Can the Delorean auto transmission handle more than 200hp?

[Chris Burns]

I wouldn't think so...

[88KPH]

200bhp doesn't really mean anything. Its how that horse-power is used.
European spec cars were meant to have 155bhp. IMO, driven smoothly, 200bhp would be fine.
Stop-light drag racing 200bhp will destroy the gearbox. Accelerating quicker from 30mph to 60mph probably won't.

[Dangermouse]

I wouldn't think so...

Could you be more vague, please?

[Chris Burns]

Sorry about that Dangermouse.

What got me to ask this question was that I remember seeing a twin turbo Delorean with an automatic for sale awhile back and was just curious especially with the DPI twin turbo being out currently.

Plus you have Jeremiah's VR6 powered automatic Delorean that is set at 205hp.

[Delorean Industries]

What DPI auto twin turbo? Are you spreading more malicious lies like before Chris Burns?

[Chris Burns]

No. I haven't said anything bad about you Josh.

[88KPH]

Sorry, thought it was a genuine discussion.

[David T]

It will handle it but not for long. A lot will depend on just how hard you abuse it. If you saw how small the smallest clutch pack is and how it is made you will understand.

[jamesrguk]

200bhp doesn't really mean anything. Its how that horse-power is used.
European spec cars were meant to have 155bhp. IMO, driven smoothly, 200bhp would be fine.
Stop-light drag racing 200bhp will destroy the gearbox. Accelerating quicker from 30mph to 60mph probably won't.

I have what you would class as the 'European Spec' engine, this is the B28e engine, visually it's identical to stock but slightly higher compression 9.5:1 (I think stock is 8.8:1) and no lambda or cat etc... and as a result slightly more power, rated as 155hp

I have a stock dmc auto transmission and it pulls and shifts very nicely, far better than when attached to the stock B28f. I don't think this small power increase worries it too much, seems to have much more pull from a standstill than the stock engine.

I dyno'd my B28f engine a couple of years back before I swapped it last year so I may pop this on the same dyno in the spring to see what the difference is.

I very much an amature engine enthusiast so am prepared to be pulled up on any errors.

James

[Delorean Industries]

The problems with the auto platform are easily solved and we do just that. Assembling another turbo car that is an auto now. The sudden shock is what kills it and breaks internals. Down to a science here.

[David T]

The problems with the auto platform are easily solved and we do just that. Assembling another turbo car that is an auto now. The sudden shock is what kills it and breaks internals. Down to a science here.

The torque converter helps to protect the auto trans from shock loading and the vacuum modulator softens the shifts. Even with that, all of that HP is going to kill the transmission prematurely. Handling all of that HP creates additional heat too and there is limited capacity to deal with it. Heat ages an auto trans prematurely. On the plus side, if you properly match the turbos with the stall speed of the torque converter and shift at the proper RPM's, you can get even more out of a car with an automatic tranny than with a manual with turbos. Bottom line, you can get a LOT more performance out of a car if you put turbos on an automatic transmission but you sacrifice reliability and longevity of the parts. In fact it is a general rule, the harder you use a part the less it will last. You see the extreme case of this in aircraft. After a certain # of hours parts are replaced before they fail because they are so highly stressed.

[Delorean Industries]

I've completed all of the required research and development on this to make it happen. I'm looking from the inside out with the required data. Everyone else is looking from the outside in with nothing but what they have heard in the past. Your statements do not correlate with my findings.