sloppy w-56

[ihanberg]

i have a w-56 tranny with an unknown amount of miles on it .it seems to be difficult to shift at times espeacialy when down shifting into 1st other than that it stays in gear and doesnt make any noise what could be the problem ? i allready replaced those dealy whackers on my shifter iss it somthing in the tranny maybe a clutch pedal adjustment? any ideas

[Marlin]

This is very common on a high miles trans.
Try changing the gear oil.
I use 80/90 weight GL 5 oil.

You may have worn out syncrows and/or worn shift hub enguagement teeth on the side of the gears.

The easy way out is to stop downshifting

It wears out the trans on the coast side. Use your brakes and quit ownshifting!!!!!

[Uncle Jesse]

Along with using your brakes and not downshifting . . . a relaxed driving style helps.  Anticipating your stops and decelerating earlier lessens your need to downshift OR brake.  Longerlasting trans and brake pads.

[ihanberg]

thanks for the advice somtimes i forget im not driving a sports car !!!!!!

[Skinny_Pedal]

but all the cool kids downshift

[BigMike]

somtimes i forget im not driving a sports car !!!!!!

I forget im not driving a sports car every day

[kneedownnate]

Marlin,  it wears out the trans on the coast side if you downshift, is that only if you don't blip the throttle?  When my brother started autocrossing he started blippin the throttle on downshifts to match the rpm for a smoother shift and tought me how.  I try and do it religeously and kinda figured it was easier on the drivetrain, though it's not terribly easy on a sloppy old tranny.  Would this cause less stress and thus less wear on the coast side, or is it downshifting in general that causes damage?    Nate

[Uncle Jesse]

I wish I had the coorordination to blip the throttle when downshifting.  My pedals and/or feet just aren't designed for heel toe shifting.  I would say in my opinion that it would help lessen stress when downshifting, but it really is only useful when downshifting for keeping speed.  Say 5th to 4th.  Downshifting when coming to a stop is when I think the most stress is present.  My brother used to force downshift 1st and 2nd.  I wound up replacing all the mainshaft bearings in the trans because they disintegrated. 

[kneedownnate]

I dunno if you can really call it heel toe with me, my dainty little girly feet are too small to plant on the floor, so all is done by flingin my feet back and forth.  I learned on my 81 2wd(to date one of my favorite trucks ever) and relearned on the sloppier L43 in the 4by.  Oh yea, and lots of sega rally, I think my brother and I paid off the machine at the mall before they closed down,   Nate

[Marlin]

Blippin does not cause as much wear on the clutch and trans but it wastes more fuel and causes more wear on the throttle cable ect.

But seriously, I just take my foot off the gas and get on the brakes using the engine which is tring to idle from lack of fuel to help slow the truck down.
Then just when it comes to a idle and the truck is almost at a stop, using two fingers, I shift the trans into netural without touching the clutch pedal.

People that downshift, are looking for more work.

Marlin

[kneedownnate]

Me too, sorta....with gas prices the way they are I got into the habbit of shifting to neutral and coasting as soon as I can.  But, with 501,700 miles on the original throttle cable maybe I should reconsider blipping the throttle, but then again I probably have a couple of spares lyin around too, plus it's more fun!   Nate