Ive read that this switch can be left unhooked and you cant still get the tranny in reverse with a little oomph. Id rather go ahead and hook it up. How have people hooked it up though? The only thing I can think of is to hook it up to the brakes so that it wont go into reverse unless the brakes are pushed. This will help eliminate a shift into reverse while cruising down a highway.

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Mark Lock
- 86 IROC-Z - Torn down for 383/SuperRam T56 setup
- -= IROC Online =- - The site dedicated to the IROC-Z

 

Yep that's what I did. I can't really think of a better way to do it in our cars. In the 4th gen it is wired to the ecm and it won't energize until the car is going 4 mph or less.

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1991 Z28 - 350 TPI, T56, Centerforce Dual Friction clutch, ported plenum & runners, AFPR, Holley Annihilator ignition box and wires, Hooker shorty headers w/o AIR, no cats, Flowmaster muffler, homeade ram-air, SSM subframe connectors, Steve Spohn adjustable torque arm and T56 crossmember

 

Our shop here in Chicago has done probably 15+ T56 upgrades in the past 5 years. We tried several methods, including switches and such and recently one of our customers asked us to do that spring modification trick. Well, it didn't go well and he was really upset after it damaged the trans. Our transmisisons come from D&D Transmission and they said the damage was due to forcing the stick into Reverse.

Here are the options and things we have tried in the past.....I welcome your feedback if you don't agree with me....I'm always looking for ideas..
1) Just force it into gear - this damages the trans. We didn't know this until recently, but this is the worst idea.
2) A simple switch you push to get into gear. Works great but a little too caveman for our nice tricked out mods....our customers want something professional. But a viable option.
3) Wire to brake lights - I don't recommend this. Also if you're slowing down while downshifting, this doesn't protect your trans. Also, it's dangerous...one customer's wiring melted and the whole brake circuit went out. Also, there is said to be a delay in teh brake lights coming on if you tap the circuit; we don't want taht liability in our shop, so we don't do this anymore. Brake circuit is way too important to even touch it. I'd do #2 before I did that.
4) Modify the spring by removing some coils. This is not a good solution since you have to get it just right and if you have enough resistance to make it hard to get in Reverse, you are going to damage the internals, per D&D Transmission (they tear all sorts of them apart for rebuilds so they know their stuff).
5) Acutac made a timer box for this, but it is $60 and you still have to press a button - no benefit in my opinion over #2 above.
6) The nicest option we found was from a company called Samoco Industries Samoco Industries They make a "black box", a sort of electronic controller system. It does the work of the original computer and keeps the reverse lockout solenoid de-energized when you are going faster than something like 10mph or so. Taps the VSS sensor to know how fast you're going. We've put in at least 5 or 6 of these systems and they are really the best/nicest solution if the customer doesn't go cheap. Most of our customers want this hands free type of option since they don't like button idea and most don't want you to mess with their springs or brakes.

I think if you're flat broke, #2 is the winner; if you have a few bucks to do it nicer, #5 is the best one.
Any other ideas out there?

 

I use the Samoco box. Highly recommended. Why make it harder than it has to be.

 

If you melted wires like this, you screwed up, and whoever did the install probably shouldnt be touching wiring.

 

A good summary of options. I did not know of the Samoco Industries box. It is worth looking into.
I wonder how forcing the shifter over into the reverse slot can damage the transmission. I thought it just forced the shifter past the spring and the ball should have been a easy slide into the slot for reverse with the lockout pushed in. Then push forward into reverse and still no forcing anything gear wise. Am I missing something? I was thinking about doing the spring mod or brake switch but now am wondering.

 

Wow...way to revive a 12 year old thread!

I plan to go with the Samaco box as well...it's the way to go if you want to do the install right...

 

$100 to do something that works just fine with a properly wired circuit connected to the brake switch.

Unless you've got no brainpower to know to not stand on the brakes and upshift from 4-5, thats just a way to lighten your wallet for nothing.

 

I can't remember the last stick car I drove that required you to press the brake to shift in reverse. Sounds annoying to me.

But hey what do I know, I have no brainpower.

It is clearly a convenience mod. Some value that more than others.

 

Guess I'm without brain power too and a strange and unrealistic desire to not be a hack with my mods. Yes, pressing the brake is an option but as just stated, sounds annoying.
Plus, if you're running an LQ9, this feature is built into the factory ECM so it's a non-issue for you...we don't have that luxury.

 

I wonder where i can get the reverse lockout solenoid or whatever its caled as my tranny never had one and I had to plug it for now

 

I ordered mine from Rockauto.com...$64.79 + shipping.
ACDELCO Part # 19180052

 

I've done several of the swap into a thirdgen with stock ecm, i'm fully aware of what does and doesnt work.

Sorry but probability says your connections to the aftermarket box and to the transmission will be more of a "hack" than the circuit connected properly to the brake switch.

Not to mention I dont think i've ever shifted into reverse much with a manual without being on the brake

 

I've got better things to do than argue over this...you do your way and ill do my way and let's leave it at that...

 

I have a 1991 Camaro and I am installing the samaco lockout can you tell me which wire is the vss reference wire.im getting no ohms reading from the yellow wire, and 29.1 from the purple wire any help would be wonderfull thanks

 

"Crashing" the shifter rightwards into the 4th gate for reverse hurts nothing internally. It compresses a spring and puts tension on shifter bolts. That's it.

Shoving the shifter forward into reverse still requires a properly released clutch and allowing the synchronizer to do its job.

Summary? There are a lot of hamfists in the world.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tran...lp-please.html

 

I'm one of them. Haven't had the Reverse lockout solenoid hooked up for years.

Though I will admit to needing two hands on some days when I'm tired. I should probably just wired it up to the PCM and have it work, or just trim the spring a little to reduce the pressure needed.

 

I drove around without any reverse lockout release and thought nothing of it. But as soon as I hooked it up I will never go back. Mine is done through my megasquirt but it works a bit like a factory setup.

 

I've been running without it hooked up as well.. Granted I am only home for about a month a year, but I have put around 3k miles on it like this. I actually wired it into my brake lights, but I don't have the pigtail on the trans for the reverse lock out...

 

I have no regrets going with the Samaco lockout, works nicely and effortlessly.

If still not having any luck, I can try to take a look at mine to see how I wired it.

 

thanks that would be great ,I kind of thought the same thing , it would seem it would be pretty hard to go all of the way to reverse and compress the spring while going into fifth gear .but for 100.00 what the hell .ill hook it up. I found out that it shouldn't matter which wire goes where, there is only two a yellow and a purple. one is a signal wire the other is a reference .it uses the vvs sensor.it shouldn't matter which wire goes wher because im not putting anything into the vss im taking a signal from it. thanks for the help .

 

No problem, I will to be out in garage tonight and I will remove the panel on my dash and take a look for you.

I had the lockout wired into my brake lights when I had the T56 in my Iroc. It worked well enough, however, when I would go to back out of my garage, having to remember to put my foot on the brake to put the car in reverse always annoyed me. When I did the swap in my firebird, I figured I'd spend the $100 for a factory feel and glad I did.

 

that's what I figure to, thanks

 

Here are a couple of pics I took of mine...let me know if this helps any.

 

I think that you have an EBL ECM, if so they all have a reverse lockout feature on the TCC output pin. Once below a tune-able MPH value (default of 5 MPH), the TCC output is enabled to control the lockout solenoid.

Note that you may need to update the ECM firmware to get this feature. Updates are free and on our web site. With the EBL Flash system it was implemented in ECM firmware version 2.3/2.4

RBob.

 

I always had mine wired to keep the solenoid activated at all times, I never missed 5th (reverse) while driving or racing, but I now have an issue with the solenoid, I believe it is shorting out and is blowing my fuse every 3or so times of putting in into reverse, probably happened from being constantly on.
Not sure where its shorting but I believe it is internal, necessitating a new solenoid.
My question to Rbob would be.... If I connect my lockout wire to the ecm, what will protect my ECM in this scenario of a faulty solenoid mechanism? I like this idea as the best option considering I already have the EBL, but I don't want to fry the computer!
thx

 

You might review the wiring diagrams on lt1 swap site but the source power for the wiring going to the 'noid should be fused. The ECM switches the ground IIRC.

 

Makes sense , I will take a look and report back with results. thx