Tremec TKX 5-Speed Conversion

[Mopar Hunter]

 

[Derwud]

I can put my car in 5th @45 MPH and roll on the gas, no bucking or hesitation, next thing I know I rolling past 70... I got them Torques..

 

[CoronetDarter]

There's so many different variables when determining rear end ratio, and the connecting rod length is one of them. The cam profile is a major consideration too; longer duration and tighter LSA moves the power band up the rpm range. Steeper gears get the engine into it's power band sooner.
That's the beauty of the Tremec, you can have your cake and eat it too. Blast around town with the steeper gears, and the overdrive calms it down on the freeway.

 

[Kern Dog]

I did my Tremec swap in 2021. Back then I had the 440/493 with about 10.17 compression and the Mopar '528 solid cam. It was a great performer and would accelerate in 5th from 1000 rpm quite easily. The longer stroke crank helped with torque. The cam went flat though so I had to pull it all apart.
I rebuilt the engine in 2022 using better pistons but with 9.8 compression. I re-used a Lunati cam I had here to save some cash. It is a bit wilder than the '528 was so it is not as peppy at low rpms. It does not pull clean from 1000 like before. It hesitates a bit until about 1500-1700 rpms...from there it starts to pull nicely.
Cam duration matters a lot.
The TKX uses a .68 5th gear, my TKO has a .64, close enough to not matter much. The 3.55 in 5th gear is 2.41 in the TKX and 2.27 in my TKO. Going to a 3.91 means a 2.65 with the TKX and 2.50 in a TKO.
Looking at the first gear overall ratio...
2.87 x 3.55 = 10.18
2.87 x 3.91 = 11.22.
Compare that to the overall ratio with a 727 automatic:
2.45 x 3.55 = 8.69
2.45 x 3.91 = 9.57.

I was tempted to use the 3.91 in my car but figured that 1st gear might feel too short. I had a 4 speed in my 75 Power Wagon where the 1st gear was real low. You could barely get halfway across an intersection before shifting. Also....
The longer the stroke of the engine, the less you need to rev it to make power.

 

[Cranky]

Nobody knows how to heel and toe? Right heel on the brake and toe on the throttle.....let up on the clutch a bit and little bit of pressure on the throttle and go. Road racers learn it early on and it works for the hilly roads too. I like the line lock and the solenoid release idea too.

 

[Derwud]

Nobody knows how to heel and toe? Right heel on the brake and toe on the throttle.....let up on the clutch a bit and little bit of pressure on the throttle and go. Road racers learn it early on and it works for the hilly roads too. I like the line lock and the solenoid release idea too.

That is how I do it..

 

[watermelon]

one thing after the TKX/TKO upgrade is to ensure you have some new(er) tires

you’ll find yourself driving the car more frequently than you ever did prior

old/hard BFGs will spin on launches going uphill




watermelon

 

[Phantomx]

Taking off on a hill is easy in a v8 car with a heavy stock flywheel. While your foot is still on the brake, release the clutch pedal until you feel it start to grab. At that point you move your brake foot to the gas and take off. The car won’t roll back while you’re slipping the clutch, and when done properly you only slip it for a couple of seconds so there is no added wear on the clutch. Easy! No revving the **** out of it, slipping the clutch, or parking brake shenanigans. Just a smooth transition from stopped to moving. Find a hill and practice!
Travis..