Up To Standards Standards

• Author: Mike Weinberg, Contributing Editor
• Subject Matter: Tremec manuals

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I am sure everyone in our industry is familiar with Tremec, one of the world’s largest and technically advanced manual transmission manufacturers. For years Tremec manufactured 3- and 4-speed transmissions for Ford, including RUG, RAT, SROD, RUG, TOD, etc. Tremec acquired the manual transmission division of BorgWarner and then produced the T5, T45, 3650, T56, TKO, and the TR6060. Manual transmissions have been on a steady decline on vehicles manufactured in this country for years and are now confined mainly to sport or performance models.

They have now released a new 6-speed model that first appeared in the Cadillac ATS behind a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine. I had a chance to test one of the cars and it was a quick, high-revving good time and the transmission was a real joy with very smooth 2-finger shifting. The TR3160 will also be found in the 2016 Camaro equipped with a 3.4 liter V-6, with the 8 cylinder cars retaining the 6-speed TR6060 for its higher torque rating. Ford is also going to use the TR3160 in the 2016 Ford Shelby GT350/GT350R Mustang, equipped with the 5.2L Flat Plane Crank V-8.

If you are familiar with the Tremec T45, 3650, and TR6060, this design is a further evolution of the good points of those units. The 3160 is offered as a 6-speed with 6th being overdriven in the ATS and the Camaro. The design lends itself to a choice for the carmakers to have a single or double over-drive, which gives them needed flexibility to cope with the fuel efficiency and emissions requirements set by the government. In the Caddy and the Camaro this trans has a single overdrive with 5th gear being direct drive, which is important to remember when you have a diagnostic situation. The 3160 uses double- and triple-cone synchros that are a hybrid design of carbon fiber and 2 sintered bronze friction material. This unit has a multi-rail shift system that can use direct-mount or remote-mount shift lever in the car.

The guide plate that supports and locates the shift rails is a high-precision design to ensure smooth, crisp shifts. The shift interlock system is very advanced and works with roller-ball detents to remove as much friction as possible for the shift rails, which ride on linear shift-rail bearings to further smooth out shift feel. There are 3 pieces to the transmission case that are end loaded and the cases are aluminum. The transmission shafts are gun drilled and the gears are webbed to reduce weight and improve lube retention.

The gear train is “finish honed” after heat treat to make the smoothest possible contact surface finish to reduce friction and lower operating temperatures. There are several options available for the shift patterns that use a traditional “H” pattern. Reverse can be found to the right of the 5-6 position or left of the 1-2 position offering the carmaker ergonomic choices in the final package. There is an electronic “reverse-inhibit” solenoid system to prevent driver error in going to reverse gear accidently during forward motion.

The entire transmission design is based on high-torque capacity with low weight and a compact package with very low levels of noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) that consumers expect in late model vehicles. The centerline distance between the shafts is 81 mm, which should make the unit a candidate for a wide variety of vehicles and options for aftermarket sales as replacements for older designs.

The ratios for the TR3160 for the Cadillac ATS and the V6 Camaro are as follows:

• First: 4.40-1
• Second: 2.59-1
• Third: 1.80-1
• Fourth: 1.34-1
• Fifth: 1-1
• Sixth: 0.75-1 (overdrive) Reverse: 3.99-1
• Final drive ratio: 3.27-1

Ratios for the 2016 Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang, 5.2L Flat Plane Crank V8:

• First: 3.25-1
• Second: 2.33-1
• Third: 1.61-1
• Fourth: 1.24-1
• Fifth: 1.00-1
• Sixth: 0.63-1 (overdrive)
• Final Drive ratio-3.73-1 with Torsen Limited slip differential

Note: There are many options available for this trans to be produced in other ratios that include the possibility of a double overdrive and the ability to adapt to many OEM or aftermarket design possibilities.

The new Shelby 350GT will have the first ever V-8 from Ford with a 180° flat-plane crankshaft. According to Ford, this is the most powerful naturally aspirated production engine from Ford ever, with 526 HP and 429 lb.-ft. of torque. In a traditional V-8 the connecting rods are mounted to the crank at 90° intervals. This new design evenly spaces all crank pins at 180°, which makes the high-speed engine breathing of this engine fully optimized and is on the level of high-end European sports cars and full race motors.

This engine is also equipped with an air-to-oil engine cooler, and the TR3160 is also equipped with a transmission cooler. This engine produces 102 horse-power per liter and has a redline of 8,250 rpm. Gear heads should be in 7th heaven as the horsepower wars continue to escalate. These cars will be equipped with a dual-mass fly-wheel and a dual-disc clutch set that features solid unsprung clutch hubs. This creates a smaller, lighter rotating mass that allows extremely quick shift times.

The TR3160 offers some interesting options for use in the aftermarket due to its small package. We will see how many other manufacturers will use this model in their sports models and if Tremec decides to use it to replace the aging but tried and true TKO series of aftermarket units. Change and advances in design offer many new opportunities to increase traffic to our shops as well as new diagnostic challenges. The only limits to our success are those we put on ourselves.

Mike Weinberg is president of Rockland Standard Gear.