ErikwithAK01

I'm beginning the next phase of perfromance upgrades to my Vette, and want some advice from people that have been there.

My drivetrain will come totally out for a Yank 3600ss, and a stage-2 RPM 3.73 diff, but what should I upgrade while I've got it all out???

So far I'm thinking upgraded tunnel plate, and rubber torque tube guibo's, but I'm not sure if I should get upgraded guibo's, or just new stock ones.

This is all in preperation for H/C sometime in the next year or so. The cam will be 228/232 .600 & .600 112LSA, and probably Texas Speed stage-2.5 5.3 heads.

Thanks in advance

chassed

how may miles does your car have??

don't forget to add a tranny cooler as well.

if youre set on changing out your couplers, I would also change the torque tube bearings.
maybe even a trans brace if you're interested in that.

car has headers I assume.

ErikwithAK01

91,xxx headers yes. What's a good tranny cooler? I live in Seattle.

chassed

I've used, B&M on three auto stalled cars.

imgn tht

Ok so I'm curious now...are these trans/diff mods requirements when adding a cam and maybe heads to an auto because they become a weak link? Or is it just to maximize performance since they wake the car up so much versus a 2.73 gear and stock tc? I have a similarly modded C5, and thought maybe one day a cam would make it's way into my car. Maybe I should leave well enough alone, I'm not prepared for trans and diff expenses.

ErikwithAK01

Its only 2K for a stage 4 rpm built trans, and 1800 for a stage 2 diff from the same place. I will do a torque converter, the built trans, and a built diff with 3.73 gears, and I will be set up to around 500whp. All I want is 430whp, so with that, and a built drivetrain, I can TOTALLY eliminate torque management, and still be plenty in the margin of safety for my drivetrain.

imgn tht

oh "ONLY?" $3800...well gee let me whip that out right now. That is alot of money in my opinion.

chassed

YES, for overall performance and drivabilty....at least a STALL is a GREAT option if you plan on camming the Car being an automatic.

Of course depending on the size of the cam...if a mild size cam is added without a stall, your car will want to surge forward and eat through your breaks at a stop LOL


that's a "downfall" of owning an auto..if you cam it, you would be very wise to add a stall LOL

my last C5 (coupe) was an auto to which I did cam and stall..boy was it fun..i daily drove it as well.

as far as having to add a BUILT tranny and diff...that's really like playing Russian roulette...ya just never know if it will hold...hence why adding a tranny cooler is a MUST. Heat will kill the 4L60...

the extra expense of buying built units will give you the peace of mind...but IMO if you don't race it...you might be just fine.
my car was fine on the stock tranny and diff...but I also didn't race it or beat on it...this stuff is all common sense.

I did all of my own work, so clearly I saved a ton of money.

the work is very doable if you don't mind busting a knuckle or two.
very technical stuff...anyone can do it IMO.

I did it on jack stands in my garage...

ErikwithAK01

Yeah, it is expensive I WANT that cammed up hot rod sound and power, but if I want it to really perform on the street...well, that means I NEED a stall converter. Well, I only have 3.15's so if I'm gonna do a re-gear to my 3.73's, I'll get a unit that is built with C6 Z06 parts (rpm stage 2 build) since C6 Z06's are putting out around 450whp, so I'll have a diff to handle the power. Well while I'm there...the stock 4L60E is a weakpoint, and drives me crazy with the torque management programming it was only designed for 360hp, which is why they added T/M to lessen the punchy, V8, tire smokin' low-end-torque that we all love. So if I get RPM to build my trans to stage-4, I will have the strength to handle my power adders, AND completely tune out T/M which is a goal of my build. Then, I will have a rock solid drivetrain, that can completely handle a HI-PO head/cam combo and be nearly as fast as a C6 Z06 for WAY cheaper than selling mine, and upgrading to a 45K dollar car.

There's a little back story, which is a better way to explain (just long) why I'm wondering if the extra strain on the drivetrain, not only for big power adders, but for the loss of T/M, will require me to add more reliabilty mods (tranny cooler, torque tube stuff, whatev) since I'm already in there. I might not need them after the drivetrain upgrades, but I might when I work the motor.

Forcedvert

It ain't cheap to build a corvette especially if you are paying labor, the tc is going to cost quite a bit also, but gears and stall are a must and better money spent first. If you have 273 rear you would be amazed at what those two things will do for the car even without a bigger cam.

tiojames

Got mine from Summit, I think they still carry B&M, has worked fine for over 8 years. It came with lots of parts for any type of install.

radar502

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cm-U...ature=youtu.be Welcome to the club if going to be a Hot Roder be one .I would replace or upgrade everything I could wile everything was out ,don't be that guy saying I wish I would have replace that wile I was at it .. My 04 Z-16 550 FWHP fun ride .. Turn it up ..

UM Rebel

I assume you do not plan on driving comfortably on the street. I drove a cammed, high stall c5 a few months ago. It drove like crap! Rough, loud and jurky ... if that's what you like.
Told dude I was thinking of buying from it might be fun for a few passes at the strip.

ErikwithAK01

Well I might buy my built diff with 3.42's then, but modern stall converters, like the yank ss3600, are comfortable enough for me on the street. Plus, I'll get smack dab in the middle of my power band with the cam I'm looking at

C5Natie

Rebuild the torque tube. Solid coupler on one end and a six shooter on the other. The rubber ones WILL fail.

Forcedvert

They will look like this

Forcedvert

Then something was wrong, mine is stalled 3400, you can't tell unless you power break it or punch it, other wise it's as smoothie as ever. How big was cam?

chassed

speak for your self...

my car was ridiculous comfortable to drive.

the cam I had was 230/236 .600 .600 113LSA with a 4k YANK stall.

ever heard that its all in the tune?

Is his car a high mile POS? kinda sounds like it...

chassed

exactly, the C5 is so Light weight I could barely tell my car was stalled and that's with a 4k stall...

Da Wiz

I went a similar route 5 years ago, but my order was reversed. I had the power before I had the hardware to handle it long term. When I purchased my 2004 Commemorative Edition, the original owner had done a nice head, cam and header package, using the 5.3 liter heads by the way, that ended up producing about 405 rwhp and 400 ft pounds of torque. He installed a 3200 stall along with a transmission cooler.

I drove the car in that configuration for another 45k without one single problem. I didn't baby it, but I never took it to the track or autocrossed with it. At almost 75k, the stock transmission began faulting for failure to shift. It did that to me twice. I spoke with the guys at RPM, and decided on a stage 3 3.42 differential, Level 5 4L60E Tranny with custom 1st and 2nd gear ratio, and a Vigilante 2800 lock up torque converter.

Along with a ported FAST 92 Intake, LS2 Throttle Body and Rocker Trunnion Upgrade, I ended up pushing 428 hp and 415 torque to the rear wheels. I'm telling you all of that to provide you my impressions of what you can expect from that power level.

My car is a daily driver. I currently have 96k on the clock. I live in Florida where avoiding rain is like trying to avoid oxygen. As such, my tire choice required I sacrifice some dry traction for rain handling ability. I'm running Michelin Pilot Sport tires, 275 35 18 fronts, and 305 35 19 rears. On dry roads I will break loose at 50 mph if the transmission downshifts to second gear. That is both exhilarating and scary. The guys at RPM did a great job setting the differential up. Now instead of the car stepping out hard to the right, it actually wiggles mildly back and forth as torque is transferred back and forth between the tires.

If you stated how you are going to use the car, I missed it. But if it is a daily driver, that 3600 stall is going to require some complimentary suspension modifications if you are going to hook that power once you cam it. At 3600 RPM, you are right in the middle of the fat part of your torque curve. Our cars don't do a great job in stock trim of transferring weight from the front to the back, and as such, will break loose readily if the torque isn't managed either by the computer or judicious use of the go pedal. In my opinion, if you are going to spend money to make power, you want that to be translated into gut twisting forward acceleration. If the tires can't hold, well than you've built a tremendous tire destroyer.

My 2800 stall is a blast, but when coupled with fly by wire throttle and gear choices made by the computer, it can be somewhat unpredictable. Just a small blip of the throttle takes that tranny to the stall speed, and the hit is solid. Getting slammed in the back with a sledge hammer kinda solid. Since I drive my car aggressively in the twisties, I wanted the hit to be earlier in the power band instead of in the midst of it, just to make the acceleration more linear. I will tell you that I now think my stall may actually be too high for aggressive driving in the twisties. It's beautiful for straight line blasts, but dangerous in a turn. You need to think about that and your goal of getting rid of torque management.

Final thoughts. There are guys on here that make massive power, and they have put in the time and treasure to learn how to use it. The really good or lucky ones started out knowing what their end goal was. Probably most of us developed our likes and dislikes through trial and error. If it's at all possible, know how you want to use the car the vast majority of the time. In my mind, an automatic car excels in straight line blasts such as on a drag strip or high speed road course, and will almost always have to overachieve to be competitive in the twisties. It can do it, but it is at a disadvantage. But since it's my commuter vehicle as well, I prefer an automatic due to the traffic Im in each morning. As such, mine is set up for good stability in turns, great straight line speed, but marginal ability to get through slaloms as quickly as the manual cars. That works for me. With a clear application in mind, pros such as the guys at RPM will advise you well.

All the best to you. It's a great journey.