Converting from T5 to Tremec

[klayfish]

Rob,
The set up you're planning is sounding a lot like the Mustang road racer I just bought. 302 w/Vortech, roller rockers, MSD, injectors.... with a Tremec 3550. See my recent post about problems with my Tremec. The car flat refused to downshift into second gear. I've been doing research and found that this is apparently a very common problem, as are a few other things. Someone pointed me to a local trans expert here in PA, probably fairly close to you. All he does is rebuild T5s, Tremecs and T45s. The technical nitty gritty got beyond my understanding, but he said the 3550 uses brass parts (some kind of rings or separaters), which aren't very strong. This can cause the shifting problems I'm having. He said the gears are real beefy and can really handle abuse and power, but some of the other stuff isn't the greatest. I discovered that if I push my shifter firmly towards first gear then pull down into second, it'll work. But it's not the best solution. To be fair, I do have a Hurst shifter on there, which may be the problem. You should check more on the Tremecs before you get one. Or maybe look for a rebuilt one that has the better parts in it (he said he could rebuild mine with the stronger parts for around $500).

Steve