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Anyone looked into TR-3160 upgrades?

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741
1,075
TX
About time for my 3160 to get refreshed - about 15k track miles and it’s starting to get a bit sloppy. As the title states, has anyone looked into upgrades for the TR-3160 for road course use?
 
About time for my 3160 to get refreshed - about 15k track miles and it’s starting to get a bit sloppy. As the title states, has anyone looked into upgrades for the TR-3160 for road course use?

6xd sequential with paddle shifts lolololol
 
741
1,075
TX
Ive only been using 3rd and 4th at my home track So im pretty happy with it.

K, what gears are you using at COTA

2-5. It shifts fine, but you definitely can't abuse it. I'm starting to miss a few shifts going into 3 and 4th under acceleration. Feels like the synchro's are wearing out. Curious to see if anyone offers straight cut gears and dog box upgrades for it. Haven't seen anything - everything seems to be for the T56 and TR-6160. I know the 3160 is a little brother to the 6160, but not sure if there's any compatibility or overlap that's helpful here. I've reached out to Deidrich Motorsports. Hopefully they can provide some info.

I'm going to assume the right answer here is to upgrade to a built T56 or just wait until a sequential, but want to make sure I exhaust options before giving up :)
 
106
84
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
Under 3 Years
West palm beach
2-5. It shifts fine, but you definitely can't abuse it. I'm starting to miss a few shifts going into 3 and 4th under acceleration. Feels like the synchro's are wearing out. Curious to see if anyone offers straight cut gears and dog box upgrades for it. Haven't seen anything - everything seems to be for the T56 and TR-6160. I know the 3160 is a little brother to the 6160, but not sure if there's any compatibility or overlap that's helpful here. I've reached out to Deidrich Motorsports. Hopefully they can provide some info.

I'm going to assume the right answer here is to upgrade to a built T56 or just wait until a sequential, but want to make sure I exhaust options before giving up :)

curious on this as well. I did some looking around and couldn’t find anything either. All t56 stuff.
 

JDee

Ancient Racer
1,797
2,001
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
5 miles from Mosport
I got a quote from Modern Driveline for a complete package for a Magnum XL swap, it was $6067USD. By the time I got it up here, currency conversion and applied our standard tax gouge on everything we buy it would have been over $9K Cdn. Rebuilding the MT82 this month with a Syncrotech carbon kit, hoping that might squeeze a few more years out of it. Just a real crummy time right now to take on any big projects, nothing is reliable in shipping.
 

TMSBOSS

Spending my pension on car parts and track fees.
7,530
5,247
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
10-20 Years
Illinois
currency conversion and applied our standard tax gouge on everything we buy it would have been over $9K Cdn.
Makes me wonder if waiting out Covid and then driving to a shop in the states for the repairs, swap may be your best option. Detroit or NY area??
 

JDee

Ancient Racer
1,797
2,001
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
5 miles from Mosport
Makes me wonder if waiting out Covid and then driving to a shop in the states for the repairs, swap may be your best option. Detroit or NY area??

It's a good idea, but the border crossing is still an issue. I actually have a Tremec guy up here in Canadaland a few hours from me, he's doing the Syncrotech kit R+R on my MT82. He initially suggested going Tremec as well. It's just that by the time he got all the Tremec swap stuff imported and added the install cost I'm solidly into 5 figures. Might end up doing it anyway someday, but I'm going to give the Syncrotech kit in the old MT82 a try for now.
 

Bill Pemberton

0ld Ford Automotive Racing Terror
8,425
8,356
Exp. Type
Time Attack
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Blair, Nebraska
I would get ahold of George Ciamillo ( owner ) at MGW LTD and get his short throw shift kit for the GT 350. The T3160 is a pretty stout box but even the superman T6060 in the Viper and used for the Boss S and Rs ( with minor variation) still can get a little loose with plenty of track time. The MGW unit does tighten things up and George has always worked on his design for clean ,positive shifts and avoiding missed shifts. We worked with him extensively at Woodhouse Motorsports ( part of Woodhouse Dodge ) fine tuning the Viper transmission to help avoid catching the wrong gear in the Gen II, Gen III and Gen IV Vipers. He has even more applications for Mustangs, has owned a dozen or more and continues to improve his systems. Would about bet if you install his GT 350 set up you would find messing up a shift a thing of the past.
 
741
1,075
TX
I got a quote from Modern Driveline for a complete package for a Magnum XL swap, it was $6067USD. By the time I got it up here, currency conversion and applied our standard tax gouge on everything we buy it would have been over $9K Cdn. Rebuilding the MT82 this month with a Syncrotech carbon kit, hoping that might squeeze a few more years out of it. Just a real crummy time right now to take on any big projects, nothing is reliable in shipping.

Did that swap include upgrades? $6k seems pricey for just the trans on its own

curious on this as well. I did some looking around and couldn’t find anything either. All t56 stuff.

I've had zero luck so far. No one has had any kits and the manufacturers don't seem that interested in them (I don't think there are enough out there to justify the cost). If you want to upgrade, I think a swap will be the way to do it.

I would get ahold of George Ciamillo ( owner ) at MGW LTD and get his short throw shift kit for the GT 350.

I've been running the MGW since about 5k miles. Great shifter and a really key upgrade IMHO. Wouldn't track with out one.
 

JDee

Ancient Racer
1,797
2,001
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
5 miles from Mosport
Did that swap include upgrades? $6k seems pricey for just the trans on its own

It was the entire package, MagnumXL 2.66 1st gear including a driveshaft and a McLeod RST800 clutch, MDL billet steel flywheel, all the lines, fittings, bolts. Very complete parts list, nothing was missing to complete the install that I could see. If I was US based I would have taken them up on it in a heartbeat, I thought it was a hell of a deal. But converting dollars to tiny Canuckbucks and adding our ever present hefty import taxes kills it totally for a Canadian.

I still have the quote, can throw it up here but don't know if that would be appropriate given that it's over a year old and things have changed a lot since then.
 
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Bill Pemberton

0ld Ford Automotive Racing Terror
8,425
8,356
Exp. Type
Time Attack
Exp. Level
20+ Years
Blair, Nebraska
Heh the Loonie is up to 79 cents to the dollar, so it is creeping up. I remember it was only 75 cents to the dollar when I last visited , and it made it crazy for US citizens not to wander up to Canuck Country and spend some bucks?! It is frustrating for both of our Countries when it comes to tariffs and more, it almost seems akin to charging your brother 20% interest for a small loan , when you would be happy to loan it to him for nothing.
 

JDee

Ancient Racer
1,797
2,001
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
5 miles from Mosport
76.84 cents to the US buck right now at my bank. And I get free currency exchange there as my late wife was a staffer. I don't see it getting any better, with all the economic things going on right now it's more likely to go down more yet.
I'd be ecstatic if we adopted the US buck as our currency! But I'm sure there's a million reasons why that can't/won't ever happen.

They estimated truck freight was going to be at least $400USD for that kit so $6467USD which my currency converter says is $8226Cdn plus 13% tax $1069.00 = $9295 Cdn. GD taxes in this country are obscene.

At any rate, I've got my MT82 tucked into the back of my sport cute and I'm headed off to deliver it to the rebuilder now. Fingers crossed it just needs syncros, but I'm prepared for worse news.....
 
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JDee

Ancient Racer
1,797
2,001
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
5 miles from Mosport
So my rebuilder got the MT82 apart, which with its 2 piece shaft that takes a 40ton press to deal with apparently can be a feat in itself. It is pretty worn out. All the syncros are toast, some beyond toast which I expected. 3rd and 6th gears are severely worn and need replacing. Third I can see, it gets a lot of work, but sixth?? This car is never in 6th gear anymore except on the cool down lap as I coast aound the track cooling things down. Gotta believe it's cheap gear sets. All the bearings are fine. He estimates about $1700 Canuck bucks to fix it. That includes replacing all the worn out parts and using the carbon syncro kit from Syncrotec with bronze shift forks and shift stop.

He said a lot of the damage was from using too heavy an oil, which is all on me, I used junk information from another forum when I abandoned the Ford DCT fluid and that was a big mistake. So I am going to go back to the recommended DCT fluid and going ahead with putting coolers on the trans and diff.

I am considering using Amsoil's DCT fluid which meets the Ford spec and is about 4 bucks a quart cheaper up here ($22 a quart Canadian). Not going to use their engine oil, I find it wildly expensive compared to what I can get Pennzoil's PUP for and I'm not convinced it's worth the cost, especially now that a oil change is 10 litres and happens every 2 track days.

Anybody have any experience, good or bad, with Amsoil products, especially their trans/diff lubes? I find their way of doing business odd, kind of cult-ish for lack of a better term.
 
52
44
Exp. Type
Drag Strip
Exp. Level
Under 3 Years
Florida
@JDee, how did your transmission build turn out? Any improvement with the new synchros and were any other improvements added?
 

JDee

Ancient Racer
1,797
2,001
Exp. Type
W2W Racing
Exp. Level
20+ Years
5 miles from Mosport
@JDee, how did your transmission build turn out? Any improvement with the new synchros and were any other improvements added?
Worked out very well. Two seasons on it and still seems to be hanging in there. Shifts far better than before.
I believe a trans fluid cooler with a high flow Tilton pump and a good sized cooling matrix is a necessity. Another must have is a good racing clutch like an Exedy Hyper single or equivalent.
The fellow who rebuilt it is very meticulous about the quality of his work and I believe that also is mega important. He is a T5 guy and hates the MT82 (don't we all?) but he'll take on any trans that comes his way.
 
52
44
Exp. Type
Drag Strip
Exp. Level
Under 3 Years
Florida
Worked out very well. Two seasons on it and still seems to be hanging in there. Shifts far better than before.
I believe a trans fluid cooler with a high flow Tilton pump and a good sized cooling matrix is a necessity. Another must have is a good racing clutch like an Exedy Hyper single or equivalent.
The fellow who rebuilt it is very meticulous about the quality of his work and I believe that also is mega important. He is a T5 guy and hates the MT82 (don't we all?) but he'll take on any trans that comes his way.
Cool! I hope to get some good mileage out of mine once it’s back together. Pressing 4th and 5th gear onto the countershaft has proven to be just as difficult as it was to press them off. I ended up breaking several teeth) during removal and had to buy new gears. I have another .0650 in. to go before they’re properly seated, but my 12 ton shop press is not up to the task. I may have to enlist the help of a good machine shop with a monster press to get it done.
 

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