Ok guys, newbie did search but still needs help!

[Guest Anonymous]

Alrighty. I did a search on what I was looking for, but couldn't get a straight answer.

 

I'm looking for a 300hp setup + 50hp shot nitrous for those needy times on the highway races.

 

So far it seems the JTR kit a the way to go with a Chevy 350 small block that does 245hp. Would a decent header + exhaust do the trick to get the hp levels up to 300hp w/o nitrous? I want 300hp at least (bragging rights , plus, it sucks when you're at 290hp ).

 

I think for my case, the R200 is good as well as a T5 setup.

 

My budget is $5000CAD total to spend on the car, so about $3200USD to have a reliable car. Tell me what you think, and please make any suggestions on other parts that can help me out.

 

In the end I'm looking for a daily driver that can pull out 300horses, handle well, and impress my civic driving boys. I'll handout chopsticks when I fly by their rice.

[Pop N Wood]

For about $1500 US you can get a complete LT1 engine and automatic trans from a 95-99 Camaro/Firebird/Caprice. This will give you 320 fuel injected HP (some had different HP ratings?). This set up works well with the JTR kit. Look at Ron Tyler's web site for details.

 

I would think the remaining $1500 should finish off the swap. Trick is to not get too fancy.

 

Since you looked at previous postings about manual transmission and HP ratings, then you realize most people on this site will tell you 300+ HP is too much for a T5. Higher HP needs a T56 6 speed. Complete T56 and clutch assembly on ebay will easily hit $1500 by themselves. The auto will save you quite a bit.

 

If you are OK with 250 HP and had your heart set on the T5 manual, then I thought the F bodies GM cars just prior to the LT1's were exactly what you are asking for. Just make sure you get a 350 and not a 305.

[Guest greimann]

Just as a voice of experience, I have a T5 in my ZX behind a ~350 hp motor and have had no problems. I have about 50k miles on it now. One key is to use a better grade of oil. TCI makes a racing ATF oil that has molydisulfide in it. it really makes a difference.

 

Regarding your motor question. A 350 with just a cam and intake will make 300 hp with no problem. Probably more.

[Guest Anonymous]

Thank you very much. I'm not going auto. I want a stick. I've been driving an auto 87 Supra for a while. I'm not set on the T5 but whatever is more than sufficient enough to handle 300hp or slightly above. I don't think the T56 is a good move for me because this is a daily driver and I don't want to stall in 1st gear and start the car on the 2nd gear all the time. I was under the impression that the T56 needs about 400hp to get going. But I could be wrong, if so, forgive my naive thinking.

[Guest greimann]

First we really should be talking torque values when rating a transmission because that is really what will break it, but releative HP ranges is close enough for now. The T56 has the internal strength to handle much more torque than the T5, it's not that it takes a torquey motor to make it turn. I think what you are refering to is the gear ratios. Both transmissions were intended to be used in heavy vehicles that had very torquey motors and rear gears in the 3.08, 3.42 range. Most Z cars are light and have 3.54 to 3.9 rear gears and when mated with the above transmissions, 1st gear goes by pretty quickly. For just puttin' around driving, starting in second gear saves a bunch of shifting when you are juggling a cell phone and a 64oz Big Gulp. When you want to "get it on" 1st gear gets you out of the hole pretty quickly.

 

The ratios in my T5 are below, and the T56 gears are pretty close to the same, if not exact. What the T56 does give you is another over drive gear of .5 (for some years) which is not really usable until 85 MPH. With my 3.7 rear gear and .62 overdrive, I don't use 5th until 60 MPH, otherwise the motor will be turning below 2000 rpm and out of the torque peak.

 

BTW, my reference to ATF in my previous post is because these transmission require ATF as the oil.

 

1st = 2.95

2nd = 1.94

3rd = 1.37

4th = 1

5th = .62

[Guest Anonymous]

Yeah the T56 uses ATF as well. (Dextron II or III) The only caviate aside from gearing on the T56 is price. Even if you get lucky and find one cheap that hasn't been manhandled, unless you have a late model chevy motor with the newer one piece crank seal and different bolt pattern, you have to buy a centerforce flywheels for an additional 260.00. If you don't beat on the T5 constantly, or you have it worked over by one of the tranny vendors then it should work well, its a impressive relatively small tranny that weighs nothing by comparison to the T56. (I can easily curl the T5, a T56, well lets say I may be able to pick it up, but I'll need some muscle relaxers trying to curl the thing... )

 

Regards,

 

Lone

[Guest Anonymous]

Ok, I've done some math and looks like with the car complete it will do about 320hp at the wheels. Most likely add a 50hp shot of Nitrous later. The overdrive option sounds ideal since this will be a Gt cruiser. So, is the T5 pushing it, or should I go with the T56? I'd rather pay a bit more now than waste money on a tranny that's break. Will I be required to start in 2nd gear with the T56?

[DavyZ]

In a word, yes. At least from what I have learned from Lone about his setup. The T56 is ok, but 1st goes in and out too quickly for my taste. Me thinks you should be looking at a modified Tremec for Chevy applications by Darkhorse performance or the like. Go to Pete's site and get his info.

 

Davy

[Mike C]

The T56 has a 2.6 first gear, while the Tremec has a 3.27 first gear. If you think the T56 is too short of a first, the Tremec is just a blink in comparison. I like lots of gear in my vehicles however. Power is put to the ground NOW and more gear allows you to better modulate power output to control wheelspin based on the traaction available. If you like to spped shift, stay away from the T5. It is a smooth shifting transmission with a nice spread of gears including a 2.95 first gear, between the Tremec and the T56. Add the Gearzone.net countershaft stabilizer and rebuild a World Class T5 and if should be fine in a 2400# car with 350 hp. The Tremec is a better solution than the T56 IMO because of the deeper first gear and the single overdrive coupled with the 3.54 gears of the most commonly found r200 diff give the best of both worlds. The advantage of the T56 is you can get one used, but the price isn't much less than a new Tremec from Fortes or Dark Horse Performance.

[pparaska]

Well, the Tremec shifts more like a truck transmission than a car. It's not horrible, but nothing like a T5. Notchy, but not horrible.

 

Jim Biondo had a built T5 in his 570 hp V8 260Z. In several thousand miles of street, road course, and drag strip combined driving, it never gave up the ghost.

 

But I've seen others with V8Z's go through them. I'd give Bob Hanlon at http://www.hanlonmotorsports.com a call and talk to him - he's a pro at the Tremec and T5s and has both for sale with upgrades.

 

His GM'd tremec TKO is about the same price as Darkhorse's GM'd Tremec 3550 (weaker than the TKO). I'd be talking to Bob Hanlon about a Tremec, these days. But see what he says about a built up T5 - I'd prefer that trans for many reasons if it could handl the abuse.

[Guest Anonymous]

Thank you all. I'm going to do some serious investigating and soul searching -- will I want to kill Vipers and Vettes in the future or keep the car in the 300hp range.