What exterior cues should I look for to ID a T56. If these normally come with a tag bolted on the side like a T5, this one is missing. There is a bar coded sticker with some numbers on the top of the case. Can I cross reference those numbers? I can tell it's a LT1 model by just looking at it but have no idea what year. Can anyone help?

 

There's a sticker on the side that says what type of fluid to use. If it says Dexron IIe then it's a '93-95, if it says Dexron III then it's '96 or '97. Find the first gear ratio to see if it's '93 or '94-97 (2.66 for the later years, 3+ for '93.) Just put it in first and count how many input shaft rotations it takes to turn the output shaft over once. That's all I can think of....the only thing that's really important is whether or not it's a '93 trans, as the '94-97 are all identical.

 

Thanks! That's a big help.

 

Really? I didn't realize that about the Dexron III vs. Dexron IIe sticker, in fact I never even thought of it. When I bought my T-56 I was told it was a brand new unit (never installed in a car) but that it was the '93 style, however it's got the Dexron III sticker on it, so maybe it is a '96-'97? hmmm....very interesting!

-Paul

 

The sticker thing should only apply to used tranny's (i.e. out of a wrecked 4th gen.) Any trans MANUFACTURED after '95 (even new tranny's with the '93 style ratios) should have a Dexron-III sticker.

 

Gotcha, that makes sense, I thought of that after I posted my reply, I don't know for sure if it was actually purchased new and never installed but I was told that that was the case, and also told that it had the '93 style ratios. The tranny and bellhousing were AMAZINGLY clean so I'm assuming I was not lied to, and the '93 ratios are fine with me anyway, 6th gear is more usable that way, I tach right around 2k rpm in 6th at 60 mph w/ 3:73 gears, so it works out pretty well

-Paul