TREMEC T56 Magnum S197 Transmission

[r.barn]

Royal Purple Synchromax fluid

Always had good experiences with it in my TKO-600 too.

 

[Speed+Clinic]

Many of us that race our Corvette C5 and C6 on the road courses use Royal Purple Synchromax fluid vs. the GM Synchromesh in our 6-speed transmissions. Better formula with more desired properties.

I found royal purple to be good when hot but when cold its hard to make the shfits. For road racing I wouldn't use the mixture I posted. Its more for a DD/weekend track/strip/street racing.

 

[Speed+Clinic]

Many of us that race our Corvette C5 and C6 on the road courses use Royal Purple Synchromax fluid vs. the GM Synchromesh in our 6-speed transmissions. Better formula with more desired properties.

http://royalpurpleconsumer.com/wp-content/uploads/Synchromax_110211.pdf

I couldn't find a better mtsd on synchromax Anyone has better luck?

 

[Litebulb]

For those of you that have this transmission, how happy are you with it? I'm having one brought in asap to replace my 6060. I'm extremely excited for the direct shift and the way this mounts as right now my 6060 moves too much under load. I cant fit the CHE trans brace due to my twin turbo setup and this Mount seems to be the best fit for my setup to keep my transmission from moving.


They look incredible so i cant wait till mine gets here.

 

[Department Of Boost]

Put mine in yesterday.

It’s easier to install than a TR-3650 or a TR-6060 because of the separate bell housing. I just managed to sneak the 3650 out without having to undo the motor mounts and move the motor. The T-56 went right in.

A few things of note:

-Better have your swivel sockets ready!

-Don’t loose your clutch alignment tool on a holiday-ish weekend.

-Next time I have it out I’m going to drill the starter mount holes in the bell housing out to clearance holes then put thread inserts in the starter so I can bolt it in from the back side of the bell housing. Between LT’s and the big bell housing getting the starter bolts in sucks.

-Next time I will have even more swivel sockets on hand, I had a lot, but a few more would have made it nicer.

-If yours comes with the Dynotech driveshaft you will want a long 8mm “ball end” allen driver to sneak the bolts in.

That’s about all I can remember off the top of my head, it was a million deg out yesterday, I’m smoked.

Some weights. Weights are with shifter, bell housing and fluid but no crossmember. I weighed all three transmissions one after another:

T-56……………..164lb

TR-6060………..145lb

TR-3650………..129lb

 

[BruceH]

Have you recovered enough to do some driving and if so how do you like it?

 

[Department Of Boost]

Have you recovered enough to do some driving and if so how do you like it?

I drove it last night for 50mi. I got to cruise it on surface streets, the freeway, jumped in it a few times and even carve up a few twisties.

- It shifts SUPER NICE! I’ve driven just about every brand of 3650 and 6060 aftermarket shifter and the T-56 makes them all feel like garbage. It’s a finesse shifter though. I’m sure it would shift just fine “raging” on the lever, but it likes a light touch to get the most out of it. The downshifts are butter smooth too (I think the gear spacing helps with that a little).

-The trans is quieter than my 3650, but the 3650 was pretty beat so that may not be a fair comparison.

-I got the 2.66 gear ratio set. First gear is SUPER tall compared to the 3650 and even taller than the 2010+ spec 6060’s. I like it because now I can use first a little, but it’s no “drag race” gear set (unless you ran real steep rear end gears) that’s for sure.

-The gear spacing is fantastic. They are very even, it feels like a good roadrace trans should.

-6th gear is crazy tall! 80mph is 1800rpm, LOL!

-I know my driveline angles aren’t perfect (I had a PST CV style true 1pc shaft in it with the 3650, they are very tolerant of driveline angles being a bit out), I think my pinion is tipped up about a degree too much. But I couldn’t detect any driveline vibration all the way from 0-140mph. I’ll get the car on a drive on lift later this week and do the angles right. I was worried about vibration.

-I’m surprised how light the RST clutch is. It’s heavier than stock of course but it takes up real nice and has a stock like feel to it. I would have expected it to be heavier. The Spec Stage III+ I took out was more aggressive. I wouldn’t mind a little more aggressive clutch but I got this one for next to nothing. If I replace it I will use a RXT.

-The only thing I don’t like a lot is the shifter arrangement. It has some shaft setup with I think a rubber bushing in it that is real bulky and goofy to bolt the lever too. I’m going to look into getting rid of the rubber or maybe throw another shifter at it. Early days though. I still need to screw around with making an arm that puts the knob right where I want it (I’m not sure where that is at yet though, I need to drive it more) and a knob that suits my shifting style. That’s just fiddly bits though.

So far I’m real happy. I like how it drives, I LOVE the gear spacing, the shift action is fantastic, etc. Next time it’s out of the car I will do a few mods to it so its easier to install/remove. At this point I give it two thumbs up.

 

[BruceH]

Going from a 3650 to 6060 was light years in shifting improvement. This must really be something to be smoother than that. RST clutches rock. The organic disk engages pretty smooth and like you mentioned pedal effort is minimal. It will hold alot of hp too. The only drawback is the floater plate buzz around 1700 rpms in 4th.

It sounds like the wait was worth it. FWIW I've found atf to be the best all around fluid in my 6060. Syncromax is nice as long as the temps will support it but when colder weather comes around it doesn't play nice. I've been told that redline works very well but have yet to try it.

 

[Department Of Boost]

It sounds like the wait was worth it. FWIW I've found atf to be the best all around fluid in my 6060. Syncromax is nice as long as the temps will support it but when colder weather comes around it doesn't play nice. I've been told that redline works very well but have yet to try it.

I used the Redline on the recommendation of Donnie Walsh. I have a whole 45-50mi of driving but so far so good.

My partners 6060 (with a prototype shifter we designed that is working GREAT!) is running the Redline too, it has more miles on it and no complainst about that one either.

 

[AutoXRacer]

What Redline fluid are you using? Is it the D4...? Thats whats in my 3650...and I love it!!

Waiting on my T-56 to come in. I hear the shifter supplier screwed up on the anodizing...so another delay. sigh

 

[strong_j]

Hey gmitch what is ur 1st gear top speed??
I'm getting mine installed this week.
Also what rear end gears do u have??

 

[Department Of Boost]

What Redline fluid are you using? Is it the D4...? Thats whats in my 3650...and I love it!!

Waiting on my T-56 to come in. I hear the shifter supplier screwed up on the anodizing...so another delay. sigh

Yeah, the D4. Seems to be working great.

An anodizing screw up…..who cares??!! It’s not like you can see the thing once its in the car. I would run a pink shifter if it meant not waiting, LOL!

 

[Department Of Boost]

Hey gmitch what is ur 1st gear top speed??
I'm getting mine installed this week.
Also what rear end gears do u have??

At 6,500rpm (my limiter starts at 7,000 and comes all the way in at 7,250 though) with a “short” 26in tall tire and 3.55’s it goes:

53mph in first
80mph in second
109mph in third
142mph in fourth
191mph in fifth
and……………….283mph in sixth, LOL!!! (not going to happen)

I think I’m going to have to put a 3.31 or lower in it for when I do the Ohio Mile so I can run through the traps in fifth. Or maybe just put a tall drag radial on it.

The 3650 speeds in gears with the same parameters above were:

42mph in first
71mph in second
107mph in third
142mph in fourth
210mph in fifth

 

[AutoXRacer]

An anodizing screw up…..who cares??!! It’s not like you can see the thing once its in the car. I would run a pink shifter if it meant not waiting, LOL!

Thats what I said!! Send it over now with the pink shifter!!!! lol

Surprising to see 3rd and 4th gears are identical to the 3650...

 

[Department Of Boost]

Thats what I said!! Send it over now with the pink shifter!!!! lol

Surprising to see 3rd and 4th gears are identical to the 3650...

Most boxes have a 1:1 ratio for fourth, that's pretty standard across the board.

The MT-82 in the 2011+ cars has a 1:1 fifth though. And the gear spacing below it is super short/close. Great for drag racing and makes the car "feel" fast. But I don't like it at all. If I keep the 2012 long term I'll put a 6060 in it.

 

[Boomer_Gooner]

gm synchromesh seems to be the best, with a little Lucas conditioner added. ( 1 Pint )

+1 GM/Pennzoil Synchromesh is all I've used in my 03 Cobra T-56 and my shifts have always been dependable and notch free. I occasionally get kicked out of gear, but that' because of a bad granny shift.

 

[fhlh]

I'm going to bull the trigger on this in the next couple of months as the 2nd gear in my3650 is being a pansy...

That said the two options are as follows...
2.66:1st 1.78:2nd 1.30:3rd 1.00:4th 0.80:5th 0.63:6th
2.97:1st 2.10:2nd 1.46:3rd 1.00:4th 0.74:5th 0.50:6th

I'm guessing the 2.97 would be best for my current application
-- a 433rwhp@6k Saleen Series 6.5 3v.... 3.73 rear gear.
but damn, why can't i have the 5th and 6th for the 2.66 model. It seems more appropriate.

I'm afraid the 0.50 6th will only be good for long distance highway cruising and 30MPG

 

[AutoXRacer]

I'm going to bull the trigger on this in the next couple of months as the 2nd gear in my3650 is being a pansy...

That said the two options are as follows...
2.66:1st 1.78:2nd 1.30:3rd 1.00:4th 0.80:5th 0.63:6th
2.97:1st 2.10:2nd 1.46:3rd 1.00:4th 0.74:5th 0.50:6th

I'm guessing the 2.97 would be best for my current application
-- a 433rwhp@6k Saleen Series 6.5 3v.... 3.73 rear gear.
but damn, why can't i have the 5th and 6th for the 2.66 model. It seems more appropriate.

I'm afraid the 0.50 6th will only be good for long distance highway cruising and 30MPG

Be careful, when I was shopping for mine, I specifically requested the 2.66 version and they warned me its a pretty tall geared trans...great for road racing. All stock or near stock HP level cars go with the 2.97. For the 2.66 you really need some more power north of 600HP.


How come the shorter geared version has a taller 5th and 6th gear?
While the tall ratio has a shorter 5th and 6th???

Doesn't make sense...

 

[Department Of Boost]

That said the two options are as follows...
2.66:1st 1.78:2nd 1.30:3rd 1.00:4th 0.80:5th 0.63:6th
2.97:1st 2.10:2nd 1.46:3rd 1.00:4th 0.74:5th 0.50:6th

How come the shorter geared version has a taller 5th and 6th gear?
While the tall ratio has a shorter 5th and 6th???

Doesn't make sense...

Probably because those aren't the right ratios.


T-56 “Road Race” Gear Set
1st 2.66
2nd 1.78
3rd 1.30
4th 1.00
5th .74
6th .50

T-56 “Drag Race” Gear Set
1st 2.97
2nd 2.07
3rd 1.43
4th 1.00
5th .80
6th .63


IMHO the 2.66 box is just fine as long as the car has 450hp/450ish TQ and a 3.73-3.90-4.10 gear depending on what tire size and what the car is used for. I'm not into short geared cars though. My 2012 with that stupid MT-82 trans has stupid short gearing. It drives me CRAZY!


The 6th gear in the 2.66 is pretty darn high though. With a 26.5" tall tire and a 3.55 my car is spinning 1875rpm at 80mph.

 

[fhlh]

OK! I thought that looked strange (I copied and pasted the info from JPCRacing's site).. thanks for the correct info.