1982firebird7

I know the listed torque capacity is around 300 ft lbs, but i have heard if it is not abused then it can last behind a motor capable of more than 300lbs. I have a stock WC T5 and i am doing a 350 build right now, and i am guessing its gonna have in the ballpark of 400 ft lbs torque. This would be a daily driver and would probably only be pushed through 1st and 2nd gear.(I know 3rd gear is the weak link) The occasional WOT wouldn't hurt too much, would it?

subroc

iTrader: (2)

There are members on here that for years have been driving around with more than 300 ft lbs and not broken the t5. The key is not to do any clutch dumps really. Just don't beat the snot out of it every chance you get and it should hold together fine.

JamesC

iTrader: (5)

I've been running a T5 behind my 350/330HO for a decade or more without issue.

JamesC

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

Do we suppose we could make a "sticky" out of all the millions of times this question gets asked, and always gets the same answer?

Which of course, the 2 above posts are one half of: the other half being, you can tear up a T-5 with ANYTHING, even a 6-cyl, if you abuse it. (at least, some people have done so... I have no experience whatsoever with 6-cyls in these cars, never even seen one, so I just have to believe what "they" say) The first 3 or 4 I tore up in my L69 car were when the 305 was bone stock.

It's all in how you treat it, not so much in how much power your engine has. Although, it's easier to treat it mean if you have more power. It's simply not a "performance" piece of equipment. Statistically speaking, treat it nice, there's a good chance it'll last quite awhile; abuse it, an even better chance it won't stand it for very long.

1982firebird7

ok thank you guys, i appreciate the help!

battman

iTrader: (2)

I've blown out 2 T5's on 2nd to 3rd WOT shifts, case flex and BOOM!

Normal to moderate driving you will be fine, its just a weak transmission any way you look at it.

IROCZ1989

iTrader: (1)

Im putting over 500hp through one. Couple of things break these quick. Slicks and hard launches at the track in a heavy car. Street tires and alot of hp it will last a while. Get a tko. They are not that expensive to be honest.

midias

Honestly all depends on you a lot of people here have had them with over 400hp driving on normal tires for many k miles. Others rip them apart stock. All about how you do it.

RICH92RS350

Banging second gear regularly will take it out....scattered two WC T5's with street tires, from bangin' second.
Since I installed a TKO, abuse hasn't caused any troubles...

-Rich

84 Z-28 350

I've went through 4 or 5 of them when I upgraded to a 350, granted it was mostly running them hard, but I did have one where the case exploded just by getting on it in 3rd gear, not dumping the cluck or powershifting, just flooring it from about 1500....I wish I took pics of it, it was a mess, the whole bottom half of the front of the case was missing. Also I thought the max torque was 150 ft-lbs for nwc and 195 ft-lbs for wc transmissions

antman89iroc

I ran a T5 behind my 350 with ~350WHP for years. I ran it at the track but didn't hit it hard out of the hole or run slicks. Never had a problem under power even with a 200HP shot of nitrous on top but didn't dump the clutch or do power shifts. Then one day normal driving into 3rd gear and broke the input shaft. ??
Now run a TKO and it takes a beating. The T5 is a smoother shifting transmission and if you don't run slicks or power shift it will last. That is as long as it's a good transmission to start with. If someone else beat the brains out of it just before you put it in it may fail even if you treat it like a cream puff. Also, there are companies that can beef one up a little and make sure it's built right with quality components. G-force is one and probably Liberty or others can set one up nicely.
As others have pointed out it's really how you treat it. Street tires, even sticky ones, don't hook like slicks on a prepared track. Rolling into the throttle with street tires, even with 400+HP, won't stress it as much as shocking it with the clutch or banging gears can.