How much HP can the C5 drivetrain handle?
02-08-2005, 10:40 PM
#1
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Member Since: Jan 2005
Location: Shelby Township Michigan
Posts: 1,239
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
3 Posts
How much HP can the C5 drivetrain handle?
I'm wondering how much HP your trans and rearend can handle when in stock form? I see a lot of posts about all the motor mods people are doing and I'm just wondering if people are having to upgrade the trans and rear to handle it? which holds up better the 6 speed or auto? When I finally find my C5 I'll be doing some HP upgrades but I'd do the trans and rearend first before HP upgrades so I'm not throwing gears through the side of the trans.
02-08-2005, 11:23 PM
#3
Drifting
Member Since: May 2003
Location: Greenwood SC
Posts: 1,367
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It depends on a lot of things. Are you talking about a street or drag strip launch surface? Street or strip tires? These things all influence the forces on your drivetrain. An upgraded rear end and output shaft is recommended for 450+ hp at the strip, and the stock C5 clutch won't last long if driven hard with that much HP no reguardless of the surface.
02-08-2005, 11:32 PM
#4
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Member Since: Jan 2005
Location: Shelby Township Michigan
Posts: 1,239
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
3 Posts
I'm talking mostly street with a few trips to the track and maybe a set of cheater slicks on it. I see guys talking about how they've got 650+ hp at the wheels but never mention any upgrades behind the motor.
02-08-2005, 11:38 PM
#6
Team Owner
Member Since: Aug 2003
Location: VA
Posts: 24,333
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
St. Jude Donor '03-'11
Originally Posted by NitrousMan
I'm talking mostly street with a few trips to the track and maybe a set of cheater slicks on it. I see guys talking about how they've got 650+ hp at the wheels but never mention any upgrades behind the motor.
I think Tigger's assessment is pretty good. You may want to post in the forced induction section (or search there) for people who've been through it. Trolling over there I see alot of people with "broke dick drivetrain"s as MeanGreen put it
02-08-2005, 11:43 PM
#7
Instructor
Member Since: Jun 2004
Location: Temecula Ca
Posts: 244
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by NitrousMan
I'm wondering how much HP your trans and rearend can handle when in stock form? I see a lot of posts about all the motor mods people are doing and I'm just wondering if people are having to upgrade the trans and rear to handle it? which holds up better the 6 speed or auto? When I finally find my C5 I'll be doing some HP upgrades but I'd do the trans and rearend first before HP upgrades so I'm not throwing gears through the side of the trans.
I always ask this question to but I finally found the answer I was looking for in a copy of Corvette quartly magazine that I received at a C6 road show at my local dealer.
It says on page 65 the the 2004 Corvette's automatic transmission was limited to 360 lb-ft of torque where the new 2005 C6 could handel 670 lb-ft of touque. This was quoted by Steve Ford, assistant chief engineer to the automatic transmission.
Now I understood why the automatic was never offered in the Z06. Since stock was rated at 350 lb-ft o torque it must mean the normal C5 is pushing the limit. The article gets into some particulars C5 using four pinion gears, C6 uses 5 etc.
Looks like if you want to up the bar you probably best stick with the manual transmission.
Hope this helps.
02-09-2005, 05:56 AM
#8
Supporting Tuner
If you have a A4, you can get beefed up trannys like SLP Stage 4, upgraded TC and so on. Hardened shafts and bulletproof gears are also a good idea.
It is not HP that will break things as much as Torque on launch. I agree with everyone else - on a MN6/MN12, clutch, gears and shafts plus brace are smart options for upgraded engine output.
I've run almost 500rwhp through my (almost) stock A4 drivetrain and nothing has broken - yet.
EG
It is not HP that will break things as much as Torque on launch. I agree with everyone else - on a MN6/MN12, clutch, gears and shafts plus brace are smart options for upgraded engine output.
I've run almost 500rwhp through my (almost) stock A4 drivetrain and nothing has broken - yet.
EG
02-09-2005, 08:03 AM
#9
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Jan 2001
Location: Lakeland, Center of Florida Fl
Posts: 8,238
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have had many talks with Tremec. As well as Rockland standard gear. On an M6/12 they GROSSLY under est. the HP and TQ rating. As long as you dont drop your clutch and not running DR all the time it should last for a while. No telling how long when your talking huge HP numbers.
I will have around 700rwhp and keeping my stock Tranny. I do have an an upgraded dif. Since I sell the upgraded trannys I can get one at any time.
Jon
I will have around 700rwhp and keeping my stock Tranny. I do have an an upgraded dif. Since I sell the upgraded trannys I can get one at any time.
Jon
02-09-2005, 10:01 AM
#12
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Member Since: Jan 2005
Location: Shelby Township Michigan
Posts: 1,239
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
3 Posts
Originally Posted by Elpelon
I always ask this question to but I finally found the answer I was looking for in a copy of Corvette quartly magazine that I received at a C6 road show at my local dealer.
It says on page 65 the the 2004 Corvette's automatic transmission was limited to 360 lb-ft of torque where the new 2005 C6 could handel 670 lb-ft of touque. This was quoted by Steve Ford, assistant chief engineer to the automatic transmission.
Now I understood why the automatic was never offered in the Z06. Since stock was rated at 350 lb-ft o torque it must mean the normal C5 is pushing the limit. The article gets into some particulars C5 using four pinion gears, C6 uses 5 etc.
Looks like if you want to up the bar you probably best stick with the manual transmission.
Hope this helps.
It says on page 65 the the 2004 Corvette's automatic transmission was limited to 360 lb-ft of torque where the new 2005 C6 could handel 670 lb-ft of touque. This was quoted by Steve Ford, assistant chief engineer to the automatic transmission.
Now I understood why the automatic was never offered in the Z06. Since stock was rated at 350 lb-ft o torque it must mean the normal C5 is pushing the limit. The article gets into some particulars C5 using four pinion gears, C6 uses 5 etc.
Looks like if you want to up the bar you probably best stick with the manual transmission.
Hope this helps.
02-09-2005, 10:52 AM
#15
Le Mans Master
I love my 02 A4
The A4 is very responsive from my experience. I have an 02 A4, stock, 2.73 gears. I popped the mesh out of the MAF and found it even quicker to react. I love it.
I talked with a guy at WCC and he told me the engine can hold around 550HP and the trani. around 500HP before you need to really start redoing things.....I don't know, that's just what he told me. fyi.
I talked with a guy at WCC and he told me the engine can hold around 550HP and the trani. around 500HP before you need to really start redoing things.....I don't know, that's just what he told me. fyi.
02-09-2005, 11:07 AM
#16
Racer
Member Since: Jul 2004
Location: Newport AR
Posts: 412
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Even though I have one, I don't know the exact numbers for the A4, but I do have a lot of experience with GM muscle cars and both manual and automatic transmissions.
I agree that its torque and not hp that breaks transmissions.
In general stock manual transmissions will handle more torque; and a large part of that reason is the clutch which cushions the load. High torque and hard use will require a clutch upgrade or very frequent replacements.
GM has a great deal of experience with automatic transmission failure. If you owned a HD 4 speed GM auto in the early 80s you probably broke more than one output shaft - it was grossly under engineered for high torque, heavy load applications. But GM finally got wise and realized these shafts had to be increased in size and hardened. In any event, GM has made some advances in the Corvette autos since the 2 speed powerglides.
I would completely ignore GM's "ratings" for engines or transmissions - this has been nothing but a game for decades and its generally ten to twenty years before the "real" numbers are revealed.
I agree that its torque and not hp that breaks transmissions.
In general stock manual transmissions will handle more torque; and a large part of that reason is the clutch which cushions the load. High torque and hard use will require a clutch upgrade or very frequent replacements.
GM has a great deal of experience with automatic transmission failure. If you owned a HD 4 speed GM auto in the early 80s you probably broke more than one output shaft - it was grossly under engineered for high torque, heavy load applications. But GM finally got wise and realized these shafts had to be increased in size and hardened. In any event, GM has made some advances in the Corvette autos since the 2 speed powerglides.
I would completely ignore GM's "ratings" for engines or transmissions - this has been nothing but a game for decades and its generally ten to twenty years before the "real" numbers are revealed.
