Budget T5 upgrade?
12-01-2017, 02:20 AM
#1
Budget T5 upgrade?
I have a 1983 Camaro Z28 H.O with the factory T5 transmission. The problem is I am looking to do a vortec 350 swap that I am gonna try and get 300-350 HP out of, and I have read that chances are my T5 will not be able to handle it. I have two questions, will my 90 thousand mile T5 hold up to that power reliably, and what is a good budget alternative. I have looked into T56 swaps, but it seems WAYYY out of my price range. I would prefer to keep it a manual, and also one that could be found at a junkyard. My local junkyard sells transmissions complete for 100 flat and has over 2000 vehicles, so it would be awesome if I could find one there. I don't even care if its still a 5 speed, I just need it to be more durable. I am 17 and work part time for 10.50 an hour, and this is my daily driver. Would there be any aftermarket beefier T5 rebuild kits worth the effort? Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks in advance!
12-01-2017, 07:31 AM
#3
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Re: Budget T5 upgrade?
"Budget" is a widely abused term: its TRUE meaning is, if you have to buy something and you know what it costs, planning your OTHER expenditures around the KNOWN expense you're facing, so that you can cover it.
Your "budget" should be around $2500 MINIMUM for a T-56, if you're not in a hurry to have it all by this weekend. More like $3500 if you've already trashed the T-5 and the car is now disabled.
Coming in here and beating all of us over the head about your crappy job won't make the parts you need any cheeeeeper. Either you want to upgrade it, in which case you'll do what it takes to make it happen; or, you don't care that much, in which case your excuse will be "I'm not willing to afford it".
Nothing you can do to a T-5 will be "worth it"; ESPECIALLY not the 1st design version. Don't waste A SINGLE PENNY on it. Start saving up NOW for a T-56. Best lowest-cost most direct least grief route will be to look for a whole wrecked 94-97 Z28 or Trans Am rather than trying to piece it together at the junkyard.
I could be wrong of course; in fact I find being wRong quite eeeeezy; just ask my kids. But I SERIOUSLY doubt you're going to find that transmission in a junkyard for 100 flat, given that (a) the employees of the yard are all looking for the same thing, and (b) they all know they can pull it, pay 100 flat, and turn it around for more than 5 times that much. When I put a 96 (I think it was...) in my 83 L69 Z28 in around 2002 or so after about the 15th T-5 I tore up, it took me around $2000, because I bought a really CHERRY transmission and paid $1000 for it; but I got a lot of other stuff cheeeep because I was patient and waited for other people who thought they were "on a budget" to sell off the parts & pieces they bought at a loss because they decided they weren't willing to afford to complete the swap. I got several NEW pieces that way at a steep discount, like the $$$flywheel$$$ and $$$torque arm / crossmember$$$ setup. In the end, it was one of the best things I ever did to the car; almost as good as putting a 400 in it.
Your "budget" should be around $2500 MINIMUM for a T-56, if you're not in a hurry to have it all by this weekend. More like $3500 if you've already trashed the T-5 and the car is now disabled.
Coming in here and beating all of us over the head about your crappy job won't make the parts you need any cheeeeeper. Either you want to upgrade it, in which case you'll do what it takes to make it happen; or, you don't care that much, in which case your excuse will be "I'm not willing to afford it".
Nothing you can do to a T-5 will be "worth it"; ESPECIALLY not the 1st design version. Don't waste A SINGLE PENNY on it. Start saving up NOW for a T-56. Best lowest-cost most direct least grief route will be to look for a whole wrecked 94-97 Z28 or Trans Am rather than trying to piece it together at the junkyard.
I could be wrong of course; in fact I find being wRong quite eeeeezy; just ask my kids. But I SERIOUSLY doubt you're going to find that transmission in a junkyard for 100 flat, given that (a) the employees of the yard are all looking for the same thing, and (b) they all know they can pull it, pay 100 flat, and turn it around for more than 5 times that much. When I put a 96 (I think it was...) in my 83 L69 Z28 in around 2002 or so after about the 15th T-5 I tore up, it took me around $2000, because I bought a really CHERRY transmission and paid $1000 for it; but I got a lot of other stuff cheeeep because I was patient and waited for other people who thought they were "on a budget" to sell off the parts & pieces they bought at a loss because they decided they weren't willing to afford to complete the swap. I got several NEW pieces that way at a steep discount, like the $$$flywheel$$$ and $$$torque arm / crossmember$$$ setup. In the end, it was one of the best things I ever did to the car; almost as good as putting a 400 in it.
12-01-2017, 08:20 AM
#4
Re: Budget T5 upgrade?
"Budget" is a widely abused term: its TRUE meaning is, if you have to buy something and you know what it costs, planning your OTHER expenditures around the KNOWN expense you're facing, so that you can cover it.
Your "budget" should be around $2500 MINIMUM for a T-56, if you're not in a hurry to have it all by this weekend. More like $3500 if you've already trashed the T-5 and the car is now disabled.
Coming in here and beating all of us over the head about your crappy job won't make the parts you need any cheeeeeper. Either you want to upgrade it, in which case you'll do what it takes to make it happen; or, you don't care that much, in which case your excuse will be "I'm not willing to afford it".
Nothing you can do to a T-5 will be "worth it"; ESPECIALLY not the 1st design version. Don't waste A SINGLE PENNY on it. Start saving up NOW for a T-56. Best lowest-cost most direct least grief route will be to look for a whole wrecked 94-97 Z28 or Trans Am rather than trying to piece it together at the junkyard.
I could be wrong of course; in fact I find being wRong quite eeeeezy; just ask my kids. But I SERIOUSLY doubt you're going to find that transmission in a junkyard for 100 flat, given that (a) the employees of the yard are all looking for the same thing, and (b) they all know they can pull it, pay 100 flat, and turn it around for more than 5 times that much. When I put a 96 (I think it was...) in my 83 L69 Z28 in around 2002 or so after about the 15th T-5 I tore up, it took me around $2000, because I bought a really CHERRY transmission and paid $1000 for it; but I got a lot of other stuff cheeeep because I was patient and waited for other people who thought they were "on a budget" to sell off the parts & pieces they bought at a loss because they decided they weren't willing to afford to complete the swap. I got several NEW pieces that way at a steep discount, like the $$$flywheel$$$ and $$$torque arm / crossmember$$$ setup. In the end, it was one of the best things I ever did to the car; almost as good as putting a 400 in it.
Your "budget" should be around $2500 MINIMUM for a T-56, if you're not in a hurry to have it all by this weekend. More like $3500 if you've already trashed the T-5 and the car is now disabled.
Coming in here and beating all of us over the head about your crappy job won't make the parts you need any cheeeeeper. Either you want to upgrade it, in which case you'll do what it takes to make it happen; or, you don't care that much, in which case your excuse will be "I'm not willing to afford it".
Nothing you can do to a T-5 will be "worth it"; ESPECIALLY not the 1st design version. Don't waste A SINGLE PENNY on it. Start saving up NOW for a T-56. Best lowest-cost most direct least grief route will be to look for a whole wrecked 94-97 Z28 or Trans Am rather than trying to piece it together at the junkyard.
I could be wrong of course; in fact I find being wRong quite eeeeezy; just ask my kids. But I SERIOUSLY doubt you're going to find that transmission in a junkyard for 100 flat, given that (a) the employees of the yard are all looking for the same thing, and (b) they all know they can pull it, pay 100 flat, and turn it around for more than 5 times that much. When I put a 96 (I think it was...) in my 83 L69 Z28 in around 2002 or so after about the 15th T-5 I tore up, it took me around $2000, because I bought a really CHERRY transmission and paid $1000 for it; but I got a lot of other stuff cheeeep because I was patient and waited for other people who thought they were "on a budget" to sell off the parts & pieces they bought at a loss because they decided they weren't willing to afford to complete the swap. I got several NEW pieces that way at a steep discount, like the $$$flywheel$$$ and $$$torque arm / crossmember$$$ setup. In the end, it was one of the best things I ever did to the car; almost as good as putting a 400 in it.
12-01-2017, 09:01 AM
#5
Re: Budget T5 upgrade?
Use what you got til it breaks...
Next "cheap' upgrade is a newer (89) World Class T5...
If you're on street / street tires, it could last a long time... many members here have had them behind 350's etc... and street tires for a while...
If you're intent is to drag race it, etc... then it's on borrowed time...
All other choices beyond stock replacement are expensive...
I went with an Astro Performance Super a5, but expensive...
Rafael
Next "cheap' upgrade is a newer (89) World Class T5...
If you're on street / street tires, it could last a long time... many members here have had them behind 350's etc... and street tires for a while...
If you're intent is to drag race it, etc... then it's on borrowed time...
All other choices beyond stock replacement are expensive...
I went with an Astro Performance Super a5, but expensive...
Rafael
12-01-2017, 09:08 AM
#6
Supreme Member
Re: Budget T5 upgrade?
Astro and Gforce both have upgrades but only work in the world class second design. Other that that a T56 is the way to go except people seem to want way to much money for them. Put in the 350 and drive the car while looking for a replacement.
12-01-2017, 11:58 AM
#7
Re: Budget T5 upgrade?
If you drive like you have some sense, and don't abuse the transmission with clutch dumps, burnouts and power shifting, it should be fine for a long time. You get what you pay for, especially with major components like transmissions. So be nice to what you have, make it last, and save for a T56 if you're truly going to make big power or you want to get rough with the car.
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12-01-2017, 12:58 PM
#8
Re: Budget T5 upgrade?
If you drive like you have some sense, and don't abuse the transmission with clutch dumps, burnouts and power shifting, it should be fine for a long time. You get what you pay for, especially with major components like transmissions. So be nice to what you have, make it last, and save for a T56 if you're truly going to make big power or you want to get rough with the car.
12-01-2017, 01:48 PM
#9
Re: Budget T5 upgrade?
T-5 are horribly weak but it is not the power that breaks them it is the shock to them.
I broke my first WC T5 with a stock 305 TBI. ~170hp broke a T5 because I was doing power shifts and burnouts. I stopped doing those things and the transmission and it survived two 350s and a 383. A T5 can last as long as you don't shock it. Stick with the T5 and buy a spare.
However, this is your only car and you have a low paying job. Your priorities may be out of whack if you want to be doing engine and tranny swaps. Is this car going to be a vehicle that you keep for many years to come or is just something cool looking that you could afford at 16? If you don't see owning it for many years then putting any major amount of money into it will be wasted.
I know you see guys like us on the internet and at car shows with these cool toys and you want one too. But the problem is you are only seeing money as the impediment and you think "Sure, I'll just save up for a while!" Stuff like engine swaps and trans swaps need you to have a second vehicle and a dedicated garage with tools. Always relying on your friend's help, your parent's charity for using their garage and whomever for rides everywhere while your car is down and you have a job that you have to get to will get old, trust me. If your parents have a spare vehicle and a spare spot in the garage, you can do all this without help AND everything else on the car is perfectly reliable then you can look into doing stuff like this. But moreover, SBC stuff is dying and you are young. With the amount of money that you will have in a Vortec 350 and a T56 conversion (yes, even from a 5 speed it's still a conversion!) you could purchase a pullout LS+6 speed. You will have to pony up more for a few swap parts but in the end you will be far ahead in terms of power and reliability. As an added side note I've seen LS 6 speed swapped thirdgens go for around $5000, they are out there so that could be an option too. Most of us here, myself included, have six speeds because we have been in the SBC world before the popularity of the LS swap and we have a fair amount of good SBC parts. If you aren't solidly rooted in the SBC world you are better of doing the LS swap.
I broke my first WC T5 with a stock 305 TBI. ~170hp broke a T5 because I was doing power shifts and burnouts. I stopped doing those things and the transmission and it survived two 350s and a 383. A T5 can last as long as you don't shock it. Stick with the T5 and buy a spare.
However, this is your only car and you have a low paying job. Your priorities may be out of whack if you want to be doing engine and tranny swaps. Is this car going to be a vehicle that you keep for many years to come or is just something cool looking that you could afford at 16? If you don't see owning it for many years then putting any major amount of money into it will be wasted.
I know you see guys like us on the internet and at car shows with these cool toys and you want one too. But the problem is you are only seeing money as the impediment and you think "Sure, I'll just save up for a while!" Stuff like engine swaps and trans swaps need you to have a second vehicle and a dedicated garage with tools. Always relying on your friend's help, your parent's charity for using their garage and whomever for rides everywhere while your car is down and you have a job that you have to get to will get old, trust me. If your parents have a spare vehicle and a spare spot in the garage, you can do all this without help AND everything else on the car is perfectly reliable then you can look into doing stuff like this. But moreover, SBC stuff is dying and you are young. With the amount of money that you will have in a Vortec 350 and a T56 conversion (yes, even from a 5 speed it's still a conversion!) you could purchase a pullout LS+6 speed. You will have to pony up more for a few swap parts but in the end you will be far ahead in terms of power and reliability. As an added side note I've seen LS 6 speed swapped thirdgens go for around $5000, they are out there so that could be an option too. Most of us here, myself included, have six speeds because we have been in the SBC world before the popularity of the LS swap and we have a fair amount of good SBC parts. If you aren't solidly rooted in the SBC world you are better of doing the LS swap.
12-01-2017, 02:29 PM
#10
Re: Budget T5 upgrade?
T-5 are horribly weak but it is not the power that breaks them it is the shock to them.
I broke my first WC T5 with a stock 305 TBI. ~170hp broke a T5 because I was doing power shifts and burnouts. I stopped doing those things and the transmission and it survived two 350s and a 383. A T5 can last as long as you don't shock it. Stick with the T5 and buy a spare.
However, this is your only car and you have a low paying job. Your priorities may be out of whack if you want to be doing engine and tranny swaps. Is this car going to be a vehicle that you keep for many years to come or is just something cool looking that you could afford at 16? If you don't see owning it for many years then putting any major amount of money into it will be wasted.
I know you see guys like us on the internet and at car shows with these cool toys and you want one too. But the problem is you are only seeing money as the impediment and you think "Sure, I'll just save up for a while!" Stuff like engine swaps and trans swaps need you to have a second vehicle and a dedicated garage with tools. Always relying on your friend's help, your parent's charity for using their garage and whomever for rides everywhere while your car is down and you have a job that you have to get to will get old, trust me. If your parents have a spare vehicle and a spare spot in the garage, you can do all this without help AND everything else on the car is perfectly reliable then you can look into doing stuff like this. But moreover, SBC stuff is dying and you are young. With the amount of money that you will have in a Vortec 350 and a T56 conversion (yes, even from a 5 speed it's still a conversion!) you could purchase a pullout LS+6 speed. You will have to pony up more for a few swap parts but in the end you will be far ahead in terms of power and reliability. As an added side note I've seen LS 6 speed swapped thirdgens go for around $5000, they are out there so that could be an option too. Most of us here, myself included, have six speeds because we have been in the SBC world before the popularity of the LS swap and we have a fair amount of good SBC parts. If you aren't solidly rooted in the SBC world you are better of doing the LS swap.
I broke my first WC T5 with a stock 305 TBI. ~170hp broke a T5 because I was doing power shifts and burnouts. I stopped doing those things and the transmission and it survived two 350s and a 383. A T5 can last as long as you don't shock it. Stick with the T5 and buy a spare.
However, this is your only car and you have a low paying job. Your priorities may be out of whack if you want to be doing engine and tranny swaps. Is this car going to be a vehicle that you keep for many years to come or is just something cool looking that you could afford at 16? If you don't see owning it for many years then putting any major amount of money into it will be wasted.
I know you see guys like us on the internet and at car shows with these cool toys and you want one too. But the problem is you are only seeing money as the impediment and you think "Sure, I'll just save up for a while!" Stuff like engine swaps and trans swaps need you to have a second vehicle and a dedicated garage with tools. Always relying on your friend's help, your parent's charity for using their garage and whomever for rides everywhere while your car is down and you have a job that you have to get to will get old, trust me. If your parents have a spare vehicle and a spare spot in the garage, you can do all this without help AND everything else on the car is perfectly reliable then you can look into doing stuff like this. But moreover, SBC stuff is dying and you are young. With the amount of money that you will have in a Vortec 350 and a T56 conversion (yes, even from a 5 speed it's still a conversion!) you could purchase a pullout LS+6 speed. You will have to pony up more for a few swap parts but in the end you will be far ahead in terms of power and reliability. As an added side note I've seen LS 6 speed swapped thirdgens go for around $5000, they are out there so that could be an option too. Most of us here, myself included, have six speeds because we have been in the SBC world before the popularity of the LS swap and we have a fair amount of good SBC parts. If you aren't solidly rooted in the SBC world you are better of doing the LS swap.
12-01-2017, 04:12 PM
#11
Re: Budget T5 upgrade?
any gear whines, leaks from the T5 yo have? Cases can stretch on these things and then usually its the beginning of the end.
I'd recommend inspecting what you have and take it from there. Also do a search and read up on sofakingdom's posts about the T5. Some good info about signs and symptoms of a tranny that's on borrowed time.
I'd recommend inspecting what you have and take it from there. Also do a search and read up on sofakingdom's posts about the T5. Some good info about signs and symptoms of a tranny that's on borrowed time.
12-01-2017, 04:40 PM
#12
Re: Budget T5 upgrade?
If you want practice I would focus on the suspension, replacing it's components. Springs, shocks/struts, steering components and bushings. In my area the cars in the junk yards are 95ish to 2005ish so you should be able to find parts cars or 6 speed LS pullouts on craigslist without much trouble. As Sofa said you will not be finding them in parts yards though. Every LS car in a junkyard will have the "good stuff" removed from it before it hits the yard for you and me. You will want to be looking on the craigslists (every craigslist within a 3 hour drive) everyday. When one pops up for a decent price it will be gone by the end of that week's weekend. Guaranteed.
12-01-2017, 04:53 PM
#13
Re: Budget T5 upgrade?
If you want practice I would focus on the suspension, replacing it's components. Springs, shocks/struts, steering components and bushings. In my area the cars in the junk yards are 95ish to 2005ish so you should be able to find parts cars or 6 speed LS pullouts on craigslist without much trouble. As Sofa said you will not be finding them in parts yards though. Every LS car in a junkyard will have the "good stuff" removed from it before it hits the yard for you and me. You will want to be looking on the craigslists (every craigslist within a 3 hour drive) everyday. When one pops up for a decent price it will be gone by the end of that week's weekend. Guaranteed.
12-01-2017, 04:54 PM
#14
Re: Budget T5 upgrade?
any gear whines, leaks from the T5 yo have? Cases can stretch on these things and then usually its the beginning of the end.
I'd recommend inspecting what you have and take it from there. Also do a search and read up on sofakingdom's posts about the T5. Some good info about signs and symptoms of a tranny that's on borrowed time.
I'd recommend inspecting what you have and take it from there. Also do a search and read up on sofakingdom's posts about the T5. Some good info about signs and symptoms of a tranny that's on borrowed time.