A lot have questioned the strength of the new setup of the A6 compared to the 4l65E, and the BWT56.

The new 6l80E is right in the middle of size between the 65, and 56. It has a thicker case, and extra ribbing, and has been tested by GM to handle up to 520ftlbs of torque, for truck applications, and the weakest setup can handle 280ftlbs, depending on the internals, and the vehicle setup it will be used in. Gm stated that the new tranny will be used in at least 8 different vehicle.

Unfortunately Hot Rod magazine was not able to find what the torque rating on our cars is setup to handle, but if slip is included in the tq rating, this leads to one high hp setup, even without any time on the market for upgraded stronger transmissions. But this will mean that when the strongest upgraded tranny is used in those truck applications, it will be cost effective, and easy to acquire the strongest units and apply them into the vette. Since this is going to become one of the most common trannies for GM in the next 10years, you could probably expect prices to be at or under $1000 for the 520ftlbs rated six speed. This tq rating is even higher than that of the T56A models that come in the 2005 C6's which are rated at 450ftlbs. The Vipers T56 is rated at 600ftlbs, and the T56 in the Z06 is as of yet unspeciified, but according to Tremec, the new manufacturers of the Borg Warner T56, they only offer a 400, 450, and 600lbtq rated versions, and the Z06 does not share the same part # as the Viper according to Tremec, but does have beefed up internals, so who knows hom much they can handle, they might just have some small upgrades, added to handle the 475ftlbs.

 

Thanks for the info i think the 6l80E will handle our cars and even more and its the same trans that is used in the 2007 Escalade

 

that deep first gear really allows the car to get with the program even with a tight torq conv.

I am really thinking a c6 paddle shift with the APS TT would be a great weapon!!!

 

I had a 1967 Corvette that I put a L 88 in it . I have had Manual Transmission all my life . But with the power of that L 88 427 at the Drag Strip I would run 11.20 at 124 mph . But my Trans & Clulch Did not like it at all . Yes i went thure a lot of them . So I put a two speed Auto in her . Ran the same times ... An did not brake
So I see in time G M will put Auto them in all the corvettes .
The more power you have the harder it is t control . All the way around .
I know you think you good at shifting but in time it will show And for the Clulch the heat that comes of the flywheel . We had holes in the Steel bell houseing for the heat to get out
I will tell you that I love the new 6 Speed Auto . And all of the Clulch & Flywheel Is in back . You will come out of the Hole Better . In The snow two

 

........... LT1LS1.....turned 12.48 @ 112.11 with a completly stock 06 A6 ....... Note the A6 Will be available with the Z06 IN 2007 ......Therfore she A6 is plent strong enough...the Dog

 

I am actually dissappointed that the 05 did not come out with that. I am not going to trade my car in, but elimination of the dead spots I get with the 4, plus better gas mileage and more control, who wouldn't want that, plus our 4l65E is only rated at 400lbft, and when compared to the 4l60E, it is not that much better, just more reinforced ribs, and a better dual 5 gear planetary gears, and 7 clutch bands in the 2 to 3 shifter range. It is only rated at 40ftlbs more than the 4l60E.

The only good part is parts are easily available, and for $1500, you can buy a 4L65E built to handle 600ftlbs.

 

I'm sure your right about the twin turbo A6 performance as long as the auto can handle the higher torque. Do you know of anyone running forced induction (twin turbo or screw type blower) on the new 06 model A6 Corvette?

Thanks,

Peter

 

Callaway has a twin turbo 06 A6, model but I have not been able to find much info on it. Time will tell how it holds up, but with its tq rating on the 6l80, I think that it will hold up superbly!

 

 

Do you know what the torque rating is on the 6l80 trans?

Thanks

Peter

 

Well, according to GM the strongest version that they use, and supposedly they have three different setups, is 520ftlb of torque rated at 24hrs at wide open throttle, OH and according to HOT ROD magazine, they will have 28 different GM vehicles that will use this new transmission, not all will have paddle shifting capalities.

According to Department of Transportation(federal regulation) It turns out for torque ratings on transmissions, that the maximum amount of torque that the tranny can handle over a 24hr period with simulated WOT power applications, before continious slip or damage occures to the transmission.

So newer information, the Z06 T56 tranny is only upgraded with the stronger case that is used in the 600ftlb tranny that is used in the viper, but the internals are comparable to the 450ftlb torque rating of the transmissions in our regular C6 cars.

This is why so many times I have seen tq ratings on transmissions that barely exceed, or even meet, the stock power ratings of todays motors, and you wonder how they hold up with such abuse, especially with people upgrading their power levels buy as much as 50%. It is that under normal use, which you drive about 95% of the time, the transmissions are barely put under any stress at all. And when tested, they are rated to extreme abuse levels over a 24hr non stop period. This leaves a decent amount of room for greater power handling capabilities than what the DOT ratings come in at.

A good example is the new mustang and older mustangs. The 01 and earlier Mustangs put out 225hp and 300ft lb of torque. Thier T5 trannies were rated at 280ftlb of torque. The later 2001 up to 2004 motors were rated at 265hp and 325ftlbs, they then went with a new transmission the T45 rated at 300ftlb, which is still in use in the new 05 models. I used to run a 400hp motor in my old 88 mustang LX with the old T5 tranny that was rated at 280ftlbs, and it lasted me a year of beating the crap out of it, before I stripped the teeth of the second gear sprocket!

 

Are those torque ratings based on RWHP/TQ or Flywheel?

 

It's usually flywheel I think because that is what hits the trans first/directly on it's way to the rear wheels.

 

A friend of mine is building a 57 Vette with an all new C4 chassis (Paul Newman design). He is going with an LS2 crate motor and would love to get the A6 if you can get one to fit the back of the LS2. Since the A6 is going on a lot of vehicles, what would it take to do this and how much would it cost?

Thanks,
Glenn

 

Once they are into full production run of this tranny, the cost will be slightly lower than the standard 4l60, 4l65 trannies. This should equate to about $1000 to $1100 for a full tranny and bell housing, minus the torque converter. And this will be for a unit designed to handle over 500ft lbs of torque. Expect about midyear for chevy to put it in the performance catalog, but expect a high price, then by the end of this year the aftermarket tranny builders should start stocking and modifying these. Only problem is that chevy charges a fortune for the computer controller for the trannies. Right now you can buy a 4l65e for about $1200, but then they want $700 to $800 for the computer, that is just silly.

So maybe even a lower price can be gotten. What will also be nice is without the paddle shifter, this could be an upgrade for the 05 models, with just a computer reprogram, and new bell housing. The bolt pattern is standard chevy small block for the bell housing.

Trannies rated at the input shaft!

 

You think it will be that cheap?

 

So are you saying you like the A-4 better because of its track record?

 

If the Z-06 is ever offered in an auto I will buy it.

 

Oh yeah, the 4l60E is already priced at $1100 in the Chevy performance catalog, with a computer price of about $550

So when I say $1100 to $1200, since this will be used in 28 vehicles and mass produced over any single transmission that chevy has ever come out with, it will probably be even cheaper, but like I said expect expensive pricing at first becuase it is new, and they will advertise it's strength. Just like Dodge is charging an arm and leg for the 5.7 hemi it sells, but that motor is $600 cheaper to make than the old 5.9 motor they used to make.

They think better is worth charging more, until they know that the general public is aware of what it should cost. Also since Dodge is pumping out these motors, they will drop several thousand in price compared to what they sell them for now. So safe to assume chevy will be the same.

 

No I am saying that it will be the better choice due to price and available parts for about at least another year or so. Like I said you can get ones that are rated at 800ft lbs of torque and have been tested and used in applications of over 1000ft lbs of torque. This is of course if you are going to build your car up. Otherwise I want a 6l80 for my car to eliminate the weak spots in my acceleration, and becuase I am only planning on 500hp to run in my car!

Art Carr offers a 4l65E level 5 tranny that is used in a 4900lb tahoe truck with twin turbos and running 9.8's in the 1/4 mile. I don't know who this truck belongs too, but I have seen him run here in vegas.