I saw that e30 with the all alum 5.3 (lm4 / l33 ?) , and it says they used a 5 speed out of a camaro , what other not crazy expensive manual transmissions can you use on the LS based motors besides the t56?
I saw that e30 with the all alum 5.3 (lm4 / l33 ?) , and it says they used a 5 speed out of a camaro , what other not crazy expensive manual transmissions can you use on the LS based motors besides the t56?
They also broke it during the drags. 
tko 600, kinda spendy - modified t-5 can live behind an lsx - key word being modified.
What tranny is used in the trucks?
The AX15 from the Jeep world has been brought up as an option. Novak adapters has an adapter.
If you use the clutch as a "fuse", a stock Ford T5 "should" hold up just fine. Most of the Mustangs I have seen and raced have some killer clutches and eventually they just keep replacing transmissions as the shock load on them is too great or they finally pony up the bucks for a tremec 3550/tko/tko500/tko600 setup.
trucks used the NV3500 and NV4500. Not geared so well when it comes to sports car use. A Muncie 4spd can be adapted in, but then you'd be without an overdrive.
My "Hillbilly Clutch Slipper" might help a T5 live behind an LSx. Here's a couple pics of the one installed in my RX-7...
Nothing more than a $15 hydraulic screen door closer with a bit of all-thread added to it's shaft. Active point and release rate are adjustable from the driver's seat. My RX-7 on radials is getting 1.30 60' times using it, allows me to spray right out of the hole without a progressive controller. Here's a pic of my RX-7 early in the summer when it had a Saginaw 4 spd in it...
I'm going to ATTEMPT using a T-5 wc from a 91 Camaro I picked up for cheap. But my little 4.8 won't produce the same TQ as a LS motor.
well i'm considering a 5.3L, in what idk yet... 2nd gen rx7 is at the top of the list ....
Have people forgotten that manual transmissions were made that had less than five speeds? Any number of Muncie and other muscle car era four speed boxed should work fine.
In reply to tuna55:
But OD and MPG's make those dinosaurs extinct. Just look at the A883. It is now available with OD.
Ranger50 wrote: In reply to tuna55: But OD and MPG's make those dinosaurs extinct. Just look at the A883. It is now available with OD.
Extinct!?!?!
My three speed auto (TH350) which is decidedly LESS efficient than a Muncie whatever got 20 mpg on my half ton pickup with a carb and a topper. I don't see a OD swap getting that truck much above that. It's not all about RPM, ya know, plus, he was asking about a racing app.
weedburner wrote:
Quoted for wheels up, rear hatch popping, nitrous sprayin', '56 Chevy spankin' awesome.
As far as the original question why not just spend the extra coin on an F-Body T56 that I'm sure you can find used? I know theirs was a Challenge car, but ask the Vorshlag guys how much fun it is changing out 3 (so far) T5s.
tuna55 wrote: Have people forgotten that manual transmissions were made that had less than five speeds? Any number of Muncie and other muscle car era four speed boxed should work fine.
With stock 3.90 or 4.10 gears, the RX-7 on the OP's wish list would be much nicer if it gets an overdrive.
weedburner wrote:tuna55 wrote: Have people forgotten that manual transmissions were made that had less than five speeds? Any number of Muncie and other muscle car era four speed boxed should work fine.With stock 3.90 or 4.10 gears, the RX-7 on the OP's wish list would be much nicer if it gets an overdrive.
Well I guess it depends on the usage. Just putting it out there. Lots of old four speeds hanging around that worked just fine for decades.
Can someone educate me on how well these older 4 speeds work in an auto-x or road racing use? I'm young enough to have never driven a manual 4 speed.
There was an article in the magazine about gear ratios and four speed manual transmissions a while back, I don't remember what the title was though, the Richmond Super T-10 (I think) was used as an example.
In a light car and a decently torquey engine like a 5.3, I bet a four speed would be a great compromise for racing and road use, like the A833 OD box.
I'm currently putting around 600whp thru an old school Ford Toploader 4 spd, about 2700rpm down the freeway w/ 3.73's and 28" tires.
I ran many T5's thru this car 3 years ago, they were only good for around 350whp. Really loved the overdrive, but got tired of rebuilding them. Never tried an aftermarket gearset or a slipper.
Next for me were Saginaw 4spds. strongest were 2.84 gearsets, good for around 400whp, 3.11 and 3.50 gearsets somewhat less. Never tried the 2.54 set. After going to the slipper they took quite a bit more, but at around 500whp they were only good for 1 run. Didn't break many gears after going to the slipper, but at the 500 level I needed ear plugs to drive it back home (bent clusters). After 2 at that level, I went to the Toploader. So far, no problems w/ the TL at the 600whp level using the slipper.
In reply to weedburner:
Interesting - reminds me of the much-maligned Clutch Delay Valve that BMW began to plum into the clutch hydraulics back around 2000 - nothing more than a metered oriface to slightly slow the clutch engagement. Makes driving smoothly a bitch and most people who can actually drive take them out. If the LSx uses a hydraulic clutch setup a CDV may help the trans live.
pres589 wrote: There was an article in the magazine about gear ratios and four speed manual transmissions a while back, I don't remember what the title was though, the Richmond Super T-10 (I think) was used as an example. In a light car and a decently torquey engine like a 5.3, I bet a four speed would be a great compromise for racing and road use, like the A833 OD box.
Not sure about the ratios in the OD 833, but IIRC, the OD Toploaders (RUG/SROD) had around a 3100rpm drop going from 1st to 2nd with a 7000 shift point. That much gearspread can take a lot of fun out of it.
G-force or atlas gearsets/mainshaft and upgraded bearing support will get a t-5 to live with about 500hp - I looked up some costs though - puts you well into T56 territory. If not a street/driver car, I'd think 4 spd as well.
pigeon wrote: In reply to weedburner: Interesting - reminds me of the much-maligned Clutch Delay Valve that BMW began to plum into the clutch hydraulics back around 2000 - nothing more than a metered oriface to slightly slow the clutch engagement. Makes driving smoothly a bitch and most people who can actually drive take them out. If the LSx uses a hydraulic clutch setup a CDV may help the trans live.
Never tried BMW's orfice method, but I believe it slows down the entire release event, even the part before engagement begins. The hillbilly slipper has an orfice too, but it's adjustable and it's active point can be changed so that it only slows down the last part of engagement. Also possible to use on both hyd and mech setups.
How about a Ford Toploader tranny with this Quicktime bellhousing:
bluej wrote: Can someone educate me on how well these older 4 speeds work in an auto-x or road racing use? I'm young enough to have never driven a manual 4 speed.
They work pretty good in autox and road racing, where you really never need overdrive. Plus they are fairly light, strong and with the aftermarket, plenty of ratios to choose from. Driving one is much the same as a T5 or T56, you just don't have a 5th or 6th gear.
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