My transmission went out 4L60E and it looks like a rebuild will be close to a grand but I'm thinkin why not go ahead and go with 500 dollars more and put in the t56 six speed. What are the pros and cons? All the work will be done by me and my brother and labor wont be an issue...And if I do the swap where could I find everything I need? I checked with speed automotive and they have a waiting list....what should I do??? How strong are the T56? Hlelp me pros and cons please

 

T-56 is way stronger then the 4l60e i know ive gone threw 2 4l60's i got almost everything needed for a swap all except the tube that you fill the clutch fluid in with got burnt during the fire looking to get a 1000 out of the stuff if your interested send me a email or pm

 

You have a pm....and one question for anyone....in doing the swap what would be need to be done about the auto computer? New computer?

 

T-56. Without question.

Regarding the computer, Bryan Herter (www.pcmforless.com) can set you up.

Scour the classifieds on this site. I found mine here for ~$1200 with all the hard parts needed. I had to buy some other stuff because my car never came with a T-56, but you should be able to find everything you need on this site. You could also check eBay.

The T-56 is very strong. RomanSS put down over 900 ft-lbs at the rear wheels through a stock T-56 and then his Mc Cloud Street Twin slipped.

Pros-
Fun.
Stronger than the 4L60-E.
Way fun.
Gas Mileage (I have gotten close to 30 mpg in my 4300 lb car).
Super fun.
Easier and cheaper to replace a clutch than to rebuild an automatic tranny.

Cons-
Highlights poor driving skills.

That is all the relevant rambling I can muster right now.

Matt

 

Notford95, don't mean to hijack this thread, but what was the most difficult part of putting the T56 in your Impala? I've asked on the Impalasforum.com, but nobody is ever specific. I got a 94' Caprice that I've thought about putting a T56 into, and BigFastCar.com is too expensive. I will probably most definately want it when my 383 is done.

 

If he's willing to spend $1500, he could get a pretty solid 4L60E (www.lt1dave.com). I know most people prefer a stick, but I love the way my tranny shifts hard ALL the time. Also, when you get a good converter in there, you will enjoy some great launces.
The T-56 will give you better gas mileage, and, of course, you get to row through your own gears. However, I've seen too many people with constant clustch problems for me to want one in my daily driver. When I get a weekend-only car, it'll have a T-56 in it. Just my $.02

 

<=== 4L60E if you end up kicking out 400 rwhp and above...

The A4's beat M6's all day at the tracks...

 

keep em comin!

 

tell me more

 

No one else?

 

switch to the t56, you wont regret it. Ive had both, and this one is quicker and more fun to drive.

 

As stated above, I have had both. The 4L60-E is sub-par unless you put money into it (but you know this; hence the thread). I have heard of many more 4L60-E failures than clutch failures. Even if you had the same number clutch failures, an expensive clutch is one third the cost of a proper automatic rebuild (and that is a rather conservative estimate - my clutch was $185 shipped new to my door).

Per the gentleman who cited automatic transmission track dominance, I would have to agree; if this car is to be used more on the drag strip than the street, then by all means, stick with the automatic.

BUT, if your car is like almost all the other cars in the world and is driven primarily on the street, then the T-56 is the way to go. Who really cares if you can shave off a few tenths the three times you go to the track? The rest of the time will be a more enjoyable experience with a third pedal and your hand on the shifter.

Phatcaprice,
I would strongly consider doing the BBHP kit the first time. The pieces I broke offset the cost difference of the cheaper setup I tried first. If you have any specific questions or would like some more information, feel free to e-mail the address in my profile. I try not to make posts on here Impala-specific.

Matt

 

thats cool especially because i found a guy with a t56 in good condition for 150-200 bucks locally...

 

that's too cool

 

sorry to jack this thread a little, but I'm sure I'm not the only one to practically pee himself when you said that Where did you get a clutch for that price?!?

Automatics are better for drag racing, and are easier on the rear end. M6 you can bet eventually your going to tear the rear out of the car if you get any sort of traction. That being said, I have owned both and I like my M6 a lot more