Had a problem with your T56, Please Read
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Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Grove City Ohio/Port Washington L.I sometimes
Re: Had a problem with your T56, Please Read If feel much of the problems are by hydraulics.Two sponsors of this board with HUGE power cars are in agreement on this.I dont believe the driver error b.s to many people have the same problem.I am currently doing th400 swap after 4 t-56 failures,last tranny was fixed with the good parts from D&D works great now actually for sale in parts right now.With what I have spent on trannys and clutches could have done th400 twice.How many of you guys without issues are making big power I suspect very few?
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Joined: Jul 2002
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From: MI
Re: Had a problem with your T56, Please Read I have a 2001 ws6 w/ 20,000 mi and near stock power. When i get on it it makes a short vibrating/buzzing noise for a slit second. And i've had the pop out of third thing happen a hand full of times and the stuck in fourth problem only once.
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Joined: Aug 2002
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From: katy, tx
Re: Had a problem with your T56, Please Read I have to say that my T-56 has never given me any trouble at all. I put a short throw shifter in when the car had about 1000 miles and a skip shift eliminator when it was brand new. I have been to the track many times, but have never speed shifted even once. My car is 4 1/2 years old now and has 18,000 miles and it is holding up great. I do think it will be time for a clutch soon though. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />
Re: Had a problem with your T56, Please Read I'd say its about 80% driver error. Guilty myself. When the car was nearly stock, I toasted my first T56 (around 12K miles) because I was powershifting all the time and missed quite a few gears. Missing a gear ONE time causes permanent damage to your synchros, and based on how high of an rpm you miss that gear, more damage occurs.
Well, I didn't learn. I kept on powershifting and toasted another set of synchros in less than a year. Probably around 25K miles. We also had alot of hydraulic clutch issues back then and those POS clutch setups wouldn't allow us to shift at higher rpm most of the time.
Rebuild #2
So, I then learned to shift quickly without powershifting, and timed my clutch/shift better with alot of practice. You can practice with your car turned off for timing. I quit powershifting completely, as the difference in my ET was only 0.003 on average. I stopped missing gears so much, which kept me from GRINDING them so badly. That rebuild lasted about 30K miles and two racing seasons (raced weekly). It was working just fine until one day I blew up the rearend at the track shifting into 4th. That locked up the rearend, and caused my tranny to get nailed. Talk about an expensive night!
rebuild #3
No powershifting, alot of racing, Cartek clutch. Tranny lasted about
The next tranny rebuild lasted over 20K miles with VERY heavy abuse (low 11s, 1.5 60' times). I think I raced more at that time than any other period with the car. Synchros started going bad, but I finished the season beating them.
Grinding gears is your enemy. Don't powershift. If you do powershift, NEVER miss a gear.
Tony
Well, I didn't learn. I kept on powershifting and toasted another set of synchros in less than a year. Probably around 25K miles. We also had alot of hydraulic clutch issues back then and those POS clutch setups wouldn't allow us to shift at higher rpm most of the time.
Rebuild #2
So, I then learned to shift quickly without powershifting, and timed my clutch/shift better with alot of practice. You can practice with your car turned off for timing. I quit powershifting completely, as the difference in my ET was only 0.003 on average. I stopped missing gears so much, which kept me from GRINDING them so badly. That rebuild lasted about 30K miles and two racing seasons (raced weekly). It was working just fine until one day I blew up the rearend at the track shifting into 4th. That locked up the rearend, and caused my tranny to get nailed. Talk about an expensive night!
rebuild #3
No powershifting, alot of racing, Cartek clutch. Tranny lasted about
The next tranny rebuild lasted over 20K miles with VERY heavy abuse (low 11s, 1.5 60' times). I think I raced more at that time than any other period with the car. Synchros started going bad, but I finished the season beating them.
Grinding gears is your enemy. Don't powershift. If you do powershift, NEVER miss a gear.
Tony
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2005
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when i hear of so much powershifting and side-stepping of the clutch that makes me normal. my 93 T56 has 106k and it is just starting to take a dump after a lot of abuse. it has a bad input shaft bearing so im deciding to do a total rebuild since it would be likely it would go out again if i didnt. im thinkin about doing steel 3-4 shift fork and viper syncros. IMO, if you dont powershift your f-body then you should look at buying the new volvo suv or Subaru Forester.. take your pick!
Driver error, due to myself and previous owners. Still holding up at 135,000 miles and i drive it into the ground everyday. But it shows, you have to drive mine just right,otherwise she is making noise or not shifting. EX.. You cannot granny shift at the end of a race, it likes to grind going into any gear, because of this. Reverse must be held in till a clunk sound is made, other wise I will have to push her out of a parking spot. The last noticable problem with my trany is the 1-2 shift grinds going in while racing from time to time.
Mine has 83k on it, and 5th pops out of gear half the time and 3rd will on occassion. I've missed 3rd too many times, but never ground synchros, just hit the gate and bent my shift fork. Clutch and shift timing was never a problem even when I was a noob at a manual, and I've never shifted into 5th before. I can't figure out why mine is going either. I thought I wouldn't have to rebuild mine this early. 
Jason
Jason
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Verdad Gallardo That's when you shift but don't let off the gas. It's more effective on ricers and even some of the 4.6 Mustangs that don't have as much torque as we do. I don't see it being worth it on our cars to be honest.
Jason
Jason
First of all..is this the "NoOne" that used to do all the N2O experimentation years ago on LS1.com? If so, long time no see man! I used to post over there under the name "Bean-o". Hahahahaaa
Anyway, I bought my car brand new in 98. The first T56 crapped out at about 5,000 miles. It started popping out of gear(3rd I believe). The trans they replaced it with has been great. I have abused the heck out of it as the car progressed from 12's to 11's to 10's. The only thing I've hurt is clutches(been through 5 or 6)!! The ole T56 is getting kind rattly sounding now however...may be time for a refresh. Other than that I haven't had any issues with my car. 50K miles now.
Anyway, I bought my car brand new in 98. The first T56 crapped out at about 5,000 miles. It started popping out of gear(3rd I believe). The trans they replaced it with has been great. I have abused the heck out of it as the car progressed from 12's to 11's to 10's. The only thing I've hurt is clutches(been through 5 or 6)!! The ole T56 is getting kind rattly sounding now however...may be time for a refresh. Other than that I haven't had any issues with my car. 50K miles now.
