I'm tired and sore, but...

[mattgw86]

I now have a T56 in my car!!! It took me a few weeks, but I got to drive it today. I actually did the entire swap by myself on jackstands and ramps. Tomorrow I'm pulling the 2.73 rear and picking up one with 3.42s. I will make a nice post with pictures and all after it's done and I upload them to photobucket. Then it'll be on to making this car pretty and comfortable...

I'm just so happy it all works. It was also really nice to row gears in the car. I can't wait to try it out with the new gears.

[popo8]

Lookin fwd to the pics and write up.

[bustedassz28]

^^^ here too, hope u got xtra $$$ for tires...lol

[popo8]

^^^ here too, hope u got xtra $$$ for tires...lol
And clutches and bears ...oh my!

[mattgw86]

Yes, tires. That'll be my safety net for the poor 10 bolt. I'm sure those little 245s are gonna have a tough time. Right now I'm just running a Luk stock replacement clutch, because the engine will remain stock until I get all the suspension and cosmetics done. That'll probably be over the next couple years.

Wheels and brakes are pretty high up on my list now. I'm leaning toward some C6 or C7 reproductions in 18x9.5 and the CTS-V calipers with 5th gen rotors. Then some Strano springs and sways and Koni STR.T shocks and I should have a fun little street car.

[mattgw86]

So 10 bolts are pretty heavy and awkward to lift, but it's in the back of my truck now. Also, rusty swaybar endlinks suck... 32054

[popo8]

Cruisin right along man!

[mattgw86]

Yep. Now I'm just waiting for the guy I'm buying the new one from. He said around 4PM, so that's about an hour from now and he's an hour away. I'm hoping to have it back together before dark.

[myltwon]

So 10 bolts are pretty heavy and awkward to lift, but it's in the back of my truck now. Also, rusty swaybar endlinks suck... 32054

10 bolts seem heavy, until you have to move a nodular iron housed 9" then you will be wishing you were moving 2 10 bolts lol

Congrats on the swap, always a rewarding experience especially when you don't have to spend a bunch of time afterwards troubleshooting.

[mattgw86]

Seriously. I'll actually have to get help for that when the day comes.

Not gonna lie, I was pretty nervous when I turned the key for the first time. It fired right up, then I was nervous about actually moving the car. I knew everything was put together right and went smoothly, but there are always those nerves the first time you test your work. It did have trouble staying in reverse at first, but it seems like the fluid just hadn't made its way back there yet. After driving up and down the street once, it held fine.

[Catmaigne]

Not sure if you've ever owned/driven other T56 cars, but...
Engagement in reverse is a bitch and sometimes it will pop out or grind if you don't hold the shifter in gear. Some say it's a manufacturer's defect because the synchro isn't fully on the gear. It's not that big of a deal.
Also, the clutch fork tends to rattle around the throw out bearing at low RPM (around idle) without the clutch pedal depressed. A poly trans mount makes it 3x louder. Don't be alarmed if you hear the can of marbles noise.

[mattgw86]

I knew about the "can of marbles" noise, and mine doesn't really make it too badly. More of just a whirring sound.

That's good to know about reverse, because it just popped out again on my last little test drive, which brings me to...

Holy crap! This thing is so much more fun with the T56 and 3.42s! I just went around the block, but wow! I'm even more tired and sore now, and will certainly pay for it tomorrow, but it was definitely worth it.

One question though- I'm going to go ahead and change the fluid in the new rear, what does it call for? It was making some noise on acceleration and just a little hum when coasting. The hum could just be my cheap tires though. What should I look for when I open the diff?

[Revolutions]

Straight from my digital copy of the 95 service manual:

32089

[mattgw86]

Ok thanks. Is the limited slip additive a GM only thing, or will parts stores carry it?

[mattgw86]

Nevermind, Google told me...I am going on too little sleep and losing my mind, lol.

[383z]

Lately, I've been thing about doing thing T56 swap. I bought another car (cause that's what I needed) a 1991 5.0 with a stick and I've really enjoyed diving it, so it's go me thing. Congrats on the swap.

[miller09]

The can of marbles sound gets worse with a big cam. Mine pops out of reverse once in awhile also

[Catmaigne]

You can go to Pep Boys and they have a little bottle of additive called equatorque or something like that. Will be by the gear oil.

[mattgw86]

Hmm, I don't have a Pep Boys nearby, but I have O'reilly and AutoZone, plus I think I have some AutoZone rewards. How much gear oil do I need?

[mattgw86]

Lately, I've been thing about doing thing T56 swap. I bought another car (cause that's what I needed) a 1991 5.0 with a stick and I've really enjoyed diving it, so it's go me thing. Congrats on the swap.

It's not too bad really. It would be nice to have help for some of the lifting, or even just to hand you a tool that's just out of reach. None of it was really difficult, it was all just a lot of work. Unbolting the auto was probably the worst part, but only because of the 3 feet of extensions you need and the weird angles to break loose ~20 year old bolts.

[Not Dave]

My car came with the T56 and 3.42's, I love it! It sure is fun driving around the back roads going through the gears. I know how you feel. I just had the stock clutch with 142,000 miles replaced, got a Competition Clutch Stage 1 in there now, boy does it grab fast! I'm still getting used to it, have only put about 80 miles on the new clutch. My LT1 is stock also.

[mattgw86]

Yeah, I should probably quit tearing it apart every time I finish something and just enjoy the thing for a while. It's an addiction though, haha.