Does anyone know how much horsepower and torque a stock T-5 will hold?

 

depends which one. If you have the World Class, that can hold up to the rated 300 lbs of torque. If you have the older one, I belive these were rated at 265. Either way, if you bolt a healthy 350 to it, it won't last long.

 

The WC T5-Z will hold 330 ft/lbs. I think that's as high as the T5 goes until you start talkin about the Tremec.

 

Hey thanks guys i only plan on running it until i have the money for a T-56. I am dropping my 355 in this weekend. Let the fun begin.

 

Actually, the T5 should hold up to about 300 lb-ft and the WC T5 somewhere in the neighborhood of just over 400 lb-ft. The number for the world class is according to my mechanic who just rebuilt my WCT5 and is a transmission specialist. And since a lot of 87 & 88 models with T5s are pushing near 300 lb-ft of torque I highly doubt they can only handle about 265.

 

Then your transmission specialist must be an idiot. Because The Tremec 3550 / TKO handles 400 ft-lbs. The regular WC is no where near as strong as the Tremec.

I just bought a T5-Z and the rating on it was 330 ft-lbs, that's the most a T5 will take until you start talkin about the TKO's and T-45's.

 

285lbs of torque.
either way its not much.
better off with something else....

 

I dont' know where these engineers come up with their torque rating and HP # limits, but I've got a 92 WC T-5 in my firebird and my car runs solid low 13's and I beat on the car pretty much on a daily basis ....tranny still shifts perfectly, and I've had this setup for over a year (had the tranny for 3 years, swapped in the vortec setup a year ago). I'm fairly certain my TQ #'s are well over 300 with the trap speed I'm getting. HOWEVER.....If you don't have very sticky tires I think it makes the tranny last longer cuz my tires (eagle GS-C) don't hook up for **** and I can just about spin em through 4 gears if I'm really powershifting like I do at the track. So I guess everything depends on your setup. But unless you are running some REALLY sticky tires, like Nitto drag radials or something, you are pretty safe running a WC T5 with a healthy 350.
Chris

 

I beat up on mine pretty good as well. Many 12 second passes and 115K miles on the tranny. It's taking about 480ft lb's quite nicely IMO!!

 

The shock loads are what gets them. I know a guy with 500+ hp 350 that runs roadracing slicks (14") and runs a 89 model T-5. He claims to have broken everything but the T-5. His advice to me was to run syn lube and never, ever power-shift the thing.

You also have to check the shim clearance for the input-output shaft and keep it at the min for the best results.

 

I have over 400 lbs of torque and still running the original 84 T-5 with BFGoodrich Drag Radials. I don't expect it to last a lot longer though, and my clutch does slip a little bit in first gear which probably helps to keep my tranny alive.