Guest Thurem Posted April 18, 2001 Share Posted April 18, 2001 Can someone please elaborate on which t56 to use, which not to use, and why. Which ones will mate with a regular smallblock. What are the costs involved versus a 5 speed, i.e. special clutch etc. etc. If this information is already available on this site please point me in the right direction. Thanks Thure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted April 18, 2001 Share Posted April 18, 2001 You're right - use the search button at the top of the forum pages to search for old posts on this stuff. But to try to answer a few: Use the T-56 that was mated to the LT1 engines, not the LS1. Also watch the early T-56 (can't remember the year) as it was not as strong (but maybe strong enough?). Cost will be somewhat higher for the trans alone, but it's when you get to buying the special flywheel and clutch parts for a two-piece crank engine that it goes nuts. Lonehdrider has some recent info on how to do this cheap, I believe. ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted April 19, 2001 Share Posted April 19, 2001 93's were "weaker" and had a different 6th gear. Later models had a taller 6th and a higher torque rating. Fkywheels - 2 piece oil seal cranks require the $250 SFI rated Centerforce flywheel. Later one piece blocks can use the one piece seal flywheel - I've got one BTW. Tricky part - I've got a 383 and while the cranks uses a one piece rear seal the danred flywheel is the old 2piece style! So, new style block, new stroker crank (Eagle), and I STILL had to buy the Centerforce flywheel! After seeing what happens when a clutch or flywheel explodes I feel better having an SFI rated part. Clutch - I've got an OEM McLeod (think that's it - think Jegs) replacement - nothing fancy. Others are using Centerforce DF setups that run about double what mine did. Mine is NOT yet on the road but I figure with 450hp or so (I hope) and the weight of my car it'll survive. The original OEM clutches are supposed to take quite a bit of punishment and live - this one is slightly upgraded and the car is lighter so.... We'll see if I'm right soon I hope That help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 19, 2001 Share Posted April 19, 2001 Yeah, what Jim said! I used the Ram clutch, a OEM type as it fits my application. Time will tell how it holds up long term, it works ok now though. If you are going to do a bunch of Banzai runs with WFO launchs and speed shifts, something heavier would be in order, Centerforce, and probably several others, maybe even multi plate clutch for huge power output. Depends on the power output, usage, and the size of your left leg! Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Thurem Posted April 19, 2001 Share Posted April 19, 2001 Do you know the feeling when you spent half an hour writing a reply and then Netscape crashes on you? Well anyways thanks for the replies, let me throw some more of my thoughts at you. Keep in mind that I'm a MC mechanic and my only knowledge of Chevy's is from this place and magazines. A T5 and a T56 has the same input shaft 26 splines and 1 1/8" diameter (according to Centerforce application page). The T56 uses a 11" clutch and the T5 a 10.4" . So why is it you can't use a 10.4" clutch with a regular lightweight flywheel and the T56? I've read a lot of posts about the problems hydraulic clutches poses to you guys, have you considered rigging up a cable pull release instead of hydraulic. It would be a lot easier to customise the pedal leverage on the clutch with a cable, cause it wouldn't involve 200$ master and slave cylinders, and tapping plastic slaves that sit right next ot the exhaust. It might involve some more maintenance, but heck we are guys that built our cars ourselves. Cables are also fairly easy to manufacture. Mustang trannies are a lot easier to come by (cheaper and more plentifull). Is it very hard to mesh a ford tranny to a sbc? Does the ford T5 bolt to a chevy bell? As far as I've gathered the ford T5 has a longer input shaft and a different pilotbearing, how about having the input shaft machined shorter and to fit the Chevy pilot? (you would have to take apart the tranny and be friends with machinist) This idea would work with a Tremec as well?? As you can tell I'm on a very tight budget, but I'm still looking for all out performance. Thure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted April 19, 2001 Share Posted April 19, 2001 Thure, I have a GM'd Tremec behind my two-piece seal 327. I bought it from http://darkhorseperformance.com . It's a TR-3550, with a 10 spline 1-1/16" diamater input shaft. I believe he uses an older style Ford input shaft to make it work with a GM motor, and supplies a bushing for the GM crank to work with th Ford pilot diameter. He also machines down the bearing retainer to the GM T-5 diameter. So I'd think you could get a Ford T-5 and swap to an older input shaft (not sure of the years) and have the bearing retainer machined and be good to go. The speedo connection is Ford however, so have a speedo cable made for the Ford end or get an adapter. I have info on this on my site, second link down on the right of the home page. HTH, ------------------ Pete Paraska - 73 540Z - Marathon Z Project pparaska@home.com Pete's V8 Datsun 240Z Pages Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 19, 2001 Share Posted April 19, 2001 The 10.4" clutch is a push diaphram clutch, the 11" T56 is a pull diaphram clutch. Its a weird setup, the diaphram is backwards, and the fork pulls the throw out bearing and the diaphram to release the clutch. I understand there is a way of converting T5 bellhousings with a adapter plate and then yeah it would probably just use the stock T5 setup (I've just read about this adapter plate for the T5 and havn't eyeballed one in person). If a person already has the T5 bell/flywheel, this maybe be cheaper. Here is a picture of the adapter: Cables could probably work, although you would need to engineer a pulley under the dash in the pedal box (pulling the dash would almost certainly be required) and have to determine the proper leverage ratio to get the pedal feel where you want it. I think the hydraulic clutch has been used because its how the thing worked stock, and its just easier and the expense isn't that great. About 60.00 for the clutch master and the slave generally comes with the pullout transmission, add a few fittings and a 30.00 hose and you pretty much have it licked. Granted, it is close to the exhaust, and I've been looking at routing the exhaust out the other side which is how the F-cars did it to keep the heat off the slave cylinder. If you decide to go cable, I'm sure we'd all be interested in the result, I know I would anyway. Respectfully, Lone ------------------ http://datsun240v8z.virtualave.net/index.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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