. We initially wanted the O/D to slow the engine down and reduce some of the noises associated with the higher rpm of the original Borg-Warner. Engine and transmission heat is also lessened when the rotating pieces are slowed down, so when we chose the Keisler Engineering Tremec O/D five-speed, the choice was a win-win situation. At that time, the fuel costs were relatively cheap. It's hard to believe when we began the project, premium fuel could be found for $1.50-$1.75 a gallon, and we thought that was outrageous. With prices hovering around $3 a gallon, we're now ecstatic about the change to a more favorable tranny. higher gas prices are here to stay, and the Keisler Tremec PerfectFit five-speed O/D transmission makes the road trips easier on the wallet.
We contacted Keisler and gave them our engine and differential ratio specs and an idea of what we would be doing with PSA. They then assembled a complete package for us that had all the necessary pieces for the install including hardware. They suggested their TKO-500 kit that also included a new driveshaft ready to install. The only trip we had to make was to the local GM dealer to buy three quarts of GM Synchromesh transmission fluid. The supplied speedo cable for the Keisler Tremec is a hybrid GM-Ford unit, and it's nice to know that it's one less thing to locate, plus the correct speedo driven gear is calculated and supplied for you.
1 We started by removing...
1 We started by removing the driveshaft yoke straps. The crossmember-mounted shifter gets the ax and will that ever be appreciated. The only other bolts to remove were from the 51/48-inch hex-head transmission mount. When we look back at these photos, it's hard to believe the transformation. It was nasty underneath the car, and we cleaned for many days to avoid this mess during assembly.
The Tremec five-speed O/D has an integral back-up lamp switch in the transmission case so there is no linkage to be concerned with and no external switch next to the hot exhaust pipe like the original four-speed. For added safety, the five-speed transmission has an integral neutral safety switch that can be easily connected to the starter system. Another amenity is the integral Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS), which can be used for an upgrade to fuel injection that requires a VSS or if you're installing an aftermarket cruise control.
If these points don't make a case for an upgrade to O/D, this little tidbit of info might do the trick. The Keisler PerfectFit five-speed requires no cutting of the floor or tunnel of your Corvette. The shifter is offset, allowing the shifter to be installed in the stock location with the stock shifter boot. Tunnel clearance is an issue at the top of the Tremec transmission, so the Keisler unit allows the install with adequate clearance.
The only issue for the installation is the bellhousing and transmission has to be installed as an assembly if the engine is in place. Actually, it's a loose fitting assembly. The bellhousing is placed on the transmission, then the transmission is put into position with the bellhousing bolted loosely so you have room to install the clutch pressure plate. Once we did the first install like this, we found the task was much easier than we anticipated.
2 We're cleaning the flywheel...
2 We're cleaning the flywheel clutch surface with brake cleaner to remove the oily residue. The oily residue is used to prevent corrosion and will contaminate the organic clutch disc material. Burning the residue off is not a good idea as it penetrates the fibers of the disc. Keep wiping both the flywheel and pressure plate surfaces until the cloth stays clean.
3 Remember, we said the bellhousing...
3 Remember, we said the bellhousing goes up with the transmission except in this case, so we'll install the clutch assembly now. We used the supplied line-up tool from the dual-friction clutch assembly to align the clutch disc with the new pilot bearing. The pressure plate got new Mr. Gasket bolts and was tightened evenly back and forth across the pressure until the plate was seated on the flywheel. Then we did a final torque to 45 lb-ft.
4 Next, we bolted the bellhousing...
4 Next, we bolted the bellhousing onto the engine and checked concentricity of the transmission input housing to the centerline of the crankshaft. This is often disregarded as an unnecessary step during assembly. It's rare to find a concentric bellhousing, and if the concentricity is off, the transmission life will be shortened and vibration can occur. You can contact www.keislerauto.com for the concentricity requirements. all kits come with a comprehensive instruction package to properly measure and explain how to adjust the concentricity to the maximum allowed specifications.
5 This is the engine-bellhousing...
5 This is the engine-bellhousing locating dowels we used to set concentricity. The Lakewood dowel kit (PN15981) allows us to install the extra-long dowels in the engine block. Then locating sleeves are welded to the bellhousing after the concentricity is set. We like this kit because you don't have to keep removing the dowels and turning them until the optimum concentricity is found.
6 Grabbing and installing...
6 Grabbing and installing the five-speed with the Lakewood bellhousing takes quite a bit of effort when you're trying to align the input shaft. We bolted the Lakewood bellhousing onto the transmission because we're using a hydraulic clutch, which won't allow us to put the transmission straight into the clutch plate splines.
7 As you can see, we're dropping...
7 As you can see, we're dropping the engine and transmission in as an assembly. The severe angle lets us get the transmission in place, then we crank the engine tilter to allow the engine to level out while the engine and transmission are lowered in place. The transmission extension housing sits on the crossmember until we put the car in the air to finish off the install.