T56 Install

Get your money out....

So where are we at?!? Because you know when you figure this out, I'm going to steal it and give you credit while I drive my 6spd too. lol

Start getting your parts together!
The hard part is done. Now, it's just the piddly-a$$ crap left.
Use an SBF/LS1 T56 bellhousing kit.
For the trans: Probably best to order it from a remanufacturer or custom house. unless you can pick one up at a cheap price and have it rebuilt.
It needs an LS1 tailshaft extension housing (if you need a HD unit it will cost to have it modded).
Mid-plate LS1 or Viper (use appropriate slave and throw-out brg.).
1/2" spacer ring (If using the McLeod bell-housing kit, use either "no fork" or "9 o'clock fork hole".
I can't stand the oem LS1 shifter and knob(it's too long, and looks like crap) I got a Hurst shifter and re-used my 5 speed handle/knob.
If your car is an auto, then you will need a new brake & clutch pedal set. Also, a master cyl, and modify the neutral safety start circuit. Oh yeah, a new hyd hose and reservoir.
A GM pilot brg (sleeved to fit ford pilot hole)
Some sort of speed signal changer.
A new driveshaft.
Wiring pig tails to splice into your harness.
new clutch and pressure plate.
A trans mounting pad.
And new isolators (2 sets)
If an auto, manual trans flywheel bolts (6)
Pressure plate bolts (6)
There's your money...

Now comes the work.......
Then you need to modify your cross-member and/or floor pan for a good mount. May need to cut the tunnel also.
MikeH
 
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update

Got the new slave, still waiting on the spacer and pins. Was working the pressure plate and think I need to shim it to get full release (McLeod says their clutch disks are .030+ thicker than stock. Pedal travel and slave movement look good. Since I didn't get picked up for O-T this weekend, I'll have time to work on the car.
MikeH
 
update..

Got a notice in the mail today that my spacer ring and extended dowel pins are backordered :(
Working on clutch disengagement. Still drags a little. Could be an issue of needing to shim the pressure plate (it's a McLeod unit and they say that their's are about 0.030+ thicker than oem), or need to shim the slave a little.
I have seen crank spacers for shimming the flywheel, that may be easier than shimming the slave.
The Viper slave fits much better than the modified SC one. The bleed fitting is much longer and actually sticks out of the bell a little. The quick-disconnect is Ford compatible and is a little longer also.

It seems that between the wife and the kid digging through the 'cave' for books and movies, that the pig-tails for modifing the harness have been shuffled/moved. So I have to go on the hunt for them.
While I'm at it, I guess I should dig out the GT PBR's and brake pads and install them.
MikeH
 

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So, whats the damage so far?

SWS

So far about $3500.00. That's without driveshaft, not counting my labor, wire, gas, abrasives, cutting blades or other misc. parts used.
Working on a break-down of p/n's, list prices (or specific if I can find reciepts). This will be included in the write-up I am working on.
MikeH
 
I was wondering because I have see some sort of kit on the powerblock that is supposed to have all the stuff needed for a swap. I can only assume the prices are for like a mustang or a chevy...I will do some searching to see if I can find it but I bet money you are about half the cost of what it will be.

SWS
 
Just found this place http://www.5speedtransmissions.com/6_speed_prices.html they say they can custom make pilot bearings ($40)

SWS- If you need a new pressure plate, add a few $100. Add my time to do all the metal fit up and welding for the floor pads and crossmember. The price of transmissions has gone up, I got mine a while back.
...................Still waiting on parts....................................
MikeH
 
woo-hoo just got shipping notice....

....that my scallop spacer and extended dowel pins has finally shipped!
Now if I can get off this odd-ball 12 hr shift, I might be able to get something done.
MikeH
 
Brown truck brought pretty shiny parts today. Took pics, will post when I get home. Spacer ring and pins. Also took pics of pilot and sleeves, will post same time as above. Now begins the tear-down (again).

Slowpoke- I was looking at having to shim the flywheel to clearance the engine side of flywheel for the thicker motorplate (if needed) they come in 0.025" and 0.050" thickness'.
MikeH
 
pilots, spacer and pins

Well here they are, the GM pilot grouped wth the new sleeves (I had 2 made) and the oem SC pilot.
And the McLeod Scalloped 0.500" spacer ring with long dowel pins..
MikeH
 

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How much did that spacer plate cost?

About $185 w/ S&H from Summit (That's also includes longer dowel pins (x2)

New clutch master cylinder came this a.m. from Rock Auto.
I think I have most of the parts to finish this up.......
If I can get some wrench time!
Later MikeH
 
Well, took it apart today. Replaced the pins, didn't need the real long ones as it turned out. The original ones were 3/4" long. I have attached pic with pin in place, and one of the hyd qwick-disconnects (ford/viper)
MikeH
 

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Slave spacer

Seems that I can't get enough oomph out of my slave to get complete disengagement. I am working on how much spacing is needed. Found a company that does T56 kits (for GM products) ATS (American Touring Specialties) at www.t56kit.com, that makes and packages an LS1 slave spacer in some of their kits. I e-mailed them, asking if they would sell them seperately and what the price would be.
Since I needed a 1/2" ring spacer, it looks like I need a slave spacer to go with it.
I also mentioned that there could be another market for this product with all the folks who have expressed an interest in doing a Viper/GM T56 swap here at SCCoA. I invited them to come on over and take a look.
MikeH
 
Write-up for T56 swap...

Started really working on the write-up last night/this morning. Trying to figure the best format for it, trying to get the pic imported and resized.
Need to take some more shots when I take it apart (again) to fit for a slave spacer/shim. It's coming along, slowly.
Hopefully, it will have most of the info needed for parts, assembly order, and what fabrication will need to be done for a "clean" swap.
It won't be cheap. I think the biggest work item is the cross-member.
I think I will put the car on a trailer (after dropping the gas tank), and take it to the local drive-line specialists. They do custom steel and aluminum drive shafts. I think I have enough fiddle room for vertical adjustment built into the cross member and trans mount, to get the angle dialed in.
MikeH
 
Seems that I can't get enough oomph out of my slave to get complete disengagement. I am working on how much spacing is needed. Found a company that does T56 kits (for GM products) ATS (American Touring Specialties) at www.t56kit.com, that makes and packages an LS1 slave spacer in some of their kits. I e-mailed them, asking if they would sell them seperately and what the price would be.
Since I needed a 1/2" ring spacer, it looks like I need a slave spacer to go with it.
I also mentioned that there could be another market for this product with all the folks who have expressed an interest in doing a Viper/GM T56 swap here at SCCoA. I invited them to come on over and take a look.
MikeH

Well, I called them today, since I got no email. They've been bought out and aren't making alot of the parts any more. That sux!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MikeH
 
Update

Waiting on machinist to finish slave spacer. Got the pressure plate spacer thickness dialed in. Making progress in cleaning the replacement engine.
Have to blast and repaint motor mounts, the galv. has mostly turned to rust.
Installed pilot brg and sleeve, nice fit.
While the engine is on the stand, I'm gonna try to do the oil pres. switch to transducer swap. I've gotta pull the cluster out to install my new gauge faces. Might as well do it all at one time. Oh yea, might as well put the ajd. resistor in for the 145 speedo mod also.
Before I can install the modded cluster I've got to get her running to get the speed-cal box set so that the inputs are valid (different signal from the T56).
MikeH
 

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Still sloggin' forward....

Had to take some personal time away from this project, recover from a hurricane and wait for the machinist I use to get back to work from an injury.
Not to mention almost 4 weeks of 7-day, 9-11 hr/day stint at work testing a new set of steam turbine generators. Haven't even taken my Bow out of the case for deer season yet!

However, I did get some little stuff done: Fitted my new gauge faces, modded speedo for the new 140 face (used a 15 turn pot glued to the speedo frame and accessed through the front with a tweaker), bypassed the resistor for the oil pressure gage, and bought a new pressure sender unit and fittings.
Got the dimensions for the slave spacer and hand drew a crappy drawing for the machinist to make one (I miss my drafting table and templates- CAD confuses the crap out of me!).

Unfortunately, the sunny days were spent working and the days off were wet, so that put a damper on dismanteling the auto car (it served as a fuel storage depot during the 'cane for my generator).

I used seam sealer on the interior floor where I welded the crossmember pad extensions and painted that. Still need to do the underside.
Need to clean the carpet and install (no wire harness damage from mice noted). Might add some sound sheet before I do, though.

Looking at beefing up the t-stat housing. Gotta find my alum. welding rod so I can finish the raised top I started. Pull out the FMIC and take some pics for mock-up.

And when I'm to lazy or or not otherwise occupied, research "the hand operated clutch" aks semi-auto clutch ...ala F1/Indy ----JUST BECAUSE IT SOUNDS COOOOOLL!
Welcome to fall, leaves are already coming down....need to get the ATV in for service and fix the plow. Winters a-coming.

MikeH
 
Don't 'ya just hate it when......

......you find someone who makes a part that you really need.... But you find out that they got bought out quit making it........Then as you come up with thw materials to get it custom made, someone (a different someone) now makes it..... And, it will still be cheaper to get it made. (even cheaper if you get more than one made).

Ram Automotive (www.ramclutches.com) sells a line of Universal Hydraulic Bearing Spacers for T56/6060 in 0.5", 0.75", 1.0" and 1.25" (Summit lists some of them, but I think their P/Ns are swapped). RAM list $ is less than Summit.

RAM AUTOMOTIVE www.ramclutches.com
Universal Hydraulic Bearing Spacer T56/6060 collar off transmission

Just thought I'd put this out there for folks.
MikeH
 

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