Adapting a T-56 to a Gen 1 (2 piece seal) SBC (pics)
 

What youll need...

One T56 trans (LT1, NOT LS1 trans) I used one out of a 97 Trans Am. 450 ft lbs rated.

This will come in a kit. Flywheel, T.O. bearing, Pressure plate, dual friction disc.
This setup adapts an Fbody LT1 trans to a custom flywheel that ises a 2 picec crank seal. Keisler probably has complete bolt in kits.

THis one did NOT go in a Vette, but the mechanicals (except tailshaft) give you the idea of whats used.

Youl have to excuse the appearance of this stuff, its been sitting for 5 years. Needs a good cleanup!:ack:

-Centerforce flywheel (these are steel Billet). PN I believe was 02-211> May want to verify this as I bought this quite a few years ago, it may have changed. They come stock weight (LT1 Fbody), I had 12 lbs taken out of the back of this one.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ff1/t56001.jpg
-

-ARP Flywheel bolts PN# 200-2807. Do not use washers...I used red loctite, torqued to 65 lbs. 60-70 is fine.


-Dual Friction Disc, PN#167385

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ff1/t56003.jpg

-GM Pressure plate bolts, PN 10079898. Youll need 6 of them. ARP doesnt have them as far as I can tell. Reg ol Gen 1 and LS1 only.
Youll torque these to 30 ft lbs.(thanks JeffVette) Again I used red loctite. Tighten down in stages...

Do NOT use any other type of bolts (harware fully threaded type)unless you dont appreciate your legs in one piece. You can only get these from the dealer as far as I know. Maybe Pioneer makes some, I didnt check with them


Input shaft alignment tool. SPend $5 and make this easy on yourself.
Pioneer PN# TAT 5313, available at Kragen

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ff1/t56004.jpg

Trans to bellhousing bolts if you dont have them Metric M10 x 35, 1.5 pitch. Got these from OSH. Used a metric flat washer on each one and antiseize. Youre tightening into aluminum here.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ff1/t56008.jpg


1-Install pilot bushing (no PN, standard GM issue) with the chamfered side out. I used a touch of Mobil 1 inside the crank housing and around the bushing, went in with no problem. Bottom it out, but dont pound on it, they break easily. Install flywheel as above, torque down in stages.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ff1/t56002.jpg

2-Note that throwout bearing slides through from engine side to trans side. Uses a spring clip to hold it in place. Unless you want to do this twice do it now. Very Important!

3-Set disc up onto flywheel, it will stay (it sits in the cutout)....Set pressure plate up to disc, and start a few bolts. Insert alignment tool, straighten it out and install rest of the bolts. Slowly torque (30 lbs) in sequence making sure alignment tool is straight.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ff1/t56005.jpg

One more thing....The flywheel/pressure plate assy will be marked to line them up correctly for balance. Dont overlook this!!! You eill see a yellow mark like aboce and a corresponding one on the flywheel. Mine on the flywheel was about gone after the machine shop got ahold of it, lets hope all is balanced right....

-Next, go ahead and bolt the bellhousing up with standard SBC bellhousing bolts. I left mine just a touch loose until I had the trans lined up and slid in. Remove your pilot bearing tool, btw. If its bound up, loosen the P.P. bolts a bit and straighten 'er out, retorque.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ff1/t56006.jpg

Now, before you carefully silde the trans in pull the fork attatched to the trans out away from it. THen start your Metric bolts with antiseize.
I didnt use a torque wrench, figure about 30 or so. Note where the black line runs up the trans, ther is a breather at the end of it with a small bracket that screws into the trans. I broke mine...:willy:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ff1/t56011.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ff1/t56012.jpg

Once you are all bolted up go ahead and grab the shifting fork and push it in, youll feel it "click" into place over the throwout bearing.

-Last but not least put the shifter into gear and try turning the motor over. There should be no binding. :thumbs:

Thats enough for one night....Looks like I need to break out the buffer and try to bring some bling back to this stuff, looks like :ack: after sitting so long.

Looking good Ron, I'll give you a call tomorrow as well on a related matter

looks SWEET!

This is some great info. If you want, we can confirm some of the part numbers, and add this into the C4 Tech FAQ. Thoughts?

:cool:


:lurk:

:yesnod: That would be great. Easy to find when needed, and I think that this subject is very interesting.

Nice work cuisinartvette!

I forgot to put the dowel pins in the block. Need to put in to avoid shfting problems. Out it comes....:banghead:

..And in it goes!! :party:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ff1/t56016.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ff1/t56017.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ff1/t56019.jpg

Must be nice finally seeing that project come together. :thumbs:

Holy crap! :eek: Nice work :thumbs:

Awesome write up so far.:cool:
Bet you can't wait to get it finished and try it out. How are you going to address the shifter location? How far back from the face of the trans is it right now? If I can offer any assistance, please let me know.:thumbs:

Richard
Tech Support
Keisler Engineering

Thanks...I had this in right before I took the car apart for paint, put a few hundred miles on it, worked awesome. I used a B&m Ripper shifter which wound up centered rather than offset on the trans hump and back a few inches. Perfect actually . The crossmember was moved back a few inches and the mounting tabs rewelded.

The F body slave/clutch master was used and a bracket was made to mount to the firewall and get the throw/geometry right to the clutch pedal (mounting hole was raised a bit). Took many tries to get it right. I have heard the Vette clutch/master will work, but dont know that to be fact

Keisler--I suspect these guys (and one chick) could use some info on some of your kits which may make it easier to retrofit to their Vettes...
This is in an 67 A body, just threw this up to show it can be done...

-Question? Reverse lockout solenoid and reverse lights? Any tips on how to get them to work? What about the speedo? Im lost here.

-What would it take to change the OD gear to something not so tall, and is it possible to install the Z06 gearing set, that would be sweet!

I have harness' that hook up to the reverse lockout, you simply wire it to ground and to the brake pedal switch to activate it. The reverse lights(I also have a harness for) is 2 wires (non-polar) that wire into to backup light harness.
As for the speedo, you would need a Cable X box to convert the electronic speedo to a mechanical output(we also have that).
As for changing the gears, I'm not sure about the Z06 gear set as we don't deal in those 6 speeds. sorry.

Richard
Tech Support
Keisler Engineering

What # can I contact you at?

Pm me with your number and I'll call you on our dime.:thumbs:
or 865-609-8187 x201 or customerservice@keislerauto.com

Richard

:cool: Ill order the harnesses next week, cant say no to that price .

Good walk through and good photo illustration! Good workspace too! I'm jealous. Then again anyone who has four walls and a roof to work inside with their vette has me beat. :lol: Least we have the same black plastic toolbox! Why did you choose the T56? Is that the engine for the El Camino?


Keep us updated and with pictures. Someone could probably learn something from a tech thread like this.

Yes, its for the El. Finally got all the aluminum back up to spec :ack:

I saw a 3000 mile T56 for sale at a local auto swap meet back in 99 for 1k and had another bright idea:rolleyes: ....Couldnt stop thinking about it til I had it in the back of my truck (

I was tired of the T350 and 2800 stall. Wanted to bang gears and have a good cruise rpm. Only trans I knew of at the time was the weakass T5 in the 305 Camaros. Nothing aftermarket that I could locate.

....Didnt know how I was going to make it work as back then there were no parts to make it work, I was the butt of many a joke. "There he goes again"...:lol:

Some help from a guy named Mark Stielow http://www.pro-touring.com/featured_...ew_project.htm gave me a few tips as he had just done one in an Fbody...Centerforce took care of the rest as they had just made a setup for him. Slave brackets and crossmember I had to figure out. Use a T56 yoke.

Now you can get bolt in retrofit kits much cheaper, I believe you can get a tailshaft that will work with the C4 also.