Hey guys, I Jesse. New here, I have purchesed an Manuel xf, scored it for $125. Only got 120,000 on the clock, body is rooted well beyond repair. But gear seemed real nice so iI am going to put it in my.1997 EL. I am a mechanic, and have a workshop in capalaba, so I have the tools and skills required. A few questions though.

After reading a guide with pictures, the clutch bolted to the flywheel with 6 bolts, on the xt, there is only 3? I was thinking about sending the flywheel down too tbs and getting the to make it custom? Or do I just source out a Manuel EL flywheel? And new clutch? Or... Will the xf one bolt up fine. Any tips, or links to guides on the conversion would be awsome! And also, would having a t5 with the auto diff be quicker then a EL with Manuel diff? Or are the diff ratios the same?

Thanks guys, look forward to being part of the community!

Xflow bell housing wont fit on the 4l in the el, so you will need another one o them.

autos are quicker off the line and its far easyer to get a different ratio diff put in than a box conversion.

also need bedal box which requires dash out i believe. and as said also flywheel etc..

and T5 is weaker than the btr in the el so if you give it shlt it will give it back in pieces.

what benny means is ... you need a pedal box OR modify ya auto version with a afta market pin [believe the afta market doesn't need ya dash out?]

the T5 ya have will be good as long as ya don't boot it too often ... seeing as ya need the lata model [EA/EB/ED/EF/EL] bell housing mayb hunt around for a lata model box? [late EB/ED/EF/EL have the betta box than the earlier XF/EA T5 so i'm told] BUT the AU box has the gearbox shifter & output shaft something like 50mm furtha back so remember this

you can use ya 3bolt [clutch] flywheel but drill n tap the extra holes for a 6bolt as a cheap way [i don't know if the XF flywheel has the same bolt pattern as the lata EA/EL]


i have the EA T5 & the later EB T5 ... but i bought a AU bell housing fa when i use the AU motor [AU2]

If the stock BTR is quicker off the line than a T5, then whoever is driving the T5 is s**t house at driving.
Especially if it's an XF box as 1st gear is 3.5:1, compared to the 'world class' 1st gear ratio of 3.25:1.



Diff ratios are the same auto vs. manual.

The T5 used in the XF is the same from XF-EB1. It is a non world class box. They are not as strong, but I wouldn't worry about that. This was the box used in the saloon car series up until recently.

You will need an E-series bellhousing.

I'm not 100% sure on the flywheel, but I know at some point around XF, Ford changed the flywheel bolts from imperial bolts to metric. One used in the other might result in a tiny amount of potential play in the flywheel.

If the bolts are the same XF-EL then by all means you can have the XF flywheel drilled and doweled for a 6 bolt clutch.

Don't forget a spigot bearing.


I wouldn't be concerned about the strength of it behind a stock engine. The way you drive it will have more bearing on it's life than how much power the engine is making.

Well, instead of stuffing around, I just bought a xf Ute, picking it up saturday, going to put the Manuel box in the that, same year and motor, so will be straight forward, and will be buying a new t5 conversion for the EL. Thanks for the help guys!!