WhiteLightnin83

well i've got an 83 z28 that has a rebuilt 350 with a rebuilt 350 turbo tranny(with hurst quarter stick) and i think i just messed it up. what it does is in third gear it doesn't stay in gear, it acts like its in neutral if i get any torque at all on the tranny, it stays in gear if i barely touch the gas otherwise it acts like it slips out and revs up and trys to slowly grab into gear again and back out. first and second seem to be just fine no matter how hard i'm on the gas, and this just suddenly started to do this 3rd gear slipping and it got alot worse in only a few minutes. its full of fluid so i dunno what it is and anyone with any idea what it is, i would really appretiate the advice, i'm only 17 so i don't have alot of experience with identifying problems yet. although i'm not sure, i do think it could be my torque converter, its a 2800 stall. i've never had one go out on me yet so i'm not sure what happens, but just off common sense thats my assumption. my second part of my post is what all would i need, and how hard is it to be completely switchin from an auto to a stick... i really have been considering trying it anyways, and now if this tranny is done for then what better time. any help is welcomed, thanks
Dustin

trackbird

I've done 5 and 6 speed conversions. It is not too hard to do.

The most difficult part is getting all the parts. You'll need:

Shifter
console plate (the top plate from a 5 speed car)
pedals (don't forget, the brake pedal is different)
crossmember (I think the 83 will need a later 5 speed crossmember, 6 speed takes a custom crossmember)
Hydraulics
clutch
pressure plate
flywheel
pilot bearing (don't forget to install a pilot bearing)
torque arm mount (they are different)
Rubber boot for the floor to seal the shifter to the floor
Possibly a speedometer conversion box or speedo gears (if you get a trans with an electronic sending unit.

Basically. Swap the pedals, drill 3 holes in the firewall (for the master cylinder). Remove the auto, swap the flywheel, clutch, pressure plate, and pilot bearing. Remove the console, cut a hole in the floor. Install the boot and shifter. Install console. Add crossmember and a driveshaft from a later 5 speed or auto car (LS1 or LT1 driveshafts will work). That's it, in a nutshell. I (or many others here) will be happy to answer specific questions, but that is an overview (though, simplified)

Anyone see anything I forgot to list? (I'm getting tired and have been sick).

WhiteLightnin83

so would i be better off just finding a busted up car around a junkyard or something and taking all the necessary parts from that, minus the actual transmission. also, what is a good solid manual tranny that will fit in my car and have some decent lasting ability, i know the T5 won't work outta the 305's becuase it can't handle the torque of a stock 350 of the 80's, let alone mine with about 380 ft/lbs. how about the T10? and i know muncie is always a good tranny to have, but do they fit in correctly? thanks
Dustin

TheGreatJ

T56 out of a wrecked LT1 4th gen. It nearly bolts right in, you can use the pedals, hydros, and driveshaft out of the donor car, and it's factory rated at 450ftlbs of torque. Not to mention the .5:1 overdrive and the pure joy of rowing through 6 forward gears.....

The biggest issue is cost. You can easily spend over $2k swapping in a 6-speed. But if you can swing the money it's well worth it.

trackbird

The T56 swap (6 speed) from an LT1 is the winner in the "best swap" department. You can get a crossmember from Skulte Performance to work with that package (I believe it is still available). As stated, take the hydraulics and all and change it over. If you have a 1985 or earlier motor (2 piece rear main seal) you will need an adaptor flywheel from Centerforce (there may be others, we used the Centerforce one).

Have fun!

TheGreatJ

I used the Skulte crossmember and the Centerforce 700107 flywheel as well. I also opted for the SPEC stage 3 clutch (partly because I lived close enough to go pick it up and avoid shipping,) as well as the B&M Ripper shifter. All-in-all I spent about $2000-2100 on the swap, but you have to consider the incredible deal I got on the trans.....$500 for a gearbox that wouldn't go into 4th or stay in 3rd, a $16 shift fork to fix that problem, a gallon of Mobil 1 synthetic Dexron IIe, and a tube of black RTV. I used the money I saved for the shifter, good clutch, and brand new hydraulics.

greezemonkey

That`s an awesome deal, I`m saving right now for the aftermarket t-56. Liberty trans is only 1/2 from my house and the sell the t-56 brand new with the adapter to fit it to a four speed housing or the stock t-5 one for 1875.00 w/1 year warr(it takes a regular speedo cable too). I gotta lakewood steel bellhousing on the way so I can go down the track too. That aftermarket let`s you use all your t-5 clutch and slave but the driveshaft and crossmember won`t fit. I`d go with the 94-97 lt1 trans IF I had a small block. I know a guy selling a 93 t-56 that`s working with the flywheel crossmember clutch and torque arm for 900 plus ship.if you`re looking

Zepher

Just remember that the 93 is the oddball T56.
2 versions have different 1st gears and 5th and 6th are different. .6x for 6th gear.
They are supposedly rated for 400ft/lbs.

I've got a 93 T56 and we temporarily put it in my brothers 96 Trans Am with 3.73 gears. Car runs through the gears very fast (car has heads,cam and bolt ons).

I am not sure which version of T56 I have since I didn't look at the rear gears of the 93 Formula that I got the tranny from.
It was a deal I couldn't pass up either, $800 for everything.

LiquidSkies

thats not correct. the t-5 will take the torque of the 350 no problem. there are a lot of people running the t-5 behind 350s. friend of mine has a t-5 behind his 405 with no problems. the t-56 is great. but it will be overkill for your wallet, where as a t-5 will run you about 200-300 depending on where you purchase it from.

PyRo9862

Its hit or miss with the t5's. Some people run them behind 350's at the track with slicks and they last for years. Others blow them the day it gets the 350. If you get a t5, be sure is a WC.

LiquidSkies

only difference between a reg t-5 and a WC is the 1st gear ratio. but i agree with the hit or miss idea.

trackbird

The WC T5 got carbon fiber blocker rings in the synchro assemblies on the first 3 gears and they were rated at 330 ft lbs of torque. This is why GM didn't put them behind TPI 350's (rated at 350 ft lbs). It will live behind a 350 TPI motor if you don't drive it like you are trying to break it, otherwise, you probably will.

My thoughts.

ws6transam

I believe that something you have missed deals with the T56 electronic speedometer. I had to swap out my '84 instrument cluster with mechanical speedometer to a 1987 cluster with electronic speedometer, then add a Dakota Digital decoder box to correct the speedometer signal. In addition, I had to re-pin the whole instrument panel harness. I still need to hook up the reverse lockout solenoid, as it takes the arms of a gorilla to force it into reverse otherwise.


--drb

trackbird

This would have made your life much easier.

http://www.jagsthatrun.com/Pages/Par...pp6-3_6-4.html

I didn't say it was easy, but it shouldn't cost that much to have a machine shop do the work.

ws6transam

I considered that option, but it was too darned expensive. Besides, I liked the idea of having a VSS in there, especially since I was going to be going to EFI soon. In addition, I was REALLY tired of the 85MPH speedometer