I am looking at buying a conversion plate to convert the bolt pattern to a 350. I want to with a T-5 trans or T-56 if I get some money. Has anybody ever dropped one in there V6. I am working towards the V8 so I am taking 1 step at a time

 

T5 will not stand up behind a stout V8, without some serious work (look into the GForce T5 kit) - even then, you have to worry about the tranny case flexing.

T56 is a sure bet. I'd recommend just putting it in, at the same time you do the V8.

 

Doward is right, I was reading a few days ago about T-5s. This guy who made a site about his camaro projects had used the t5 to 350 camaro kit. 3 times. Burned out the t5 2 times in a row and the 3rd one just broke. Hes goin with a t56 swap. I'd recommend doing the same thing

 

My t5 is fine, with the only problem being a dying second gear syncro, which was a problem before i built the engine. Honestly its probably just the gear oil in it, i should be running atf but i havent had time to change it.

Texas lt1 has a t5, if you follow his posts he beats the snot out of it and it lives.

This is a kid with a 3.1 odds are he's not going to be building a 383 and flogging it at the track weekly.

 

I all ways find it kinda funny that pepole say the T5 can't handle a V8. Depending upon the year the Iroc Z's and Z28 had an option of a T5 or automatic. If it couldn't handle a V8 why would it have been an option? Surely GM wouldn't put the self in the position of having to replace a tranny a bunch of times while it was under waranty!

 

The T5 was not offered with the L98. If you wanted a T5, you got a 305. Go check with the "History/Restoration" board on this one.

Basically, a T5 will hold up under some power as long as you don't do dragstrip clutch dumps with slicks (or street tires for that matter) and full on sidestep the clutch with the throttle to the floor powershifts. Sure, there are some freaks out there that abused the hell out of their T5 and had it live, but not most.

I knew a kid who in '91 had the identical el-strippo Iron Duke powered S10 as I did. My T5 was still going strong at 157,000 on the original clutch when the engine holed a piston and I pulled the works for a V8/700R4 swap.

He destroyed two T5's and one rearend within the 36,000 mile warranty by doing things such as getting it going about 25 mph in reverse, then shoving in the clutch and grinding it into first while it was still coasting backwards, redlining the throttle and dumping the clutch to do burnouts.

 

backing it up and dumping it is for front wheel drives

 

doing 25 mph forward and then whacking it in reverse ? lol