pontiac 6000 ste questions

[caffeine]

I drove a Firebird in the snow once with snow tires and it wasn't bad actually. I could still get around. That was in Calgary in the middle of a snow storm and I never got stuck anywhere.

Only problem I had is that it froze the anti-freeze in the rad because the temp went below -30C and I didn't have the proper ratio for that.

[geoffinbc]

If your looking for a cheap snow vehicle then get a Trooper. You can find first gens with a 2.8L for under $1000 all day long. It wil smoke any AWD car in the snow. The 5 speeds are bullet proof. Stay away from the autos. Drive through snow banks, hop curbs, drive through mud all on the way to work in the morning. They are cheaper than a set of snow tires.

[SwiftDrift]

i heard with weight in the back the f bodies are a bit better, my dad used to throw an extra tranny in the back lol. and about the trooper, a gm 2.8???? if so what 5 speed does it have?

[geoffinbc]

The 5 Speed is an Isuzu MUA5 it is very well built they typically outlast the rest of the truck. The transfer case is all gear driven too and syncronized between high and low gear.

[davida1_hiwaay_net]

does anybody know the power distribution between the front and rear wheels? and if anyone has pics of the bottom of the car that would be wonderful, i just want to see the drive shaft setup for all wheel. also, are they notorious for any specific problems with the setup?

Hi, the STE AWD has a 3-speed 135C transmission with special case and final drive. There is a "ring and pinion" in the transmission case with an output shaft facing the rear of the car. This has a driveshaft going to a conventional rear axle. The rear diff is similar to a S10 axle (in size but not necessarily interchangable).

I thought I had a picture of this transmission, but can't find it!

The 125C transmission in all forms is very long lived and relatively simple to rebuild if needed. There are not many parts in it, as with a 4 speed.

It's weakness is in the TV-only pressure control system. It won't respond to increased power and therefore the clutches will slip if you massively increase the engine power.

Really, the STE AWD system is not that bad; however there are only a few of them left and you would be wise to keep spare parts on hand because of availability issues.

I would highly recommend you check out A-Body Dot Net forum, which is specifically for the A platform cars (Century, Celebrity, Pontiac 6000, Cutlass Ciera)

[3400-95-Modified]

I love my 07 Legacy... the 5-speeds are essentially 50/50 split since it's controlled by a fluid coupling center differential same concept as a torque converter. When you get on it however it will slip some and in that case it just sends the power to the rear aka FUN! lol I'm putting down 255awhp and 310ftlbs and it's a joy in the snow and dry weather.

[SwiftDrift]

is the mua5 better than a t-5? and thanks for the 6000 info. also, with the legacies, i am yet to see one under 1000 :/ ill keep my eyes peeled though.

[geoffinbc]

They are roughly the same as far as shifting feel and power handling capacity. The gear ratios are actually very close as well. I have or had each one and liked them both.

[SwiftDrift]

do you think an mua5 could handle a slightly built 3500? and my driving of course..

[geoffinbc]

Yea it wouldn't be a problem. The one nice thing is that is has a drivers side starter pocket which is great for FWD engine configurations. However it is not hard to re configure the T5 to do the same you just have to do more hunting. I guess that is one nice thing about the T5. It has a removable bellhousing so it is easier to reconfigure and easier to install and service.

[SwiftDrift]

Yeah but i always hear t5s crap out when beat on, or have alot of power pumped into them

[geoffinbc]

They were made in a ton of varieties. If they were behind a 4 cyl they were built to handle that. If they were behind a V8 they were stronger. So if you snatch a junkyard T5 from a 4cyl S-10 it wont last long behind a V8 in a roadster project. However, one out of a Camaro or Mustang will give you good service.

My S-10 had a WC T5 and I was able to power shift every gear at the drag strip and it never seemed to care.