Hi, i'm building up a high rpm 283 and was wondering how good a wc t-5 would handle the power. i've got some heavily ported heads, 11:1 pistons, 244/252@.050 crane cam, holley contender intake, 750 4010 mech. secondary carb, and headman elite 1 3/4 long tube headers. I ran the combo through desktop dyno 2000 and came up with 429 hp at 8500 rpms and 341 ft/lb of torque at 6000 rpms. The motor is going into a ~2600 pound 88 mazda b2200 with a 8.8 ranger rear equiped with 4.10 gears and 26 inch street tires. How well will the t-5 hold up at high rpms?
Thanks Jeramie

 

rpm's don't kill T-5's, torque and traction do. I'm currently running a WC T-5 behind an LT4 conversion LT1 with approx. 375 hp/400 tq. and running a best of 12.87 @ 110. I've rebuilt it twice with new synchros and I've never powershifted it. If you're careful with it, it will last a good while. If you bash it, it'll grenade in no time. I think the only thing that has saved mine up till now once I started running Nitto's is that my clutch was going out so it started slipping a little on the launch, absorbing some of the impact.

 

I do the same with my car off the line. Slip it slightly for a half a second. Has lived so far with no problems, and it isn't even a world class tranny.

 

I shattered mine, even while I spoiled it with amsoil. The tools I
used to destroy it were:

1. B&M small blower, (144 ci?)-but with the smallest pulley(most
boost - 11-12 lbs).
2. NOS N2O, smallest jets in the plate.
3. A set of BFG T/A radials 275-50/15's.
4. True dual exhaust.

This was on an internally stock L69 h.o.

The motor at 35,000 miles looked brand-new-it came out and
sold to the shop pulling it out, since it was obviously a strong
motor-in went the LS-7 454 crate motor and the 8-71 blower,
but the T-5 was replaced by a TH-400. This combo broke every
other dang thing from trans back!

I admittedly drag-raced the poor T-5 constantly......(it ran 13.20
without nitrous, 12.50 with-spinning the meats all the way down
the track!)

 

A local guy here has a b2200 with a 305 in it. With a th350 tranny. Its a funny little truck. He also has a crazy caprice. 94 model I think. With a carbed 454, 4 speed rock crusher, air ride, yadda yadda. Interested car to say the least.