iScream

Hey guys. I've got a used T56 from a 2000 Camaro which I'm planning to install in my S10 pickup behind a 6.0 liter LS motor.

Trying to decide whether to just run the transmission as it sits to start out or if I should go ahead and rebuild it while it's out. I've been reading and watching youtube videos so I'm starting to get a better understanding of how everything works.

I took the front plate off last night but I haven't been brave enough to disassemble any more than that yet. This may be a really dumb question but can you guys guesstimate the condition of the transmission just by looking at the below pictures of the input and counter shaft gears? I know it doesn't show anything about what shape the synchronizer parts are in.

If these pics aren't useful at all can anyone tell me what I might dig into so that I can really know what condition everything is in but still be able to put it back together without screwing something up?

Before I removed the front plate, I could wiggle the input shaft side to side just a bit but it didn't seem excessive. Trying to push the shaft in and out I couldn't feel any movement but I've read that the expected play is really small, like a few thousandths, so I don't know if I would be able to feel out of spec and needing a shim or not.

Thanks a ton for any help.

-Chris


Input shaft gear




Counter shaft gear

2011grandsport

First, how many miles on the trans? Next, the synchros and the blocker rings is where the wear comes in along with the synchro side of each gear. If the gears show alot of wear where the synchronizers meet then you are just running on borrowed time with out rebuilding it. Mine had roughly 130,000 on the clock and basically all the gears would have needed to be replaced. Instead they were machined and used in my sons t56 which was faceplated.

iScream

Thanks for jumping in. The guy I bought it from a few months ago said 60K on it. Guess I need to do some more reading and get comfortable tearing it down more to see what is what.

B Gordon

I don't know anything about T56 transmissions but was in the same situation as you a few months ago.
Bought a T56 with 80K on it to us in a drivetrain swap situation.
Had the same internal debate about having it rebuilt before installing it in my swap.
Ended up deciding to go ahead and install it as purchased with my justification being that if it works well, fine and I will have saved myself about $1000.
If not, it is no huge deal to pull the transmission to have it gone thru.
Maybe 4 or 5 hours of personal time and a few weeks with the car not running while waiting for the rebuild.

The other thing is that with a swap there are usually a laundry list of things that will need to be changed or tweaked so if the transmission works but needs rebuilt it would be one of the verified things on your list.

stevieturbo

Generally speaking, you strip these from the back down.

Not the front plate.

If you know the box and it was working fine, just leave it alone.

Parts to refresh an old box like that can soon add up and may be hard to justify if there wasnt anything wrong in the first place.

iScream

Thanks, guys. I bought it off Craigslist so I just have what the seller told me to go on. He said he drove the Camaro before buying it for a project he ended up not building. Seemed like a decent guy and I have no reason to doubt what he said. Especially since he was trying to sell me the LQ9 sitting next to it that he had also bought for his project.

I just want to know what I really have here. I've read enough to know that digging in deeper means putting the front plate back on and going at it from the other end. I just don't know if I can judge the wear on gears and such unless they are so bad that there isn't any more flat area at the tips or something

I've had a few thoughts about selling this transmission and buying a magnum instead. So that's another reason I would like to know the real condition.

Probably silly of me to hope anything meaningful could be seen from those two pictures. But it was easy to post and ask so no harm done.

stevieturbo

Pictures like that arent really showing anything worthwhile though.

Unless there was a major issue there, the only way to get a good idea is with a proper stripdown.

Or just drive it and if it works, it works.

BALLSS

OP

I would button it back up and use it as is.

Yeah that is no guarantee all is fine but there are really no signals that there is a problem. If the fluid that came out had glitter in it...than deeper inspection would be advised

The input shaft movement you describe sounds "normal"

iScream

Thanks again, guys.

If I want to run a T56 Magnum I really need to decide that now, right? Is my understanding correct that switching to the magnum later would require redoing my cross member and driveshaft unless I spend more for a F Body version?

As I mentioned, this is going into an S-10 pickup.

stevieturbo

it would probably be better.

But does the Magnum shift position suit you, or would the FBody be better ?

Magnum sits fairly far forward compared to the FBody.

iScream

That's a good question and I had to go back and make sure I'm picturing everything right. Looks like either is going to bring the shifter back several inches from where the current NV3500 shifter is. So I think I can live with either one. I can fine tune it using an offset shifter right?

I'm probably just going to use the F-body trans I've already got. I don't really need the power handling of the magnum but I keep reading about how nice they shift and that's what makes me want one.

stevieturbo

Obviously there are the Ford based Magnums too, the XL etc if you need longer. Not sure what is needed of them to bolt an LS bellhousing to