Ok so I'm new to this website so please need all the help you guys can give,
I have a t5 now on my 84 z28 and when the doing the tranny service "someone" took off that little sucker bolt that has the linkage to 5th and reverse. So now I have no 5th and reverse. With a little research I understood to drop the tranny, which I'm in the process of, and disassemble to fix that linkage. Since I am not tranny frenzy, I called a local tranny shop and they charge 150 to disassemble and fix it and put it together.is that fair or is there a way to just do it myself?

Waiting around to see if I should take it to the shop, I ran into a guy that has a t56 for sale. It is:
The t-56 complete with pedals
New thowout barrings
Slave cylinder
Stage 3 clutch
Tranny has 120k miles and clutch has 15k

I'm getting for $600.

I want to know if it would be worth it to just swap tranny's and purchase this one or just take mine to get fixed? Also what would I need for the swap or what do I need to modify. Please anyone who can help I'd really appreciate it.

 

First off, what car is this T56 out of? If it's out of a 1993-1997 LT1 car, you're good to go. I'd pass on a stage 3 clutch (Spec I suppose?) that has 15K on it in front of a stout 6 speed though. If I were you, I'd buy a new flywheel, and a new clutch of your choice, and just offer him $450 minus the clutch.

Here's a very good write up on the swap.

http://www.skulte.com/T56.html

I was going to do a T56 swap on my IROC, but I decided to leave it a 700R4 car, and ironically, now have a T56 in my Mustang. It's a great transmission.

 

The car that the tranny is out of is a 97 z28.

So I should just purchase that t-56, pass on the clutch, and just forget about my t-5 being fixed?

 

Yes.

 

Thanks man.

But do you or anyone have any info on that t5 linkage? Maybe once it's fixed I can put up my t5 for sale and use that money for my new clutch or better yet a engine that's stronger than my wimpy 305.

 

Honestly man, I doubt it'd be worth trying to fix. You'd get about $15 for scrap money out of it, might be able to sell it with no 5th or reverse for 30 bucks. Repair you say will be $150, but people are having trouble even getting offers for $250 on decent shape World Class T5s.

Put it on craigslist for a day with no 5th or reverse, no bites, just scrap it. T5 just isn't a real good performing trans, not desireable in swaps.

T5:



My 26 spline T56:



Just a picture comparison can sum that one up, lol.

 

Ha yea looks nice? Is that factory black or did you paint it?

Ok will I called the guy and said he will sell everything as a whole only so it's either $600 for tranny and clutch or nothing?
My clutch I have now is going out too so dot you think I should just purchase it?

And will that tranny work fine with my engine once bolted on or what will I need to do. Seeing as how my speedo gauge doesn't work will I still need to go about buying that box for the speed calibration?

 

Last owner painted it. It's a pretty well built T56, new carbon synchros, billet keys, completely gone through 4K miles before I bought it, about 10K miles on it now. My setup has gone 11.1X at 124 MPH in an '03 Cobra. Got it bought and installed for $2,150 + my broken TR3650, with the Fidanza flywheel, Centerforce DFX, Steeda Tri Ax shifter, 03-04 Cobra aluminum driveshaft.

It'll handle 0-100+ runs like this in my little GT all day long.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVYrIzqbpNA

But anywho, try to get him down a little bit, offer $500, go up to $550 if he refuses, and just sell the stage 3 clutch for as much as you can. Go with either a stock LT1 clutch or a Centerforce dual friction. Not anywhere near as hard to slip as my DFX, and good driveability for being a strong single disc.

You won't like a strong Spec single disc, if that's what it is. Very hard to live with in a street driven weekend car, let alone a daily that sees stop and go traffic.

 

Ok I offered 500 and he took it so picking it up tomorrow. But I'm still feeling iffy on how I will put it on since I could barely take off my tranny. Either way I'm excited but just wish I knew what I was getting into and how to go about everything.

As for the clutch I think I'm going to try it out if not sell buy the stock one and use that money towards new engine..

Thanks again mAn.. I'lf you have anymore tips or suggestions towards the conversion let me know. Could use anything at this point.

 

Just check out the T56 good. You're getting a shifter, right? Bellhousing?

You still have to buy some things. T56 crossmember for a third gen.

http://www.hawksthirdgenparts.com/tr...t566speed.aspx

And I believe you need to buy an aftermarket flywheel that is intended to mate a 2 piece rear main seal Chevy Small Block to a T56. You can get them from Spec, $359 for steel, $465 for aluminum.

http://www.specclutch.com/conversion_combos/view/2

Other than that, if you're getting a good set of hydraulics, of course you mentioned the clutch pedal which I think is T56 specific, it should be a direct swap.

 

Yea I'm getting bellhousing and shifter.
I was told I could use the crossmember from that car and just modify it..
And for the flywheel, it's not the flywheel that comes with that tranny?

 

You'll be getting a 1 piece rear main seal LT1 style flywheel with it if anything. You have a 2 piece rear main seal 305 that I'm sure uses a completely different flywheel. So I think the only option would be a swap style flywheel intended to mate an LT1 T56 style clutch to a 2 piece rear main seal Gen 1 SBC.

 

The guy mentioned something about it being the sbc pattern and said it will bolt right up until the mod on the crossmember is made?

 

I'm almost 100% positive that the the 1 piece rear main seal cranks have a different flywheel bolt pattern. You have an '84, two piece rear main seal small block, GM switched to a one piece rear main seal for the 1986 model year.

In theory you could use the flywheel he's supplying on a 1986 and up Gen 1 or Gen 2 small block Chevy, but not your 1984 block. Your best bet is to sell the flywheel and clutch, order the right flywheel, and a new clutch. Start out fresh. There's a reason why Spec and I believe a few other manufacturers produce an LT1 T56 style clutch to 2 piece rear main seal SBC flywheel.

 

Ur lucky that u found it for that damn cheap Im up in mass an everybody up here wants 2 grand easily for a used one

 

yea im excited to see how the swap will come..?

ended up getting it for 500 and 2 amps

tomorrow it should be swapped in if everything comes out like its supposed to.

 

You CAN use the later FW on the older, 2 pc crank. I did it.

Take the later/LT1 FW to a machine shop, and have them bore the center out to fit the earlier crank, then drill bolt holes staggered to the original holes. Finally, have them neutral balance the LT1 FW and for ABOUT $100, you have a direct bolt in, ready to use flywheel.

 

I knew I had read someone on here had done that.

I wonder if some shoppes are hesitant to do that kind of pattern change at the bolt pattern though.

 

so just use the lt1's flywheel?
i have a buyer for the t5 flywheel i dont have no use for it correct?

 

THe shop that I used didn't have any issues. I told them what I typed above, and they whipped it right up for me.

 

Completely and utterly false. I just received a $500 offer on my T5, out of my 92 camaro and it's a borg warner.

 

You received an offer from a stupid person, then. T5s are a dime a dozen, everyone knows that with over 300 torque, if you catch traction, bye bye. I see T5s go all the time for up to $200, $300 from someone who's being greedy. T56 core charge from Tick Performance is only $1,000...

 

Or you're wrong. It's simple as that really. T56 LT1's I seen going for 1000-1500, and ls1's going for 2000. Years ago, I used to be able to pick them up for 2000 and its a dropout. Prices for things are going up, so are prices for parts, especially with inflation/economic situations right now. That's the reality of this matter.

Good luck picking up a fully functional no problem t5 for $200, with hydraulics and bellhousing. If you can find even one current deal like that, I would be surprised.

 

Lol, ok buddy. Not going to argue with you about a junk T5. If you can get it sold for $500 or more, more power to you. Matter of fact, congrats to you, sincerely.

I just went on craigslist, and found a full T5 swap, with the bellhousing, clutch, cable, shifter, pedals, and all hardware for $800, right in my state. Guy would probably take $650-$700 just to get it off his hands, for everything.

Found a second T5 just without a bellhousing for $275. Found another one out of a 1991 Camaro with a bellhousing, used clutch, pressure plate, TOB for $500. Anyone with much common sense is going to upgrade to a TKO or T56 at the least if they want to throw any decent power at it, or if they're doing an auto to manual swap. The guys with the stock T5s tend to simply rebuild their's if they aren't throwing more power at it.

http://delaware.craigslist.org/pts/2753664462.html
http://southjersey.craigslist.org/pts/2797001373.html

Borg Warner WC T5 with bellhousing for $250.
http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/pts/2765923203.html

Another WC T5 from a 5.0 Fox.
http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/pts/2773584775.html

These are the two most ridiculous deals. A T5 that's been sitting outside with some surface rust for $350 OBO.
http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/pts/2779611551.html
Could probably get it for $250, clean it up, and just throw some new synchros in, and have a decent T5..

And one going for your price, $500. Think that's the highest one I saw.
http://southjersey.craigslist.org/pts/2803106525.html

 

At least 3 of the links you mentioned are $500 or more.....
You can't say you'll get a trans for a lower price just because it says OBO. Either way, salute to you for finding some, but they are prob junk, with high mileage (notice how mileage isnt listed), and often doesn't come with bellhousing/hydraulics.

So add more to the cost of rebuilding/cleaning up those trans with additional man hours and parts.

It seems there's an over abundance of those in philly which is vastly surprising.

Here in Chicago:

http://chicago.craigslist.org/nwc/pts/2793682419.html - $300 FOR PARTS, chevy.
http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/pts/2793608707.html - $450 - Rebuilt, mustang, this might be a good deal depending on ratios and if the guy actually has paperwork...
http://chicago.craigslist.org/sox/pts/2805981759.html - $500 - Rebuilt, mustang, has paperwork allegedly.

http://chicago.craigslist.org/sox/pts/2802045624.html - $500 - No mileage, chevy, listed... but it's a W/C.

http://chicago.craigslist.org/nwc/pts/2798347849.html - $600 - No mileage, chevy, but its a W/C.


So what's the general consensus here between your links and mine. The mustang T5's go for cheap. Chevy T5's usually more, not sure why but that's the way it is. Find some chevy t5's to backup your claims.

 

Hm, guess it's like real estate. Location location location.