I'm almost ready to start my swap and this is about the only thing left to address. Is there a reverse lockout on the BW version of the t-56? Poking around on google leads me to believe it’s only a Tremec thing. If B/W transmissions had a reverse lockout how do you bypass it? From what I understand you have to feed it 12v to bypass it. Is there an easier/better/more correct way? It would be kinda cool to have a functioning reverse lockout.

 

Yes the T56 has a reverse lockout. It is the solenoid located right under the shifter mechanism. The computer usually engages this when the speed is over a pre-set mph. I have seen people wire the solenoid through the brake switch so you have to have the brake pedal depressed before you can put the car in reverse.

I have actually done nothing with the solenoid. When I need to go into reverse, I just "put" it into reverse.

 

I wonder if there's a mechanical bypass instead of having to rely on rigging an electrical one. I don't want to force the solenoid every time I shift into reverse.

The idea for the brake lights makes perfect sense. I will have to take it apart when I get the trans here to see what I can think of.

 

That is the mechanical bypass.....you just have to overcome the spring pressure with your arm....no biggie...you get used to it. You will not harm the solenoid by doing this either.

 

Why not just hook up your 12v lead, with your brake lights, so that you can shift to reverse when your brakes are on.

 

while connecting a 12v source is the correct way. In my case, I couldn't be bothered to find the appropriate connector for the solenoid.

 

This is a pretty good answer:

I have enough time/money to find (well, buy) the right connector and I already got my vss and reverse light connectors from the local GM dealer so I’m pretty sure I could get this one there as well. I just don't want to have to buy another pigtail or worry about having to tap into my brake lights if there's a mechanical bypass other than just jamming it into reverse. I guess what I'm asking is whether or not there's a way to uninstall the solenoid.

 

I don't see why you couldn't pull the solenoid off and install a plug. I have been wanting to do the same thing for quite a while but have had other projects.

 

Seeing as the trans isn't in the car yet (it will ship tomorrow) I think I'm going to attempt this. The shifter has to come of anyway to make way for the pro 50 shifter. I will be sure to post pictures and what not.

 

I figure that I will update the thread a little bit. The whole reverse lockout mechanism is right next to the shifter plate. You don't even have to pull the plate to remove it. It's held on with one 13mm bolt, simply unbolt it and pull the solenoid and the thing it attaches to out. I tried to find a freeze plug to fit it but it’s a fairly odd size (roughly 1.18”) and I’ve got no way of trying to find a plug by size instead of by application. I’m just going to bolt a piece of sheet metal up to the side with a good amount of RVT around the hole. I will try to snap some pictures tomorrow.

 

The plug is an EXTREMELY common size; 30mm IIRC. Don't half-*** it, it's too easy to do it right.

Let me give you a hint: if you're working around a car from about 1980 on up, and you measure something and the size doesn't make sense, set your caliper to metric any and every time, before you just give up and rig it somehow.

 

Sweet. I just checked you and you're right it is about 30mm. 1.18 * 2.54 to convert to cm then * another 10 to get to mm gives you 29.97mm. I will have to head over to autozone or the like tomorrow and steal one of their parts books and find a 30mm freeze plug.

 

I would advise not taking that thing out cause it would make it to easy to shift it into reverse, what i did was take the thing apart and which is easy to do and cut 1 coil off the spring that holds it out. What this does is reduce the pressure to pull the shifter over into reverse so you don't need 2 hands, but make sure not to cut more then 1 1/2 coils off cause it will be to weak then.

 

That's a thought. The trans isn't in the car yet so I still have some time to play with it. I figure that since I'm the only one driving the car and I won't ever be shifting into 5th that hard because it's overdrive (the only gear you could possibly mistake for reverse) it shouldn't be an issue. You can defiantly feel the difference between 5/6 and reverse with the shifter but I guess there is always the possibility. I will have to try cutting a coil off like you said. It’s not a hassle to do with the trans out of the car so I might as well try now.

Incidentally with the freeze plug, a plug from our engines (SBC) fits perfectly. One was lying around and I decided to try it for the hell of it and it went right in.

 

Well to give you something to think about with my TPI engine and 4.10 gears I pretty much have to shift it into 5th to cross the 1/4 line unless i want to rev her out to 6k, plus the gates are so close together in the t-56 kind of why I want to warn you now.

 

I'm running 3.73's out back.

I also the mechanism apart and couldn't find anything useful to cut. It consists of two things: a spring loaded plate and a solenoid. The solenoid prevents the plate from moving unless it's activated. Removing the solenoid simply puts a little more resistance on the shifter via the spring loaded plate but not a lot because the spring is pretty weak.



The shifter has to go up in the picture in order to engage reverse but the spring loaded plate is locked in place because of the solenoid. It would take a really good deal of effort to force it into reverse and then you would probably end up breaking something.

The choices: run with just the spring loaded plate for a little more resistance, run with the freeze cap, or just wire up the solenoid. I chose to do the latter. I’m just going to hook it up to my brake lights with a relay so I won’t overload the circuit.

 

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO

The solenoid has a pin that is depressed outward from the solenoid.
Set upon a ball/shaft that protrudes into the shifter housing.

So i looks kind of like this:

|
-[solenoid}

When the solenoid is engaged, the pin retracts, allowing the ball/shaft to be pushed, and reverse is engaged.

If you "he-man" it... you're liable to cause some kind of damage. Yeah it's got a spring, but it's a pretty big spring. I'd rather not want to potentially bend or brake something inside my transmission. That's just me. I took mine apart when I was searching for a pigtail to run it off the brakes.


Just pick up the proper Metric plug for it and call it good.

My T56 is a BW version and has this.

 

Here is a picture.

 

I decided against the plug (SBC freeze plug fits nicely) and I also took mine apart to try to find a way around it. See the previous post I'm going to wire it to the brakes after realizing running without it probably wasn't the best idea because I didn't want to chance trashing a brand new trans by accident.

Yup, that's it exactly.

 

You wont trash it by removing it. I checked real close to make sure things would be okay with it out, and it's fine.

I guess it's possible to hit the reverse section rather than the 5-6 section.

I couldn't find a pigtail to plug in or I'd wire mine to the brakes too.

 

Missing 5th was what I was worried about, especially when I'm getting used to the trans. The pigtail is available through GM. It was a little less than $25, cheap insurance on a brand new trans.

 

Ok since I guess I wasn't clear enough in this pic is the spring that you should cut 1 to 1 1/2 coils from to make it much easier to slap into reverse. You don't touch the solenoid just leave everything how it is. And for the person that thinks he will break something if he "he-man" it...

 

I'd pull the whole mess and plug it rather than cut stuff.

GM has the pigtail $20 with tax.