When I had the 289 CID motor in this car, engine oil temperature was not a problem and at times it ran cool. The installation of the 383 (stroked 351W) changed all of that. Any extended driving or repeated hard acceleration would push the engine oil temperature up to 240º, and sometimes to the end of the gauge at 250º. Water temperature appeared to be stable, and no more than a couple of degrees warmer than with the smaller motor, so it appeared I had to remedy an oil temperature problem. Some of the options for mounting the cooler were: 1) In front of, or behind the radiator which created problems directing the oil supply hoses to and from the cooler. The design of the car has the engine radiator sealed by body/hood panels to ensure forward motion air pressure is forced through the radiator with minimal losses around it. Attaching the oil cooler to the radiator would require cut or modified body panels, extended lengths of hose, and the general dissatisfaction of having a cooler attached to the radiator through the fins using the typical plastic fasteners. The...
World Class T-5 Transmission Upgrade
posted by BlueovalZ
Once I decided to upgrade the World Class T-5 transmission, I investigated the companies that provide the gears, and chose G-Force, which resulted in a very pleasurable experience. They were more than willing to work me on information exchange as well as ensuring that I was happy with their product (enough of the promotion). Background first. The original WC T-5 worked flawlessly behind the 289. 289 was not a torque monster, but it was a 390 HP motor. The new 383 (stroked 351W) will provide a lot more torque, and I did NOT want to disassemble this car again (for a transmission failure) simply for a shortcut in not upgrading the transmission. Therefore, I needed to either go with a new TKO, a T-56, or an upgraded T-5. Option 1: The T-56 would have added another 50 lbs to the weight of the car (which I try to avoid this kind of situation like the plague), plus the needed changes to the transmission tunnel, bellhousing, and anything else I was not seeing. The torque rating on this transmission is better than the T-5, but not as good as the...