I am currently looking to replace the motor in my 92 camaro and was wanting some opinoins on which motor to go with i have been looking at both the 5.3 and the LQ4 6.0 i am also wanting to try to replace the stock 700r4 with a T56 5 speed or 6 Speed. any advice will be helpfull this will be my first swap thanks.

 

T56 is a good unit. Honestly I would opt to find the ZF6 out of the Corvette. Same ratios as the earlier T56 6-speed in the F-body but in my opinion a better transmission. A 5.3 is pretty much a smaller bore LS1. They come with eithe 243 or 799 heads (same head made in different plant). They can make lots of power and are great engines. One thing is they are everywhere, but also the 6.0s are too.

The 6.0 is a good engine as well. Since you plan to rebuild the fact that some are oil burners is no big deal and shouldnt matter. Set on the LQ4 vs the LQ9?

 

with getting the ZF6 what is the different in the swap to the t56 ive done a little research for the swap to a t56 and doesnt seem that bad

 

ZF is not an easy swap like the T56 is, and the ZF is not as strong Not even the odd ZR1 version from '90-'95. The ZF ratios are nearly identical to the '94.5-'02 Z28 ratios.
The 6.0 is the better choice, get a '98-'02 T56 to go with it. It'll all bolt right together.
All T56s are 6 speeds.

 

Out of curiosity, have you decided on induction for this new engine?
I have recently started comtemplating an LS type of engine, but i'm wondering how many nickel and dime weirdo bits and pieces i'd have to buy before I can finally drive the car (differences between generations).

 

Both are real good engines you can find them in junksyards all over the place. do you plan on using the factory fuel injection from 5.3 or 6.0?

 

im going to try to use the ram air induction

 

ok i was gona say you could try the carb intake from edelbrock ive heard good things about them and you wouldnt have to run as many wires to. thats what i was going to do to my camaro but money didnt let me lol

 

yeah i have thought about doing carb so but at the same time i also wanna try to get the best fuel milage out of it as i can

 

yeah thats the downside to carb fuel mileage but it shudnt but that much harder to use the ram air your gona have a pretty quick camaro when it happens you gona use it as a daily driver to?

 

just depends on on whats going on with work lol but probably end up being a weekend driver unless the ol lady decided to take the truck

 

I am sure the paper blocker rings and cheap synchros of the T56 are amazing. Though they do hold power a stocker is not where I would go. Aftermarket FTW!

To say that the a T56 is a T56 is a T56 is stupid. They are NOT all the same. The input shaft is weak as hell on a T56, the VIPER unit is about the best as it gets. The ZF6 has a downfall......its a pita to somethimes get parts but it doesnt have the weak input shaft of the T56, the T56 does have a bigger output shaft though. If I remember correctly the early ZF6 is the strongest of the ZF6s but I might be wrong.

The ZF6 will feel tighter and the T56 feels like it has crappy spacing.

The ZF changed from a 1 piece ot a 2 piece synchro system, thats why the torque rating fell from 450 in the early ones to 400 in the later. Even the weight of the tranny is heavier with the ZF6, its a heavier duty unit all together. Not to say the T56 isnt a good unit though, it is very much so. ZF to me is built better and it is built to high specs than the T56......just because its not a USA piece. The case is beefier than the T56.

Only reason the C5 got the T56 is because it is cheaper. End of story....cost savings huge.

Either way, the T56 can hold what you put it in if you take care of it use it properly.

 

This is a person who obviously doesn't know the T56.
Which version did you drive? You have no clue, but I can tell, it was the '93-early '94 2.73:1-axle version, with the 3.36 / 2.07 / 1.35 / 1.00 / 0.80 / 0.62 ratios.
The Viper input shaft is not it's advantage over the F-car version. It's the larger output shaft, which is the weakness of the F-car version.
You also put words in my mouth, so to speak. Which isn't appreciated, it's disrespectful. I didn't say a T56 is a T56 is a T56, nor did I say all were the same. I corrected the OP, the part where it goes a T56 5 or 6 speed. No T56s were 5 speeds.
The ZF ratios were 2.68 / 1.80 / 1.29 or 1.31 / 1.00 / 0.75 / 0.49. All Vipers, and all '94.5-'02 Z28s, got ratios of 2.66 / 1.78 / 1.30 / 1.00 / 0.74 / 0.50.
That's so close you can't tell the difference.
There have been other sets of ratios for the T56.
There was a guy a couple of years ago, with a turbocharged silver WS6 fourth gen, on drag tires, putting 1000 RWTQ through rebuilt T56s. Yes, he kept breaking them, but he was feeding them 2.5 times the torque they were rated for.
Remember the Lingenfelter ZR1s of the mid '90s? Those were breaking ZFs beyond repair by the 600 crankshaft HP level.
So how can they be better than a T56?

 

ok well i am going with a different route decided with a 350 instead of the 5.3 or the 6.0 found a strong built 350 for 500 and also found a good t56 complete with hurst shifter for 750 now the question is how much modifications will i need to do for converting this from a 700r4 to a t56 i know i need the clutch pedal for the standard but what would i need to do as far as the tranny back will the same track bar work or will i need to custom make a new one and also about the drive shaft will the stock size work or need a different size i am aware that i will need a yoke

 

Let me break this down.

I am not trying to put words in your mouth or be disrespectful in any way. Have you experience with both transmissions? I have.......both can handle a lot of power if beefed up. I like the ZF6 in stock form better and usually (99.99999% of the time) Germany makes thing better than the good ole USA. And that is a fact.

So you say I am disrespectful and you say that I obviously dont know what I am talking about and that I have no clue. lol Pot meet kettle perhaps?

94 with a 383 LT4 top end kit, 2002 Z28, 2002 Z06, 2001 C5 coupe, 1997 C5 Coupe, 1996 SS, 94 C4, 1990 ZR1, 1991 C4, 1996 LT4, 1995 C4. Should I continue? I think I have driven enough of them to know my friend. When I say about spacing I dont mean the spacing of the gears. I mean the location of the shifter from 1st to 3rd to 5th. Able to comprehend now?

Wow, you can use google and the copy/paste function. Good for you.

The Viper version is BETTER in every aspect. It is made to hold much more torque than the f-body version.

You mentioned that T56s are used in a variety of vehicles....which is true. However, if you are advising people to use a T56 and then mention that they are used in a vast amount of different vehicles it is your job to inform the OP of the differences and that just because two vehicles have a T56 doesnt mean that one will do what the other can.

Its like saying all TH 350s are the same or that all 7.5 rears are the same and that all 454 ci engines are the same. Lets get real.

I never said a T56 was a 5-speed.

I never spoke of the ratios. However, the LS1/LS2 GTOs as well as the C5 Z06 get different ratios than the regular C5.

No ****, I never said anything about the gear ratios being different.

Again, copy and paste function and search engines are fantastic!

You do realize there are some ZF folks out there who make them to handle a lot of power right? Its like saying a 4L60E is a kick *** tranny for holding power. GM doesnt make great transmissions, they make good cases to use for rebuilds.

http://www.zfdoc.com/ Try it and see. Go tell them that ZF6s are junk.

Yes I do, again a beefed ZF CAN handle that. You are going by stuff from 17 years ago. Lets get with the current times, ok?

Next you will say how wonderful the 7.5 is in the F-body in comparison to say a Dana 44. Haha....

 

Heres a question, can you even get a ZF6 to bolt up to an LS1???

LS1 input shaft is different than the sbc/LT1 T56 shaft and that means the ZF6 wont bolt to a LSx motor since it bolts to SBC's You'd have to find a ZF6 input shaft that is capatible with the LSx.


Which motor is better? 5.3 vs 6.0? Depends on what your looking for. I think the 5.3 will get better mileage stock for stock but the 6.0 makes more power since its larger.

Both have strong bottom ends that will last a long time, even boosted they can make 600-700whp without too much worry when the tune is good and rpms are kept in check.

Its gonna come down to availability and price. If your hood can clear the truck intake, thats not a bad way to go! My buddy's truck intake 6.0 with big cam runs low mid 11's on motor and mid 10's on mild nitrous shot.

You can swap to a LS1 intake and fab up a Ram Air setup if you so desire. LS1 intake likely will shift powerband abit higher in the rpm range and wont make quite as much torque but thats a mute point, as these engines make PLENTY of torque to move a thirdgen.

5.3 with the right mods will still make alot of power too. Not far behind an LS1 which has been known to do 450whp with good ported heads and a medium camshaft. 400whp cam only on stock heads is common. They have good heads stock and really make some power.

Heck, even a baby 4.8 motor with cam on stock LS heads will give most guys 355-383 sbc's a run for their money.

 

A lot of 4.8s have the 799 head which is the same as the 243s just made in a different factory. Remember, 2001 and up LS1 intakes are LS1 intakes.

Ronnjonn, I am sorry if I came across as a dick. Lots is lost in translation and often times its hard to see the tone of someones intent with the written word. Sometimes I come across poorly and for that I say I am sorry. I didnt mean to do so.