T56 scheduled fluid change?
10-04-2016, 11:44 AM
#1
TECH Veteran
Thread Starter
T56 scheduled fluid change? what does the maintenance schedule show for scheduled fluid change (DEX 3)?
My T56 is not in a F body so I don't have a owners manual/service schedule book for it
TIA
My T56 is not in a F body so I don't have a owners manual/service schedule book for it
TIA
10-08-2016, 04:05 PM
#4
TECH Enthusiast
I would change it at least every 20K-50K miles. And if you drive/shift the car hard, track it, drag it, etc. probably more often than that. It only costs about $20-$30 to change the fluid yourself. On my current vehicle, I change the DEX 3 every 5K miles, which is 3-5 yrs of driving for me. When I had my 1993 Trans Am with T56 I don't think I ever changed the fluid. And I sold that car with 55K miles. It shifted wonderfully too.
If you just bought the car and have no idea what fluid is in there or how old it is, it's a wise idea to change it back to a fluid you know will work correctly. A lot of the synthetic MTL's are accidents waiting to happen....especially the GL5 MTL's. Many of those will shift smoothly and perfectly for months or even years, until the sychronizers fail on you from having their friction surfaces "blinded" by the additives in the MTL's.
My 1999 owner's manual has no periodicity for changing manual trans fluid. It states that at 50K, and 100K miles the fluid doesn't need changing. At 150K it doesn't say anything.
If you just bought the car and have no idea what fluid is in there or how old it is, it's a wise idea to change it back to a fluid you know will work correctly. A lot of the synthetic MTL's are accidents waiting to happen....especially the GL5 MTL's. Many of those will shift smoothly and perfectly for months or even years, until the sychronizers fail on you from having their friction surfaces "blinded" by the additives in the MTL's.
My 1999 owner's manual has no periodicity for changing manual trans fluid. It states that at 50K, and 100K miles the fluid doesn't need changing. At 150K it doesn't say anything.
Last edited by Firebrian; 10-08-2016 at 04:23 PM.
10-09-2016, 12:04 PM
#6
TECH Enthusiast
I open up the fill plug, and then the lower drain plug. 3-3/4 quarts gravity drains out. Refill by pump or use a 6-8 ft hose and funnel running from the engine bay near the master cylinder. Done this 3X now in the past 5 years. Filling is the slowest part. I do have a pump but it didn't work so well so I just gravity filled this last time. I had time to kill. It took about 60-90 min overall...and I'm as slow as methodical as they come.
10-09-2016, 02:40 PM
#7
TECH Veteran
Thread Starter
thanks for the reply's guys. I was surprised the owners manual for camaro does only say the tranny fluid does not need to be changed in the various service mileage listed in it
My application is a B-body so no mention of manual/T56 servicing since that platform never came as a manual which is why I asked the ?
I purchased the tranny new in 2005 and have had it out several times replacing clutches over the years. I did change the fluid sometimes on those swaps although the millage was never really more than 5k mi. The 1/4 mi took its tool on single disc clutches and I now have a McLeod Street Twin so don't expect to be pulling the trans again for many years
I am pro active on fluid changes and will change this when I get 25k mi on the fluid. Have used Dex 3 and am aware of synthetic conflict in pre 99 T56 that have the paper blocker rings. Mine has the carbon ones as it was made after 99
for the guy who asked how to get the old fluid out....there is a drain plug as noted in the reply video above located on lower rear of trans case. I use a fluid pump I got at auto part store that fits in a 1 qt standard oil bottle so it fits DEX 3 ATF bottles I buy. Plug & play and no mess. T56 fill is 4qts...or until fluid starts to come out of fill hole.
My application is a B-body so no mention of manual/T56 servicing since that platform never came as a manual which is why I asked the ?
I purchased the tranny new in 2005 and have had it out several times replacing clutches over the years. I did change the fluid sometimes on those swaps although the millage was never really more than 5k mi. The 1/4 mi took its tool on single disc clutches and I now have a McLeod Street Twin so don't expect to be pulling the trans again for many years
I am pro active on fluid changes and will change this when I get 25k mi on the fluid. Have used Dex 3 and am aware of synthetic conflict in pre 99 T56 that have the paper blocker rings. Mine has the carbon ones as it was made after 99
for the guy who asked how to get the old fluid out....there is a drain plug as noted in the reply video above located on lower rear of trans case. I use a fluid pump I got at auto part store that fits in a 1 qt standard oil bottle so it fits DEX 3 ATF bottles I buy. Plug & play and no mess. T56 fill is 4qts...or until fluid starts to come out of fill hole.
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10-09-2016, 04:40 PM
#8
TECH Enthusiast
I've read it both ways from both car owners and transmission shops. But the vast majority of what I've read is that the paper lined blocker rings were utilized up through model year 2000 in the T56. Unless you have a 2001 or later, I would assume paper blockers unless the transmission was verified rebuilt with them. I have a bone stock '99 and have found nothing that would lead me to believe that I don't have the paper blockers.
10-10-2016, 09:59 AM
#10
TECH Veteran
Thread Starter
I've read it both ways from both car owners and transmission shops. But the vast majority of what I've read is that the paper lined blocker rings were utilized up through model year 2000 in the T56. Unless you have a 2001 or later, I would assume paper blockers unless the transmission was verified rebuilt with them. .