3550 Input/Main Shaft
10sp in, 28 out
TKO500 Cluster
Tko500/600 Case
2nd and 3rd have been replaced, not sure if it was with 3550/tko or tko500/600 parts at this point.
This happened at MSRH a few years ago, I replaced the cluster and 3rd gear, I'd probably replace the same stuff and make sure 3rd is the newer alloy.
No way I'd put a T5 in the car at this point, a 3650 can be done, gotta cut the stock bell off and make another bell work if I remember correctly.
The transmission is listed as legal in the CMC rule book but it's not clear to me if such games to make it work with a 5.0 would be considered legal??? I'd certainly get a ruling before I spent the money. I'm also not completely sure I understand the advantages, either.Originally Posted by mach1
I made the stock T5 in my car last for well over a decade including more than three full seasons of racing. Much of the time over 300 hp and up to 330hp/350tq for one event. That one transmission easily had around 100 events on it, half of them doing double duty with Chris Marvel sharing the car. It wasn't even a T5Z. I swapped it out when the synchros were completely worn out in all the forward gears and it crunched lightly on every shift. Other people can't make them last more than a couple of events before they blow them to pieces...
Richard P.
I bought Marshall's Astro when he parted his car out. So far so good. I also have a WC T-5 and a 12-spline clutch that will be on the trailer for out of town events just in case.
I had a freshly rebuilt (professionally) T-5 break 3rd at Cresson last year after 5 sessions on track. My theory is that the case bearing bores get out of aligment and we don't check them for alignment before assembly. Then less than adequate tooth contact and boom, broken gears.
Daniel Records
CMC # 34
Modifications need to fit a legal gearbox to a legal engine and make the driveline work are CMC legal...as long as not done so as to gain other advantages. For example, you're likely to need to make modifications to the trans cross member to mount a different gearbox that has the mount two inches farther rearward and that's expected and ok but if those modifications result in the transmission also moving three inches lower then not ok. Logical?
Al Fernandez
Gear ratios also have to follow the rules.
Bryan Leinart
CMC #24
That's all logical but it's not really what we are talking about. The Tremec 3650 transmission has an integral bellhousing. That bellhousing is shaped such that you just can't drill a new bolt pattern to mate it up to a 5.0 pushrod block. To get this transmission to work on that motor, you have to replace the entire front of the transmission with a custom adapter plate that contains and locates all the bearings, shafts, shift rails, etc. in the front of the transmission. You then mount the transmission using a stock T5 bellhousing.
Making accommodations to mount a legal transmission is different than altering a legal transmission so it can be mounted. If you materially/structurally alter the transmission so you can bolt it up, is it still a legal transmission? It still mounts in the same location with legal gear ratios. I can see both sides. I'm thinking you might get different answers out of different people. I wouldn't want to risk showing up at nationals with something like that...
Richard P.
From what I can tell this 3550 doesn't have the road race 5th gear, might be a problem at COTA. To get it, I'll have to change all the gears in the box I think. I'll probably fix it at some point, but tentatively thinking of going T5 again.
- J
Stick with the Tremec 3550, 500, or 600. If you can break a TKO, for any reason, you won't make a weekend with a T5. Been there, done that. The cars T5's were designed for had 200 RWHP stock. We push 260 and put them in extreme conditions. That's sillyness and asking to break.
'86 Mustang Coupe - CMC2 34
If you stick with the 3.27's you shouldn't need the RR 5th.
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