91GunmetalRS

I want to soup up my 89 Formula, but I think the 305 TPI is already pushing what the tranny can take. I've heard 240 Hp and about 300 ft/lbs is all it can handle. I want to put on some Vortech heads, headers, and better runners. But I don't want to be like my cousin who puts a new tranny on his 89 Mustang every friggin month.

88 350 tpi formula

iTrader: (9)

who's your cousin? (not in WI is he?)I know a mustang guy who thinks his stang is all bad *** blows t-5s left and right but the funny thing is he just don't know how to drive! it is one of the slowest mustangs around (no joke). a stock motor will blow a t-5 if you drive like an idiot. but, don't power shift or drop gears and they can take alot I had the t-5 behind the sbc 400 and so do many here if you do a search. its all on how you treat the trans.

SLP IROC-Z

iTrader: (1)

a t5 will last behind a lot of engines if its not abused horribly. for instance theres a dude around the boards with an 11 second Z28 305TPI supercharged, 3.45 gear and a t5 tranny. 145,000 miles on this car stock tranny and it hasnt blown its raced on slicks at the track everytime. basically he knows how to launch it, gotta side step the clutch to launch. and he doesnt power shift it. i have an 89 305 tpi 5spd iroc and ive kinda ruind two t5s for teh simple reason i did stupid things with em, what killed em was puttin it in 2nd gear, revin to to 3500 and dropin the clutch from a dead stop to get the tires to light. dont get me wrong u can drive the bag out of these trannys, i shift mine like a son of a bitch and that hasnt caused any damage to it. when i do burnouts 1st into 2nd there is 1 foot of delay between shifts, thats slammin on that shifter! so basically if u launch on slicks and dont slip/sidestep the clutch u will grenade it. or if u power shift, shiftin with out lettin off the gas u will grenade it. the weak part of the T5s are the cases, they like to flex. thankfully for us crazy people who like the T5s gforce now makes an upgrade kit for 900 bucks that has a rough estimation to handle 600hp and 500 ft lbs of torque.

383backinblack

if your lucky enough to have a t5 that isnt near death from years of abuse behind a stock engine, then your in better shape than most....

in general, if you make alot of power, your going to kill a t5, and rather quickly, why?

because it will only live if your not abusing the hell out of it, and i dont know about you guys, but i didn't build a car so i could drive around like a fossil all day.....i abuse the hell out of my tremec, by abuse i mean drive hard, not clutchless downshifting and such.

ive blown up 2 t5's in my time, my brother has blown up 1, and i've helped 7 other people change blown up t5's.

t5's are a gamble, a few people do ok with them, but there also a few people that run 11's with n/a motors with quadrajets on them, but that doesnt mean its something for everyone

pskel350

I run a WC t5, i picked it up used from a friend with 46k miles, and i broke it in 3 days, without driving like an idiot. Then after it was rebuilt it has lasted over 4k miles without a problem and i drive the car hard. i even have used slicks once, i didnt drop the clutch, however the stock 10 bolt didnt like it

i dont plan on my t5 lasting forever though

Barry85Iroc

Min'es still hanging...........156k (153K original motor) and 3k on new motor.

91GunmetalRS

My cousin lives in Palatine, IL. So I guess I'll go with a centerforce clutch, and basically drive less aggressively

Chickenman35

As long as you don't Drag Race a T5 will hold up pretty well. I Autocross and Hillclimb a 1986 Camaro with a fairly stout 350. I've run a WC T5 for several years without problem.

One of the most important things to upgrade on a T5 is the 5th gear bearing retainer. A Billet steel piece is essential. Only available for the WC series though.

Billet Bearing Retainer

This makes a huge difference to the life expectancy of a T5 for street or Autocross use. Drag Racing???? It's a gamble.

Abird4u2nv1

iTrader: (-1)

A WC T5 is rated to hold 305 ft lbs of torque, a normal T5 is rated I believe at 280, either way there are both junk. A stock 305 TPI puts out about as much torque as a WC T5 can handle, I've blown 2 of em, (2nd one due to salvage giving me a 14 spline T5 outta an s10, *******S), but the one I have in there now, aside from a bad syncro in 1st and 2nd, has held up quite nicely. Lot of it is in how u drive them, mines not a daily driver so it sees some abuse.

Camaro_nut

Just get a retro fit T-56 and be done with it! They can hold up
ALOT more power ( 450 ft. lbs. stock) than a weak T-5! AND, you now have a 6th speed! You can run deeper gears ( up to 4.56s!) in your rear for more power!

Once I do my motor swap ( 350hp/400 ft.lb. SBC) , I'm going to swap in a T-56 from a Trans Am. It's harder for me, cause I need to do some cutting, drilling, modifying, stuff like that.

If you buy the retrofit style T-56, it's a direct swap from
your T-5! Comes with adapter plate to configure the exact
length so it will bolt right up! Your existing hydraulics will work
as well, even your speedo sensor can be reused!

laiky

i'm with 383. if you go T5 its just a matter of time. If your going to spend some cash to soup up your car why not get a tko or t56 and get some piece of mind? If you can use everything you got every time your car is effectively faster.

I've said this before but i'll repeat my self. when i had the t5 it felt like a torsion bar, i could feel it wrap up under power. My tko is a rock.

383backinblack

ya, thats exactly what it feels like......the TKO is solid, good firm shifts, and it feels like its welded to the chassis under hard acceleration