T56 w/ Scattershield

[Twentyover]

OK,I'm putting a T56 with a blast can behind an LS2. Trouble is, the T56 doesn't use a concentric front bearing retainer like many/most traditional domestic transmissions, so there's no round surface to dial in the bellhousing to assure input shaft alignment.

Been thinking about this,and the only way I can think to do it is to screw the piece the bearing retainer is machined in (midplate?) to the bell and use that surface to dial in the bell.

Is this thinking correct? Does anyone have a midplate they could loan/rent to me to do this?

[72BBSwinger]

What scatter shield? I checked mine on the Quicktime and needed an .007 dowel to get it to .004 total runout.

[Twentyover]

McLeod 8760-00. Doesn't have the circular section yours has

Called McLeod- they said in essence, "Trust us it's right". And, if you don't trust us, we have a $300 tool.

It's been my experience that cast bellhousings are pretty much dead on- easy enough to understand when you understand the dowel registers are machined first, then the bearing retainer hole is cut in afterward indexing off the dowel pins. Mu single experience w/ stamped blast cans shows less accurate indexing for the dowel holes vs center register.

On a blast can, typical operations would be to blank the holes then form the stamping. In this case, a secondary weldment is added. Trust them that the block dowel pin/transmission dowel pin is there? So, I'm going to assume the trans dowel pins are added to the constituent component before the weldment. You then have 2 places for error to occur.

Sorry, Mcleod is asking me to trust them too much. Unless they guarantee they will rebuild the transmission if the front bearing gets chewed up.

[mrennie]

I have not yet done it, but when I get around to dialing in my QT bell housing I plan to remove the front cover of my T56 Magnum, bolt it to the QT bell, and indicate off the bearing bore for the input shaft. I don't know if all QT bells are the same, but the one I have has noticeable roughness where the opening was cut (looks like it was done by a CNC torch or plasma cutter), and the surface is not acceptable for indicating, IMO. I also don't want to *assume* that the dowel pin holes that the T56 use to locate the trans to the bell are correct, I would rather spend the extra time to take the front cover off the trans and know for sure.

From looking at some TR6060 manuals, it appears I should just have to take out the bolts on the front cover, remove the cover, tap out the bearing race (take note of shims and put aside), and do what I have to do, then reassemble with new sealant on the flange and torque the bolts.

My engine was line bored so I don;t want to take any chances.

[72BBSwinger]

I asked Quicktime about it when I was doing mine and IIRC they said their runout spec they make the bells at was .005. So I checked mine just make double sure. I would think they could go the extra mile and get them to .001 MAX though for as much as they get for the damn bells.

[Twentyover]

OK, I think I found a reasonable solution that will work for me. I'm going to purchase an 8207 trans adapter from McLeod (not whatever their $300 indexing tool). I can use it to dial in the scatter-shield, then sell it as the adapter it is.

[72BBSwinger]

So they are saying their bells are perfect? Even if they were, its the dowels in the block that need checked!

[Riddler]

I really wish I knew how to do a run down check. I've got a Quicktime bell on a viper T56. It's going to a 6.1L Hemi but I've got no idea how to check run out.

Riddler

[Twentyover]

So they are saying their bells are perfect? Even if they were, its the dowels in the block that need checked!

No-they made no such claim. But we are to trust them that it is correct. Which I- kind of- don't.

This deal is stamped, then a weldment added to it. If they told me they completed the weldment to the bell, then indexing off the engine dowel pin holes, they then milled the transmission dowel holes, THEN I might trust them. But probably not.

[Twentyover]

I really wish I knew how to do a run down check. I've got a Quicktime bell on a viper T56. It's going to a 6.1L Hemi but I've got no idea how to check run out.

Riddler

Does the Quicktime have a cylindrical surface where the transmission mounts that is fine enough a profile you can index from? If so, see post #2, just dial it in using that surface.

If not,your in the same boat as me. Buy a $300 tool or use an adapter as a template like me.

Typical method using a concentric front bearing cover How to Dial In a Bellhousing - YouTube

[Twentyover]

OK, to close this out, I bought an adapter plate for a T56 to a conventional bellhousing. Removed the"bearing cover" that registers the T56 in the conventional bellhousing, and used the bearing relief in the adapter plate to dial in the blast can.

As a point of reference, it dialed at 0-.014, so was .007 out of concentric. Got some .007 offset dowels,finally got tired of screwing with it when it dialed @ 0-.008, so .004 out of concentric. Fits within the .005 spec limit, so called it good.

Kind of an interesting aside, I'm running an aluminum wheel. Had to mount the mag base to the flywheel flange.