t56swap.page

Well, I did what I meant to do a few months ago! Like my friend Slammed98GMC, I managed to break my 5 speed tranny twice, breaking the 3-4 shifter rail both times at the track, the second time 2 weeks after I got it fixed so right then and there I decided to continue on my current project I had to upgrade. The 6 speed isn't the best tranny out there, but it is the best all around choice for a double duty dailydriver/striprunner. Before the swap I got 19 mpg on the highway and 17 in town. In town I get about the same but with the addition of 6th gear I pull 2000 rpm at 90 mph before it was 3000 at 80. I now get anywhere from 27-29 on the highway The center console is from a 97 Blazer or Jimmy with a auto tranny, but has a factory floor shifter rather than the column shifter, I wanted my cup holders damn-it. I had to shorten the height of the entire console by 2-3 inches all the way around to bring it low enough to allow my B&M shifter to look right and have proper travel without extending the shifter handle. I used a shifter boot off the 97 Z28 I got the tranny from. I had to adapt the camaro slave cylinder line to the S10 line by cutting both clean being inside the braided steel lines you have a nylon liner. I used a 3/8" male to male rubber hose connector with steel clamps to mend it all together. I noticed the S10 line is plastic pressed over a steel fitting so I figured the clamps would be ok in terms of holding the pressure, so far no problems. The T56 shifter is about 6" further back than the 5 speed so I had to work my magic with a Sawzall on that one. Once the LT1 flywheel was mounted, I had to install the starter. Unlike the chevy V8 you dont have holes drilled in the block for the 153 tooth starter on the 4.3 even though all the 4.3 is is a 1st or 2nd Gen small block 5.7 with 2 cylinders cut off the casting. I purchased a new LT1 starter and proceeded to step notch the side of the starter closer to the oil pan. The outter bolt hole was reused, but you have to align the starter to your best guess, drill the block and then tap it and pray you were pretty close with your guess. It would be better to find a conversion starter that uses the 168 tooth starter holes but is designed for a 153 tooth flywheel but I couldn't find one but they have to be out there. Next its time stab tranny and into the truck it goes. Tranny tunnel was built like the T56 was supposed to be there, perfect fit. Stock cross member was 3" too far forward for the T56 Doohhoo! Had a trailer hitch company modify it to fit without having to redrill the frame, looks good and no doubt it is strong enough to handle the abuse. On to the driveshaft, and found out it was about 2 1/2 inches too long. Off to the driveline shop it went to be shortened and rebalanced. Now time for the exhaust, went to put the stock exhaust up there, but the driver's side of the ypipe hit the slave cylinder. Had a complete 3" exhaust with dual 2 1/2" pipes out the back. I corrected the speedo with a reluctor from JTR (Jags that Run) to replace the 17 pulse per revolution unit with a 40 pulse unit just like what the 5 speed had. The ABS and speedo are 100% dead on. I had my speedo certified and it is only .9 mph off at 75 so it's just about right. All in all it is a worth while swap if you are putting together a baddass domestic mini truck. If you are considering doing major hp adders to a s-truck with the 4.3, I recommend staying away from the 5 speed trucks. They are not bad if all you do is run around to work and back, but it sure isn't up to drag racing duties. For that the auto is much better. I didn't cover everything. Feel free to email me or my friend Slammed98GMC, we would be glad to help with the rest.