23. Gear Ratios

Table 23-1 contains the RPOs, gear ratios, years offered, and applications for the 1983-1992 GM F body T5s. I found little information on the ML8 T5, but it appears to be the same as the MK5.

As a set, 5th gear is interchangeable with other T5s, but only within the World Class or nonWorld Class design. To maximize the overdrive in a World Class V8 T5 (MK6 or M39), the 5th gear set from an MB1 World Class T5 could be installed to obtain a 5th gear of 0.56:1. To maximize the overdrive in a nonWorld Class V8 T5 (MK6 or M39), the 5th gear set from an ML3 nonWorld Class T5 could be installed to obtain a 5th gear of 0.53:1. To minimize the reduction in rpm from 4th to 5th gear in either a World Class or nonWorld Class V8 T5, the 5th gear set from the MK6 T5 is the best choice at 0.73:1.

Table 23-1: 1983-1992 GM F Body T5 RPOs, Gear Ratios, and Years Offered
	1st Main	2nd Main	3rd Main	4th Main	5th Main
RPO	1st Cluster	2nd Cluster	3rd Cluster	4th Cluster	5th Cluster	Engine	Years Offered
MK6	32.00	33.00	30.00	24.00	31.00	V8	1983-1984; 1988-1991
	14.00	22.00	29.00	31.00	55.00
ratios	2.95	1.94	1.34	1.00	0.73
M39	32.00	33.00	30.00	24.00	25.00	V8	1985-1991
	14.00	22.00	29.00	31.00	51.00
ratios	2.95	1.94	1.34	1.00	0.63
MK4 (1st design)	33.00	31.00	29.00	22.00	27.00	L4	1983
	15.00	23.00	34.00	35.00	59.00
ratios	3.50	2.14	1.36	1.00	0.73
MK4 (2nd design)	33.00	31.00	27.00	22.00	27.00	L4	1983-1984
	15.00	23.00	31.00	35.00	59.00
ratios	3.50	2.14	1.39	1.00	0.73
MK5 (1st design)	33.00	31.00	29.00	22.00	25.00	L4; V6	1983
	15.00	23.00	34.00	35.00	51.00
ratios	3.50	2.14	1.36	1.00	0.78
MK5 (2nd design)	33.00	31.00	27.00	22.00	25.00	L4; V6	1983-1984
	15.00	23.00	31.00	35.00	51.00
ratios	3.50	2.14	1.39	1.00	0.78
ML8	33.00	31.00	27.00	22.00	25.00		1984
	15.00	23.00	31.00	35.00	51.00
ratios	3.50	2.14	1.39	1.00	0.78
ML3	32.00	31.00	25.00	21.00	25.00	L4	1985-1986
	15.00	25.00	31.00	37.00	61.00
ratios	3.76	2.18	1.42	1.00	0.72
MB1	32.00	31.00	27.00	21.00	23.00	V6	1985-1991
	14.00	23.00	32.00	37.00	53.00
ratios	4.03	2.37	1.49	1.00	0.76

Originally Released 18 June 2003

updated 27 August 2007

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