Hi guys.
I have problem with my t56,
I have bought it from wrecked 95 t/a -RIP, i put new spec2 with fidanza, but was rattle on idle and during driving, but it shifts normally.
So I put all new bearing, synchros shims,all the small plastic parts and so on -big kit 196 pieces, we filled it with dextron 2E but nothing changed!
The noise is enoying and it sounds like somethink inside the box would just jumping and hiting other parts, after parting the box out we found the oil clear some small metal parts on the magnets, but just normal, almost no wear on the gears, just good condition, but i cant eliminate it.

THe rattle stops only when i fully press the cluth pedal so the gearbox is stopped

Can i drive with that or.. scrap it?

isn't it dextron III that is used in a t56? and i have a fidanza flywheel (aluminum) and mcloed clutch disc, and i have heard that the light weight flywheel makes the transmission unbalanced, so it rattles. i dont know if its true, but i have the same symptoms as you, and thats the best answer i have found after searching for 4 months. been driving everyday and it hasn't gotten worse for me. hope that helps you

I have an aluminum flywheel and I get all sorts of weird transmission noises. I just don't worry about it, it's gone 15,000 miles without falling out. Just gets annoying on long drives.

It probably has more to do with you SPEC clutch, I had the same problem when I used the same clutch. I wouldn`t worry about it to much and I believe it goes away after awile.

Thanks all for the answers,
I have a label on the box "DEXTRON II E ONLY" so i put it. I have not really care abiut the noises and i made abt 300 miles(the engine is still un tuned but even on hard acceleration no problem) and it is normally shifting, the noise did`n disapeard but it is also not louder, only it is sometimes to put revers on.

So you think such a mixture -fidanza-spec can make the noise? I don`t wont to harm the box, i was long time not driving but it is really different car now after swap,from th700.
thanks
peter

My '97s T56 is kinda noisy at low engine RPM, and has the faintest 'hum' in neutral with the clutch engaged. It got a bit louder when I installed the Hurst shifter and solid-mounted short stick (stock stick has a pressed rubber bushing) but not too much more.

From everyone I've talked to, its normal, especially with an aftermarket shifter and solid mounted stick. Thats the same noise it made before, but its just resonating up through the shifter, since it doesn't have that rubber bushing on the stick anymore to dampen it.

I've been driving mine for 2 years and it hasn't given me a hard time, and hasn't gotten worse. Everyone I know who also has one has said theirs was always like that too, and its pretty normal for the T56. Its just a loud transmission.

As long as it has the right fluid in it, and it shifts fine, I wouldn't worry about it. If the sound really annoys you, try bolting a stock GM stick onto whatever shifter you have, and see if that helps. That rubber bushing its got is there for just that reason.

Dexron II-E = Dexron III (same thing).

Keep driving it till it actually gives you a problem. Ditto on the "loud".

Mine rattles with the clutch engaged in neutral, its normal.

ok, so from now on i don`t care abt the noise , i made abt 50 miles yesterday and everything is fine the rear axle make more noise than the box
i have a stock long dumpered shifter.
thanks all

Every time I read the responses to this thread I shake my head. Your guys experience with a T56 is totally different than mine. My trans is quiter than my T5 by far, and I built both tannys myself. I did pay close attention to end play on my T56 and proloaded .0015 to .002 and didn't replace the bearings. I am using Mobil 1 ATF. Shifts like a dream.

Are your guys trans used ones or rebuilt units?

dont wanna make waves here but if it stops rattling when you have the clutch fully disengaged then youve got something wrong. t56's have obviously been better designed than the t5s and for them to have more noise isnt right.

are you sure you have everything aligned and adjusted properly? if the noise stops when the clutch is disengaged and the pressure plate slides back i would guess that your friction disc wasnt lined up right.

THE NOISE is only on idle, or maybe i can hear it only at idle, but when the clutch pedal is pully pressed the noise disapear......
thanks

That sounds just like mine.

ok but if youre looking for the problem you need to think about whats going on in the transmission

When you are at idle and your foot is not on the clutch, the pressure plate is still pressing the friciton disc towards the flywheel compressing it, for whatever reason that may be making a noise. WHAT noise is the issue, cars have squeaks squeels groans and god knows however many other noises, it could be a misaligned disc, or it could be a bad bearing and just because its new doesnt mean it works.

When you depress the clutch (push on the pedal) the pressure plate pulls back and releases pressure from the disc and flywheel. THe noise is on the input side from what i can gather so it wouldnt hurt to check it over before soemthing goes wrong

but i`m also stopping rotation of the transmision, and that`s the problem the ratle noise is coming from the front of the box but i`m not able to recognize if it cames from clutch or from internal box parts, it sounds like some part in the box would be jumping and hiting other elements, for sure it`s not a sound of pressere plate bearing i know how it can sound.

well what could be rattling though? its a constant mesh trans and theres no backlash to set or spacing to worry about, if its shifting and not hanging up i wouldnt think it would be the box, i dont ewanna ask a stupid question but is the bellhousing good and tight? it might be an external rattle too

Just got the TA and the last couple guys that owned it did the swap and a fully forged motor with SuperRam. I've got the same rattle and a grind into second, and a vibration in 6th at 2000 rpm. I know its clutch related just haven't gotten around to figuring what year the T56 is and what clutch kit I need. Plus I'm outa cash after doing weather strips, used 9 bolt, new ignition, new gm clutch master.

So what I gather... Vibration is worn out pilot bearing, Rattle is misaligned clutch assembly, and grinding is worn out servo? and requires internal repair.

Mine does the samething, it is the clutch that is making the noise. It is fine drive it, I was like you and didnt really notice it till new clutch set up, but I think it was always there. the t56 is a noise design. It will be ok

the box is tight bolted to engin, the noise is coming from the box/clutch, funny think, today was normally---silent i don`t know why i did nothink.....Ok than i`ll try to live with it

Mine has the same noise/rattle that is only noticeable at idle. Everyone here seems to be able to eliminate the noise by pushing the clutch pedal down. What if the sound is still there whether the clutch is engaged or disengaged? I even installed a new clutch and that didn't change anything. Also, when I had the trans down I replaced the pilot bushing, which was badly worn, if that means anything.

What kind of clutch was put in? (I assume a new TOB came with it?) Alot of aftermarket clutches will have noises associated with them.

Bearings in the transmission can also cause idle noises..

I'm using the Autozone PP and Mcloed Disc. Yes, it came with a new throwout bearing and pilot bushing.

i have already 2500 miles done with this clutch/ tranny and... the noise is still there but tranny works normally so, mayby it really is question of the aftermarket clutch...

i agree with mike sounds like a TOB then anything else so tough to tell w/o hearin or seein the car mines quiet with no noises

This is pretty normal for T56's. Mine has been doing it for 8 years and 60,000Kms and lots of hard shifting and 3 or 4 clutches.
Never anything in the fluid, always the same noise.

if its in neutral and makes the noise, press the clutch in, if it goes away, then its the throw out bearing. When I did my swap, everything I had was new cept the tranny. It made some noise, then it blew up. I bought a rockland gear race ready unit, and it still made noise, I pulled it back out, and replaced the throw out bearing, all it good! For some reason I heard alot of people have problems with aftermarket bearings, I have a spec stage 2+, I replaced it with a GM one and never had a problem with mine.

Also, Rockland gear wanted me to run syncromesh in my tranny, but they say because of the kevler sycros....