powerhousecamaro

iTrader: (11)

A supercharged intercooled 383 with comp cam, rollers and stock heads and intake. A little over 500 hp on the crank, around 450 RWHP.

I know that the factory T56 is made to handle around 450 HP or Torque, well this setup is dynoed at 502.04 max torque. Will a T56 handle this power or I'll be going through T56s every once in a while?

I will come up with a centerforce clutch set/Flywheel, will that help or make the tranny work harder. I'd really like to have a T56 but I need your opinion on what to do to have a T56 work on this setup. I just really want to drive it around town and enjoy it, I'm not into drag or racing.
Thank you guys.

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

I would worry less about the T56 and more about the axle, the shock a manual tranny can put through an axle WILL cause problems.

If in the end you decide to go automatic there are shops capable of building 4L60Es that will live well behind the power your car has, that way you would retain OD and have lockup for cruising comfort.

powerhousecamaro

iTrader: (11)

I appreciate your opinion. The car already has a TH400 with a 3800 stall, the rear end is stock (97 SS) with 3:73 gears. I'm thinking of a T56 but everyone I spoke with about it (Locally, not on LS1tech) said that this kind of power will require a lot of shifting and I better stay with the TH400 because I'll be going through a lot of clutches.

Well, I like 6 speeds as I owned three of them before, this is my first Automatic Camaro. However, I never owned one with that type of horse. Is it true that it'll require "quick shifiting" ??
I agree on the rear end, I might think into modifying that. I know that many guys out there have T56s on more HP than what I have and wanted to ask how does it work with it and if they had any problems with the tranny being stock?

96lt1m6

iTrader: (31)

stick with the 400 more consistant, less chance of missing a gear

danhr

iTrader: (18)

but a poop load more drivetrain loss

dhdenney

iTrader: (53)

Let's say you decide to do the T56, if it were me, I'd put a quality clutch in it and run the trans til it broke. Seriously, they'll hold up for a while. Then I'd see about getting a T56 from T56rebuilds.com, RPM, or FLT.

Gun5

iTrader: (37)

im goin built A4 to T56.. anything at or above 3.73 on the street is stupid (i got a 3700 stall to) but when your going 60 your rpm's are through the roof... just do the T56 and master it... that triple OD is great for the street and besides everyone knows Automatics are just slow... rofl

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

With the level of power you will go through gears in just a couple seconds so hey you are going to have to learn to row well.

I would agree with the if you go too a T56 run the stock one till it breaks, during the learning curve you will likely misshandle it a little and I would rather misshandle a used one that you know will require work eventually than mess up a fresh one.

With the blower 3.73s and a T56 should be nice, if it were NA then 4.10s and a T56 are amatch made in heaven.

powerhousecamaro

iTrader: (11)

Well, I KNOW how to row well , like I said, I only had 6 speed camaros so far, this is my first automatic and I bought it from a guy who owns a speed shop in Chicago, he abviously likes automatics because they are faster with this kinda hp (Hey, this TH400 hauls *** and the car is ******* quick, I mean REALLY REALLY quick especially at take off). He recommended to keep it with the 400, but that doesn't convince me yet unless I'll be having a lot of problems going with a stock T56 and that's the reason I came here to ask you guys, I'm sure I'll get a much better opinion and that's gonna help me decide.

Now, as for a clutch, I bought a daul frection centerforce with the centerforce flywheel, this setup is at least %80 better than stock especially for this type of hp. I bought it a while ago, not for this car but I kept it and I think I'm lucky I didn't sell it yet because I never thought of buying an automatic Camaro, I bought this one ONLY because of what's under the hood, I could care less about the TH400 since I'm really not an automatic kinda guy.

I have another question: When does rear end work harder, with manual or automatic? or it doesn't matter?

Your opinions r helping me out a lot here, so please keep them coming.

dhdenney

iTrader: (53)

Well with the stock 10 bolt a T56 clutch dump could be the clutch dump of death. So at that power level, you're on borrowed time but even with an auto, I don't think it changes the scenario much. Personally I would think that 4.10's with the 6 speed would be better suited, but one good thing about it is you get to test out the 3.73's since they're already in there. I would NOT put 4.10's in the 10 bolt. I would peter around with what you got then when you bust the 10 bolt, decide which ratio for the new axle.

powerhousecamaro

iTrader: (11)

Good point. I think 4:10 is a good gear but not with this much horse, I'll be shifting so damn quick with the 3:73 now, the rpms will be high with the 3:73 and go figure how the 4:10 will do with a 6 speed and 500 hp, I would love to try it but i'll prolly be running 9 mpg , correct me if you think I'm wrong.

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

This spring a friend put a T56 in a car with 360rwhp stroker. 3.73s aluminum support cover, studded caps, aftermarket shafts, solid spacer and Auburn pro. First trip to the track on street tires the spidergears fragged. He had thought that if he left the slicks home and kept the launch reasonably soft it would be OK, it wasn't.

I setup new 4.10s for him and he knows he has to baby it till he gets a real housing under there because he already had about all the upgrades he could do to the 7.5".

An automatic is easier on the axle because it gernerates torque loads rather than shock. The fluid coupling of the torque converter acts like a shock absorber.

powerhousecamaro

iTrader: (11)

Waw, very nice info, thank you. So, in other words, if I go with a 6 speed and leave the 10 bolt 3:73 that's on it now, do I just have to really baby it?

Gun5

iTrader: (37)

well 4.10's and 6 speed on the highway still aint bad in 6th ur still under 2 grand as far as rpm's its not to bad my friends 4.10 6-speed camm'd ls1 car rolls around town nicely and cut's low 12's at the track

dhdenney

iTrader: (53)

Well my line of thinking was you'll make the power higher in RPM with the supercharger so I figure 4.10 to keep it in the powerband. When I had a 6 speed in my car, the 4.11 gear (9") was not too much gear. Hell I still have the same gear with my 4l60e. Whichever gear you choose, you'll have to baby the 10 bolt. It's just not a strong axle.

the_merv

iTrader: (88)

Lockup is your friend..
I have mine set to lock up at 30mph in 3rd, 40mph in 4th for cruising around, the RPM's hand at 1800 on the Street cruising around, and about 2700 on the Highway at 80mph..and that is with 3.73's.

All I got to say with that power is

Revelation Z28

iTrader: (10)

id say leave the TH400 until you get a 12 bolt, then you can decide on this.

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

Blowers like to pull against gears, even if you do a bulletproof axle I would consider staying down around 3.73.

With the T56 though 4.10s are fine on the highway.

I am with merv on the 3.73s and lockup with an auto is fine, with a TH400 though I would not drive it much the lack of OD and lockup IMO would make it suck.

powerhousecamaro

iTrader: (11)

oh maaan, everyone's opinion is going towards breaking the 10 bolt which is a fact, with this much power it won't hold much.
Ok, so to make the story short and if I understood you guys right :
With this power and if I want a 6 speed, I better come up with a strong clutch and a strong rear end ?? I only drive the car in town and race Mustangs from light to light, that's what I LOVE to do, I love the speed and the TH400 response, but I'm going with a T56 right after replacing the weak rear end, REVELATION Z28 got a very good point there.

96capricemgr

iTrader: (1)

The 10 bolt is more likely to survive behind the auto so it does sound like a good idea. Avoid wheelhop it will take teeth off the gears.