01-16-2021, 03:45 PM | #1 |
Drives: RS Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 38
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A10 transmission reliability and performance on track
I am debating on whether or not to try the A10 SS 1LE for a dedicated track car. A friend who has a manual said he heard the ZL1 A10s have had reliability issues when tracked. Can anyone comment first-hand experience good or bad.
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01-16-2021, 04:50 PM | #2 |
Drives: 2019 Camaro Z-28 Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Dallas
Posts: 1,482
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GREAT TRANS
I think they are an AWESOME trans for track. I road race my 2019 SS 1LE regularly and in track mode it always seems to keep the car in the power band. As far a durability, I know AMP has has great success with them even at the 900-950 RWHP area in PURE STOCK form.
I never had an overheating issue even with 5-6 20 minute track sessions on the same day.
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2019 SS 1LE BIG NA A10 Eagles Canyon Raceway 2.7 CCW Below https://youtu.be/c9M5UHDftcA 4-15-23 at SCCA TT U1 Class MEGA Thread on THIS car: https://www.camaro6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=602092 Retired Cars BELOW: 1973 Camaro, 1969 Camaro, 1969 Camaro SS RS 2010 Camaro SS with 1000HP F1R, 2019 ZL1 1LE A10 |
01-16-2021, 05:47 PM | #3 | |
Drives: 2018 Camaro 2SS A8 Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: East Tennessee
Posts: 11,494
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Quote:
IIRC the issue your friend may have heard about was that some came overfilled from the factory and people had weird a 4-5 shift that stretched out to 1.5-2 seconds and was clunky, but that's pretty much all I remember, it was an easy fix. The A10 is the best torque converted automatic trans GM has ever produced, there's no need to worry.
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2018 Camaro 2SS — G7E MX0 NPP F55 IO6
735 rwhp | 665 rwtq Magnuson TVS 2300 80mm pulley | Kooks 1 7/8" LT headers | JRE smooth idle terminator cam | LT4 FS & injectors | TSP forged pistons & rods JMS PowerMAX | DSX flex fuel kit | Roto-Fab CAI | Soler 95mm LT5 TB | 1LE wheels | 1LE brakes | BMR rear cradle lockout | JRE custom tune 1100 - 1/30/18 | 2000 - 1/31/18 3000 - 2/06/18 TPW 2/26/18 3400 - 2/19/18 | 3800 - 2/26/18 4300 - 2/27/18 | 4B00 - 3/01/18 4200 - 3/05/18 | 4800 - 3/14/18 5000 - 3/16/18 | 6000 - 3/19/18 Last edited by arpad_m; 01-16-2021 at 06:13 PM. |
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01-17-2021, 07:27 AM | #4 |
Drives: Fast Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: My Garage
Posts: 76
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A10 is fantastic on track.
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01-17-2021, 08:37 AM | #5 |
Drives: RS Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 38
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Thanks for the feedback.
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01-17-2021, 09:22 AM | #6 |
Geoff
Drives: 2020 ZL1 Green Join Date: May 2013
Location: Houston
Posts: 1,718
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rs4eva
I came from an MM6 in a 1LE and wanted the A10 because all of the 'authorities' said that they were magic on the track and best left in auto mode because they were so wonderful. I read somewhere on here that GM recommended that the trans be left in D to avoid overheating and to not manually shift it when on track. I have not found any official statement from GM to support that. I have to admit that i was slightly disappointed with it's ability to pick the correct gear when going through tight multiple corners. It would upshift and i would either need to brush the brakes or carry less speed through the series. Yeah, I know it is a minor thing, but it drove me nuts. I really missed the control i had with the manual. I finally made the decision to manually shift the car one weekend. I couldn't be happier. I now have the control i was missing and my lap times improved. This is a fantastic package, LT4 and A10. I'd do it again. As an aside, I swapped to the ZLE trans pan and have not had any overheat or shifting funkiness that a couple of folks have mentioned.
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01-17-2021, 11:07 AM | #7 | |
Drives: 2022 1SS 1LE A10 BCD WCT+PDR Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Johnstown, PA
Posts: 3,192
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Quote:
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2022 1SS 1LE A10 BCD WCT+PDR2014 1SS 1LE NPP RECARO SIM-SOLD1995 Z28 M6 GSC PGM-SOLD1975 NOVA COUPE 300HP 350 TH350 FLASH RED-SOLD
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01-17-2021, 07:44 PM | #8 |
TWG1
Drives: 2019 Camaro ZLE Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: PENSACOLA, FL
Posts: 179
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I had a ZL1 A10, and pretty much only used it for track days in 2020. Did ~12 days, including Barber in Aug, Road ATL in Sep, and some mid-summer hot TNIA’s. I track with a friend who has M6 ZLE.
Performance wise, it will pull the M6 on straights, and there are very few points where the shifting algorithms got it wrong. My issue was heat. I had overheating problems twice, with a GM dealer service in between. Based on member feedback here, I suspected overfilling. I opened the drain plug myself trackside with trans temp ~235 and got over a liter of fluid out - it was overfilled; and that was the root of my problem. After that it seemed to take all the beating I could throw at it. That weekend I was codriving the car, so it had ~7hrs of track time. Once we pulled fluid, it was FIXED. My point: these dealers don’t know how to service these things properly. I doubt they follow the spec to check temp at 220*. Also, the track maintenance interval of 15hrs is troublesome. That’s 2 track weekends, especially if you’re co-driving any of those (which my group often does). Finally, even after I got the overheating solved, my automatic was running ENG oil temps 10-15* hotter than a comparable ZLE M6. Could be more cooling area in ZLE; but I suspect the A10 heat output reduces efficiency of all the rest of the coolers. TL;DR: I had a ZL1 A10; just traded for an M6 ZLE yesterday. But the A10 is truly an amazing piece of tech. It won’t hold you back, but it will require more maintenance; and you’re better off doing that maintenance yourself.
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2019 ZLE M6
2019 ZL1 A10 (Sold) 1967 Jaguar XKE Series 1 Roadster 2021 F150 Powerboost (on order) |
01-17-2021, 08:17 PM | #9 |
Drives: '21 ZLE A10 Join Date: May 2012
Location: Mechanicsville, VA
Posts: 6,808
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Worst issue is if the fluid is not at the correct level for track use. If you get it set properly there are no problems. My '17 has 7500 track miles.
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'21 ZLE A10 Wild Cherry PDR 2:00.78 VIR Full 10.68@131.69 1.68 60'
'17 ZL1 A10 Mosaic Black PDR/Nav 2:03.08 VIR Full 11.003@129.2 1.75 (sold) '15 Z/28 #325 Black a/c & stereo. 2:10.1 VIR Full (sold) '12 ZL1 A6 Black 10.52@131 1.55 60' 2:13 VIR Full (sold) |
01-18-2021, 08:04 AM | #10 | |
aka BeastZL1
Drives: 2019 Camaro ZL1 1LE, 2004 Cobra Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: NC
Posts: 1,087
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Quote:
^^^this.
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01-18-2021, 01:59 PM | #11 |
Drives: RS Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 38
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Any thoughts on the SS not having enough cooling as compared to the ZL1?
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01-18-2021, 07:06 PM | #12 | |
Geoff
Drives: 2020 ZL1 Green Join Date: May 2013
Location: Houston
Posts: 1,718
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Quote:
If you're shifting yourself, there's time spent for your eye seeing a desired RPM, then that message getting processed by your brain, then the signal to your fingers to pull the paddle, then the trans recognizing the command and executing it. All that takes time, I suspect I'm taking up the majority of the time "to shift". In D, it just happens. I've not driven a Porsche, so to me the A10 is like lightning. If drag racing, I'd leave it in D......only because it would be repeatable. A bit long winded, but I hope it's not too muddied
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01-18-2021, 08:59 PM | #13 | |
Drives: 2019 Camaro Z-28 Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Dallas
Posts: 1,482
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SS vs. ZL1
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I NEVER had any type of overheating issues with my SS A10 EVER. PLus the SS is roughly 250 pounds LIGHTER than a ZL1. All that being said a properly modifed SS can make 580-600 RWHP so at that point in time, the power comparison is mute. Now I had a ZL1 1LE for short period of time but because it was a MISERABLE daily driver, I got rid of it after 4 months. I didnt track the ZL1 much at all but the SS I do frequently. I DID do some mods on the SS to improve the handling including SG3 suspension, 1LE sway bars, Camber plates and FOUR Apex 19 x 10.5 wheels with 305 30 19 tires all the way around.
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2019 SS 1LE BIG NA A10 Eagles Canyon Raceway 2.7 CCW Below https://youtu.be/c9M5UHDftcA 4-15-23 at SCCA TT U1 Class MEGA Thread on THIS car: https://www.camaro6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=602092 Retired Cars BELOW: 1973 Camaro, 1969 Camaro, 1969 Camaro SS RS 2010 Camaro SS with 1000HP F1R, 2019 ZL1 1LE A10 |
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01-19-2021, 08:50 AM | #14 | |
corner barstool sitter
Drives: 08 Mustang GT, 19 WRX Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Eastern Time Zone
Posts: 6,990
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Quote:
Norm
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'19 WRX 6M (the family sedan . . . seriously) |
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