2G AWD transmission build options/identification

[flyineagletsi]

I recently blew my transmission from a 1st gear launch. I didnt preload the drivetrain and now my wallet is footing the bill. I just had the car dyno tuned for 300 wheel hp on a mustang dyno with the mods on my profile. I dont have a ground breaking setup nor do I want one. I do however enjoy a lot mid range torque because I mainly street the car. If I upgrade turbo's I will go with a 68hta for ease of the setup and moderate power gains.

Now what I'm looking for is a bullet proof transmission for up to 500 bhp. Reason I say up to 500 is because I dont plan on making much more than 400 if I ever do swap the 68 in, and I personally like 100 hp insuarance with my parts selection. I understand that the majority of the dsm trans sites dont hp or torque rate their transmissions for obvious reasons. However that is really what I'm looking for. I've looked at jacks, shep, tre and tmz transmissions.

I'm not looking for resposes on how good or bad a certain shop is, so keep those comments out of the discussion. I have no reason to believe that any of the previous mentioned shops are incapable of producing quality products.

On to the questions. I've been browsing around for a while and trying to decide which shop/transmission to go with without breaking the bank. I did pick up a local 95-96 awd 5speed trans for less than a core. The seller says the transmission is "built" but that could mean a number of things.

Questions
1.) Do these shops mark the transmission for positive id on whether or not it was serviced by them.
2.) Is there any other way to verify what type of rebuild it has undergone without pulling it apart (which I'm not certified to do)
3.) if it isn't built I want to ship it off for a rebuild and want a moderate build that will be fully capable of holding 500 hp/tq with no issues. So everyone may begin the discussions as to what transmissions can hold that level. I'm essentially wanting the best bang for my buck as far as reliability and quality.

I should also mention, I did blow the center diff about 4 years ago and bought TRE's 4 spider center diff with the torrington upgrade. I have no reason to belive the center diff is the issue and if thats the case I would like to reuse it in the new trans.

Thanks for the help

 

[JackM]

What I can never understand is why people purchase a 'built' trans without proof. If the person doesn't have a receipt, or a name which the company who built it can find, then I would say it's a false claim.

There is a guy selling a trans he claims is built by us here on Colorado Craigs List, but that's not our receipt and not a customer we have ever dealt with. I'm sure someone will buy it, find it's an OEM POS, then scream at us because we claim it's not one of ours when he wants us to fix it for free. People which don't do their research are the biggest pain for us. I fail to understand the logic behind buying something without verifying with the builder first. A simple email to the company could save a lot of money, yet people rarely do it and if they do, it is after they just purchased it.

The best thing you could do is get the sellers name and the date in which he claims it was rebuilt. Contact the company which supposedly built it BEFORE YOU BUY IT and verify with them. If they can't find any records of it, then you know it could be a scam.

I rarely stamp anything on my trannies, but I do things differently than most so I know right away if it's one of mine, even by looking at a picture of the unit. We also keep very good records here, so I can easily find a person by a name or number to verify anything without a problem.

 

[flyineagletsi]

Hey Jack, I certainly do appreciate your reply. I do however think it will be impossible to trace down the original owner/build customer because the PO was not the one who "built it".

I highly doubt it was rebuilt just from the fact that the outer case isn't coated. I bought the trans for $200 so reguardless as long as its a good core I still came out ahead.

So Jack, I was looking at your 2.1, and in all honesty, was leaning towards jackstrans anyways mainly because of the customer service, information you and your company has made available, and the extra effort you put into your builds. I just don't know if I need to go that far with it or if a lesser build would suffice.

I was also trying to compare that build to your competitors builds as a reference. Which is really the reason for me starting this thread. I was looking for some guidence in which build is right for my application.

I rarely track the car, I would like an evo 5th gear. I currently run a 2600 sprung 6 puck (going with a sb kevalar). I do however try to get my torque numbers as close as possible if not higher than my hp numbers which is the reason for my parts selection and plans. I drive the snot out of the car on the street. And If at all possible I want to keep the exsisting 4 spider that is in my blown trans.

 

[WES_393]

I have a Jacks 1.2 with welded center diff, which is rated at 400hp*. I also have a Southbend SS/TZ clutch and super grippy Pirelli tires. It has held up to thousand of street miles and dozens of hard launches. And by hard, I mean leaving the line at 10psi/5500rpm, building 25psi almost instantly, and putting down low 1 second 60' times. I'll be swapping out my 16g for a HX35 this winter and the last thing I'm worried about is my trans failing. My only gripe is the welded center diff makes street driving a little stressful. But if your 4-spider diff is good, I'm positive they would throw it in. Also, preloading and shock loading is actually bad for the trans and driveline. You want a smooth/consistent launch. No need to dump the clutch or slip it excessively before or during the launch.

*While performance parts may be "rated" at a certain power level, it's my belief that this is mostly to protect their bottom line. It has to handle 400hp with a monkey driving it, not a seasoned driver. Guys have successfully pushed the stock trans MUCH farther than 400hp, just not reliably. So I'd say a very well built "400hp" trans could easily take 500-600hp if driven properly. But again, this is just my opinion.

 

[JackM]

Thanks for the interest, we very much appreciate the opportunity!

The 2.1 will not be able to handle 500hp. If you are going to be around the 450 range then it will survive, but you need to be very careful with shock-loading or you will break the 3-4 gear-set.

If you drive the car hard, then I wouldn't recommend the 2.1. The 2.2 would really be best so you don't risk any damage when you hit your goals.

If your 4-spider is in perfect shape and needs nothing, that would save you $400 off the rebuild price.

Thanks!

Jack

 

[flyineagletsi]

Thanks for the help guys. Wes_393, Why is preloading the trans before a launch a bad idea? I only ask because thats the only thing I've ever heard that saves a 5speed on a hard launch. I'm talking about using the stock e-brake fwiw.

 

[twicks69]

That specific clutch is not a good choice for preloading the drivetrain using a staging brake or e-brake. You will overheating and glaze it.

Simply launch the car with this clutch using a 2-step or learn how to flutter the throttle with a quick slip-out of the clutch and go.

The SS/TZ kit is very smooth and easy to launch, but it simply is not designed to be preloaded.

 

[flyineagletsi]

Thanks Tim. Good to know. I had assumed it was similar to the act street disk but had a little more grip. I have gotten used to the 6 puck and don't mind it. I've even daily driven it for over a year and a half with the sprung 6 but i know it had to be hard on parts, which was why I made up my mind to swap disks while it was all appart.

Would the K05048-SS-O disk be a better choicethan the tz? Keep in mind, at best I'd like some kelford 272 and 68hta and don't expect to break deep into the400 whp range with that setup. I'd just hate to go too agressive and ruin a brand new rebuilt transmission which may or may not have been what happened this time around.

 

[twicks69]

The kevlar disk can handle a lot of abuse and I prefer it over an organic disk for extended life, but it simply doesn't like being overheated during racing at the track from repeated launches. It won't destroy the disk like an organic disk under the same conditions, but it will glaze and require cool down and be broken back in to properly work. You can help the process of kevlar material bed-in by media blasting the friction surfaces of the flywheel and pressure plate with an aluminum oxide media to increase surface porosity. This will help reduce the potential for wiping the friction surfaces clean on a launch causing slippage of the kevlar material.

If you are looking at preloading a clutch for launching I would recommend a quality Quarter Master gear drive twin disk clutch assembly, or running a full face segmented ceramic friction sprung hub clutch disk with a competent and matching brand pressure plate with an ACT streetlite or stock flywheel.