Quote:
Originally Posted by MaSnaka
Thanks for all the info guys. Eshader you are the only one I have heard with a complaint about the Tremec TKO600. Very discouraging to hear. Does any one else have trouble with shifting and worse 3rd gear getting chewed up? Not sure I'm interested in a 6th gear though. ...
Thanks,
John
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If you will be driving the car in a less than 'spirited' and/or non -competitive manner the TKO600 is a fine transmission. If you drive it in a competitive fashion and attempt to rapidly change gears from second to third it will not cooperate the way it is delivered from Tremec.
Some guys call it notchy some guys call it other names but rapidly changing gears from second to third is a problem in the transmission as delivered by Tremec since time immemorial. Attempts at doing it more often than not end up in a missed shift from second to third.
The problem is the interlock timing that Tremec built into the shift detents on the internal shift rods to prevent engaging two gears at the same time. They erred on their design in a fashion that precludes rapid gear changes. Changing shifters, synchronizers, trans fluid, shucks even the air pressure in your right from tire has no effect on the underlying design miscue. On the oither hand, Tremec does have replacement shifter rods that will correct the interlock timing whoops and importantly also the second to third shift quality.
The third gear alignment problem is present in all TKO600's according to Tremec engineering. The issue (reportedly) had to do with their transition from a two piece countershaft on the TKO500, that was prone to shear it's woodruff key under load, to the newer design TKO600 one piece countershaft. Now instead of shearing a countershaft key we can shear teeth off of two gears at exactly the same time!
To provide clearance for the machining chips the gear hob creates as the countershaft third gear is hobbed, Tremec needed to leave a gap for the chips to escape. That gap (between the countershaft second and third gears) is the origin of the 3rd gear countershaft misalignment with the mainshaft third gear. When they changed the gear placement on the countershaft they did not do the same for the main shaft.
As long as you do not hook up your tires in third gear under full power and/or do not have a relatively robust engine you are not likely to have a problem. On the other hand if you nave a relatively robust engine and you also hook up in third you are in a dance with the devil. It is unlikely (but not impossible) to break it on the first attempt however repeated WOT third gear operation with the tires hooked will kill it.
Part of the good news is that WOT in third gear is a relatively inspiring phenomena in one of these cars and most people (unless they are racing) don't do that very often, if at all. If you do then the game of Russian Transmission Roulette is alive, well and on.
When I had my TKO600 modified by Liberty I believe the cost of all the parts was about $400. I don't remember if there was also a labor charge or if it was included. Either way, price wise your TKO very quickly looks like a T-56 Magnum — pricewise. A telephone call to Liberty can quickly get you the current pricing. Don't forget to add freight up and back unless you intend to do the mods yourself. And of douse don't forget this only corsets the shifting problems. You still have the nicely misaligned third gear problem.
As the Liberty rep at the time suggested to me I would have been better off to use the T56 if I were starting fresh w/o any parts bought yet.
Here are the dimensions from Tremec for a TKO;
Here are the dimensions from Tremec for a T-56 Magnum;
While not exactly the same they are close enough either transmission can easily be made to fit.
It simply comes down to builder preferences and what is important to you — as do most choices in these cars.
Ed