T56 Rebuild w/ stage 2 kit, Help!
08-27-2011, 03:19 PM
#1
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T56 Rebuild w/ stage 2 kit, Help! Hello Gang,
I just had my T56 rebuilt with a stage 2 kit + LS7 clutch, and now its vary resistant to go in gear. Cold startups are a bitch, won't go into any gear! I have to turn off the car or wait for the fluid to warm a bit. The tern Notchy is an understatement.
The builder told me it was very tight & will loosen up at about 5K miles. What!! 5K, is this right?
Just today on the way to work, It refused to downshift into any gear from 6th. I had to pull over on the side of road (freeway) and fight with it to get back in gear. I have about 100 miles on this rebuild (mostly city driving) for breakin.
City driving does loosen it up a bit, but I have to fight 1st gear at lights from neutral, unless i put it in 2nd , then up into 1st. Reverse is a pain, if I fight it a bit. I can reverse if I 1st gear it, then over to reverse-it goes in. Please tell me this is all normal and I just needs miles.
What was installed (new)
LS7 clutch kit (clutch, flywheel, pressure plate)
Pilot bearing
Slave cylinder
Stage 2 rebuild kit
I just had my T56 rebuilt with a stage 2 kit + LS7 clutch, and now its vary resistant to go in gear. Cold startups are a bitch, won't go into any gear! I have to turn off the car or wait for the fluid to warm a bit. The tern Notchy is an understatement.
The builder told me it was very tight & will loosen up at about 5K miles. What!! 5K, is this right?
Just today on the way to work, It refused to downshift into any gear from 6th. I had to pull over on the side of road (freeway) and fight with it to get back in gear. I have about 100 miles on this rebuild (mostly city driving) for breakin.
City driving does loosen it up a bit, but I have to fight 1st gear at lights from neutral, unless i put it in 2nd , then up into 1st. Reverse is a pain, if I fight it a bit. I can reverse if I 1st gear it, then over to reverse-it goes in. Please tell me this is all normal and I just needs miles.
What was installed (new)
LS7 clutch kit (clutch, flywheel, pressure plate)
Pilot bearing
Slave cylinder
Stage 2 rebuild kit
08-28-2011, 12:23 AM
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Wow man thats sounds more like a pain than whats its worth. You would think with a upgrade the driveability would be better but I guess not. Ive never heard of something like this ever in a trans after any work on it
08-28-2011, 03:24 AM
#4
thats not normal at all you need to take it back, sounds like the builder wants you to put a bunch of miles on it so if it does go bad he can claim deniablity, no rebuild should have problems going into gears, However this could be a improper clutch setup as well and not exactly the transmission, I know a ls7 has to have shims in it to fit on a f-body, also make sure your MC is bled correctly.
08-28-2011, 07:07 AM
#5
Jason at TDP just rebuilt my transmission with his stage 2 kit and it shifts as smooth as butter. I'd look at the hydraulics not being bled, maybe you got a bad slave, or any number of issues with the transmission. I'd look at the easy stuff over the transmission. It very well could be the transmission but look at the items around the transmission that you installed as this is probably not their first T56 rebuild.
08-28-2011, 11:15 AM
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Thanks for the wonderful information guys...
The shop I took it to is one of the best in the area. Rated pretty high on yelp! I purchased the stage 2 kit from the gearbox transmission.org. I purchased the new slave & pilot bearing from the dealer. The shop informed me that it can not warranty the parts or labor. When I went to pickup the car, I couldn't get it into gear. I informed the service tech of the problem and he notified the builder. He came outside and told me that the transmission is tight, and It will take time for it to loosen up. He said the syncro's are new and need time to break-in..drive it about 5K miles and you should be good. When I drive around, and I'm stopped at a light, from neutral to first, it sounds like taking two 4*4 of wood, knocking them together when it goes into gear.
Should I have done the master cylinder? That's the only part they/I did not change.
I'll drive it another week or so, and see what happens. In all fairness, I only have about 120 miles on this new rebuild/clutch so far..
6SIX6:::Yes, this is what I expected. Smooth stock like shifting. I,ve heard people talking about how "notchy" the T56 is, but both my Camaro's have been great other then reverse, until now.
I'm thinking it might be either a bad/worn MC, or there is air in the hydraulics. I have 104K miles on this Camaro
The shop I took it to is one of the best in the area. Rated pretty high on yelp! I purchased the stage 2 kit from the gearbox transmission.org. I purchased the new slave & pilot bearing from the dealer. The shop informed me that it can not warranty the parts or labor. When I went to pickup the car, I couldn't get it into gear. I informed the service tech of the problem and he notified the builder. He came outside and told me that the transmission is tight, and It will take time for it to loosen up. He said the syncro's are new and need time to break-in..drive it about 5K miles and you should be good. When I drive around, and I'm stopped at a light, from neutral to first, it sounds like taking two 4*4 of wood, knocking them together when it goes into gear.
Should I have done the master cylinder? That's the only part they/I did not change.
I'll drive it another week or so, and see what happens. In all fairness, I only have about 120 miles on this new rebuild/clutch so far..
6SIX6:::Yes, this is what I expected. Smooth stock like shifting. I,ve heard people talking about how "notchy" the T56 is, but both my Camaro's have been great other then reverse, until now.
I'm thinking it might be either a bad/worn MC, or there is air in the hydraulics. I have 104K miles on this Camaro
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08-28-2011, 11:26 AM
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Jason at TDP just rebuilt my transmission with his stage 2 kit and it shifts as smooth as butter. I'd look at the hydraulics not being bled, maybe you got a bad slave, or any number of issues with the transmission. I'd look at the easy stuff over the transmission. It very well could be the transmission but look at the items around the transmission that you installed as this is probably not their first T56 rebuild.
08-31-2011, 10:41 PM
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Thanks for all the info guys, I'm taking it back in to the builder tomorrow. I am sick to death of this crap! Car is drivable after I put a few miles on it and it warms up, but the 1st to 2nd is very sticky/notchy, I'm just done fighting it. Cold starts are the worst, have to wait minutes just to find a gear that shifter will go into. This is embarrassing at banks and stores as people watch you fight with the transmission as they leave happily. I did not expect this when I plunked down $2K on a rebuild....plus $775 for stage 2 kit + overnight air, to builder...
I'll keep you guys up to date for those that might run into this into the future.....
I'll keep you guys up to date for those that might run into this into the future.....
09-01-2011, 10:16 AM
#11
Your problem might not be the transmission, it might be the master cylinder. Test to see if the clutch is fully disengaging:
1) Make sure your car is on 100% flat, level ground.
2) Start the car, and shift into first gear.
3) With your foot still on the clutch, rev the car to the upper RPMs, all the way to redline.
If the car creeps forward at all, you aren't getting a full disengagement of the clutch and it would benefit you to upgrade to our Tick Performance Adjustable Clutch Master Cylinder Kit, seen here: http://www.tickperformance.com/tick-...or-ls1-f-body/
1) Make sure your car is on 100% flat, level ground.
2) Start the car, and shift into first gear.
3) With your foot still on the clutch, rev the car to the upper RPMs, all the way to redline.
If the car creeps forward at all, you aren't getting a full disengagement of the clutch and it would benefit you to upgrade to our Tick Performance Adjustable Clutch Master Cylinder Kit, seen here: http://www.tickperformance.com/tick-...or-ls1-f-body/
09-03-2011, 02:37 PM
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Well, the shop completed the job and it turned out to be something simple. I needed a "shim" behind flywheel. Now, my engagement is much higher. I'm not sure I like it this high, but the car shifts nicely and no more notchy-ness(sp). I've heard of people shimming the slave cylinder, but wonder if this does the same thing.
Question::What will happen when the clutch starts to wear down??? Will shimming the flywheel have any negative effects over time as the clutch wears?
Question::What will happen when the clutch starts to wear down??? Will shimming the flywheel have any negative effects over time as the clutch wears?
09-03-2011, 09:47 PM
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Glad to hear that was the issue. I just got mine back yesterday and I love how it feels. It was hard to get into 1st the first couple of times but now its perfect...
09-04-2011, 12:17 AM
#14
LOL I told you in a earlier post that a ls7 clutch had to be shimmed
glad thats all it was but I cant belive the shop was telling you to drive it like that, and that it was NORMAL because obviously he was pulling that out of his ***, cause there was a issue and it wasnt normal.
glad thats all it was but I cant belive the shop was telling you to drive it like that, and that it was NORMAL because obviously he was pulling that out of his ***, cause there was a issue and it wasnt normal.
11-26-2011, 03:13 PM
#15
Quick question guys I'm in the middle of my stage 2 rebuild and I have the carbon fibrer blocking rings, billet keys, bronze shift fork pads, steel 3-4 shift fork yada yada and I want to know what trans fluid are you guys using? I've heard "not" to use synthetic because the carbon fiber blocking rings don't like it, I've also heard I should use redline mtl. I just want to make sure I get the right fluid, thanks.
