HawkwardStuddmuffin

I bought my 99 T/A with the trans already dead. I have tax money headed my way and I've been having a debate with my self on weither or not I should swap to a t56 or have the a4 rebuilt. Having the a4 rebuilt would be cheaper but the t56 would be alot more fun and i wont have to worry about wether or not my a4 will die again. ive done a bit of research on the swap and i can tell its not gonna be a walk in the park. So what do yall think? Should i keep the A4 or swap on a t56? Thanks for the input.

Bad324

I'll be interested to hear what people think. I'm most likely buying an A4 car this weekend and was also thinking driving it until the trans goes and do the M6 swap

Kory

I had always regretted not buying a m6 car after purchasing my a4. Sure it was still fun to drive and pretty quick with an auto but I always felt like the car was lacking some excitement. When the 4l60 started slipping into 3rd I decided to go the 4l80 route with a 3200 stall. Swapping to a t56 seemed a little over my head at the time so the 4l80 naturally looked like the best and easiest option. The swap went great with the 4l80 and the 3200 stall was a nice addition but I still couldn't say I was completely satisfied.

Well the girl I was seeing at the time had recently purchased a rsx type-s with the 6 speed and I have to say even though that car had half the power, to me it was twice as fun. After driving her car I couldn't stand it anymore, I ditched all the auto stuff and swapped in a t56.

It was kind of nauseating ripping out all the 4l80 stuff I had just installed along with cutting up and modifying the car to that extent but I just needed something different. I had purchased a t56 parts car so that was a big help with the swap. Ended up also doing a ls7 clutch, mgw shifter, tick master cylinder and bleeder as well. I absolutely love it.

At the end of the day its up to you and you're goals for the car. If you do decide to stick with an auto I would suggest looking into a 4l80. They can be had for a decent price and seem to hold up a lot better than a 4l60

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

I dislike manual transmissions, especially on these cars with their sometimes problematic hydraulics (though I'm sure you'd upgrade it during the swap), so my choice would always be the auto. A well built auto with a properly matched stall speed is, to me, much more fun to drive (especially with a ratchet shifter for those times where shifting is preferable - but that's just icing on the cake to me.) I wouldn't want to settle for the manual because I'd eventually regret it. Having said that, if you find the manual more fun, then you should probably take this advice in reverse.

Just keep in mind that the manual is much harder on the rear end. You can build a pretty quick auto car while still keeping the 7.5" rear alive and well unless you can't control wheel hop or you're building a max effort track warrior. On the other hand, M6 cars have been known to break axles and driveshafts on sticky tires with nothing more than bolt-ons or sometimes even stock. So be prepared for this should you go the M6 route. Also, since your car is an A4 it originally had either 2.73 or 3.23 gears. Both of these ratios are numerically lower than the 3.42s that would have come stock with an M6. If yours came optioned with the 2.73s, you'll definitely want to look at a gear swap if you opt to go with the T56. So that's just another expense and project to keep in mind while considering the swap.

JD_AMG

This is total personal preference, you need to ask yourself what YOU want.
A built, stalled auto will be better for strait line racing from a stop while a manual will be better for racing around turns and roll racing.

Something you can do if flip a coin and have heads-stay automatic, tails-go manual. While the coin is in mid air you will be thinking of which side you want it to land on, then you will know deep down what you want.

blackbyrd

iTrader: (14)

Swapped to a manual for my motor swap so I say swap manual. But the above is correct it's all personal preference. Both my cars are manuals and the Camaro will be a manual during it's build. So I'm likely biased but they are more fun from my perspective.

The swap mechanically is simple, there are a few wiring things to fix, and the ecm requires a change over. There are a multitude of swap threads detailing how to.

onebadbowtie86

iTrader: (13)

I love my t56 but wouldnt mind having a 4l80 with a big stall. Its all preference. One thing to keep in mind, Theres a good chance any used t56 you buy may need a rebuild.

HawkwardStuddmuffin

Thanks for the input yall. I reckon Manual is the route I will take. Kori I know what u mean on the slower 5spd being more fun, i had a 5spd sliverado that was a blast to drive and it was a slow 305. Rpm Ws6, I appreciate the caution on the rear end side of things Im not known for dumping the clutch so i should 'keyword' should be alright.

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

I own both - in both old school Pontiac and LS1 iterations. And while I do enjoy getting out and banging gears - or just leisurely cruising and shifting - the automatics have a pleasure all their own. A stalled, tuned, and shift-kitted A4 brings amazing versatility to the car. You can't compare it with a stock automatic. It slips up into the powerband much more quickly than a manual (being locked to the flywheel) ever could. It responds instantaneously to input from your right foot in situations that demand a split-second response, when it would be next to impossible to execute a manual downshift. Tuning and a shift kit make for very positive shifts with full manual control when you want it.

Some people are just manual people, period. I used to be one of those guys - until I learned the virtues of a properly set up automatic. I would build the A4 setup to its full potential and see how you like it. Maybe you'll be like Kory and want to go M6 after all. But I doubt it.

A final point. There's a common belief that the manuals are more reliable than the autos. I don't find that to be the case. Between the hydraulics, clutch issues, and internal problems, T56 owners seem to have every bit as much trouble as the 4L60e guys, if not more.

HawkwardStuddmuffin

i guess my biggest fear with keeping the 4l60e is it going out on me agian in a few years. if i had it rebuilt to be stout do yall reckon it would hold up over time time?

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

It all depends on the quality of the build. You have to take it to somebody who knows these transmissions backwards and forwards, not some XYZ transmission shop. Or purchase a unit from one of our sponsors. When built right, they are very reliable and can hold a fair bit of power.

Since your sig doesn't mention where you live, you may want to get on one of the regional forums and ask around for builders in your area. Or on the automatic forum.