Engine is out of the TTSaleen..............

bosscj

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I thought it was quite interesting. Nice looking mach 1 too

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CobraBob

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Yeah, pretty interesting video. Best of luck with the engine refresh. I, too, like the Mach.
 

Ryan2KRedL

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I thought it was quite interesting. Nice looking mach 1 too
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Yeah, pretty interesting video. Best of luck with the engine refresh. I, too, like the Mach.

Appreciate it guys. The Cobra is under the car cover in the garage, but it stays covered in this vid as I had to move the Mach1 out of the way to get the TTSaleen moved from the middle of the garage (using my car dollys).
I got news that my driveshaft shipped from D+D Performance and should arrive tomorrow for the Mach1.
So this weekend I plan to remove the 6R80 and install the new Magnum T56 into it.
 

Morgan

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@Ryan2KRedL - I doubt there are many individuals that have your experience running the 6R80 in different cars producing different power.

Would love to hear your thoughts about the best platforms for the 6R80 conversion in terms of vehicle weight, rwhp, intended use, challenges with the controller, etc.
 

Ryan2KRedL

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still having issues with the controller?

@Ryan2KRedL - I doubt there are many individuals that have your experience running the 6R80 in different cars producing different power.
Would love to hear your thoughts about the best platforms for the 6R80 conversion in terms of vehicle weight, rwhp, intended use, challenges with the controller, etc.

Since you asked.........
While waiting for my 4R70W to be rebuilt about a year and a half ago, I got tired of waiting and looked into an alternative transmission.
Enter the 6R80.
Knowing my car makes over 1200rwhp, I researched built 6R80 combos and found Brett Lasala in FL.
I contacted him and he built me on of his famous billet planetary 6R80 combos with a Circle D convertor (to his specs).
Being a 1998 model, I had to purchase a stand-alone controller and the only option I found was US Shift Quick6 unit.
I had a custom driveshaft made from the Driveshaft Shop with the correct ends to fit the 6R80 and my 8.8 rear (with IRS flange).

Initially I had a base tune file from US Shift that I used but it didn't seem to work very well.
I contacted 2V Terror (Jeremy Rousseau) and he built me a custom tune file similar to what he runs in his 8 sec 2 valve car.
With this tune, the car performed better but (after months of testing), I found the Quick6 wasn't shifting at the rpm I wanted.
Example - I had it set to 6500rpm, but it clearly went higher causing it to touch my rev limiter.
I checked and confirmed all my tach signals were fine (can see it in the interface of the Quick6 software), but the unit just never shifted where I commanded it to.

I then put it on the Dyno at Fastlane and Caleb helped me find the issue (over-revving) which I thought for months was misfire due to ignition problems or weak valvesprings.
The work around, was to command the Quick6 to shift earlier than I wanted and "fool it" into shifting near the rpm I actually wanted.
This helped and at the track I got my best ET to date (5.80 in 1/8th).
Frustration was had for months prior to this when everyone told me it was something else or to "check my wiring".

Unfortunately when the Quick6 work-around was done, I actually broke the 6R80 during the 5.80 pass.
I lock the convertor from 2nd gear thru 5th gear at wide open throttle.
The car was pulling great down the track at 25# boost (about 1150rwhp), but the second I hit my scramble boost button (added 5#) it instantly broke the billet intermediate shaft in the 6R80.

Frustrated with the whole situation, I pulled the 6R80 out, replaced the intermediate shaft with another billet unit and put into the Mach1.
Using the same Quick6 programming, I simply changed the rear gear ratio (3.73 in Mach1) and tire diameter and drove it.
The transmission was shifting fine, but I haven't been much wide-open throttle as I am breaking-in the new engine (putting 500 miles on it).

The problem now is the Circle D convertor. It's a 5 disc lock-up unit designed to handle big horsepower. However it drags the car down when put into gear and cuts the Mach1 off. I had to raise the idle to 1250rpm just to keep the car idled high enough in gear to not shut off.
The TTSaleen did it too, but not as drastic I attribute to the stockish cams and larger cubic inch (331 vs. 281).
I called Circle D and they said the 5 disc unit could do this and to fix it would be to send it back and have it converted to a 3 disc unit (between $300-$600).

Deciding I've had enough of dealing with this, I bought a Magnum T-56 from D+D Performance and will be putting it into the Mach1 this weekend.

Overall -
I think the 6R80 would work fantastic in a Coyote harness/computer equipped car.
I just never thought the Quick6 worked to my satisfaction. For install and drive convenience, it is a good unit.
But for racing and high horsepower cars, I don't think it is the best choice (at least not for me).

The Circle D convertor 5 disc can handle a lot of power, to the point it helped break my billet intermediate shaft in the 6R.
But having to send it back and pay money to make it a cheaper version (3 disc) and hope it doesn't drag the car's idle down is not something I was happy to do.

So hopefully that gives you a better idea of the 6R80 and my experience using it with the Quick6 controller.

PROS -
Multi-gears helped car stay in rpm range better and accelerate quicker.
Put in Drive and go was a nice touch compared to my manual-valve body 4R70 it replaced.

CONS -
Could not "bump-in" while on the transbrake. If you bumped in, the car would take off while you still were holding the transbrake.
Quick6 never shifted at proper commanded RPM and caused me months of frustration of banging rev-limiter and thinking it was ignition issue.
Broke billet intermediate shaft at approximately 1,250rwhp in my 3800 pound car during 1/8th mile race locking up convertor in 2nd - 5th gear.
5 disc convertor dragged engine idle down, so much that it would cut car off at idle or a stoplight. Work around was to raise idle (too high) and still have to manipulate brake pedal and throttle to keep running (in Mach1 with lumpy cams).

Ryan

Videos to show you the overall experience -




 

Morgan

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Thank you Ryan- great explanation, I appreciate the extra detail.

I’m approaching a decision point for my Lightning, and I’m definitely tempted to try the 6R80 since the truck will never see big power. However, the truck weight(4700lb) remains an unknown risk of being problematic at ???whp. The controller is a whole other puzzle.
 

SecondhandSnake

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Damn, you've been running that motor that long? That's impressive.

And it looks so much nicer/easier to get to pull the engine with the benefit of a lift.

I've been following your journey with the 6R80 in hopes of maybe running it myself. It's such a shame that it seems to only really work in a "goldilocks zone" of power with the standalone controller- not too much power, not too little, has to be just right. Well, at least without the Coyote control pack. Lucky for me I think that might be sufficient for my Fairmont.

Since you went back to the T56- did you consider playing with a sequential or faceplating it, or just content to run it as is?
 

Ryan2KRedL

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Damn, you've been running that motor that long? That's impressive.
And it looks so much nicer/easier to get to pull the engine with the benefit of a lift.
I've been following your journey with the 6R80 in hopes of maybe running it myself. It's such a shame that it seems to only really work in a "goldilocks zone" of power with the standalone controller- not too much power, not too little, has to be just right. Well, at least without the Coyote control pack. Lucky for me I think that might be sufficient for my Fairmont.
Since you went back to the T56- did you consider playing with a sequential or faceplating it, or just content to run it as is?

The Magnum T-56 I put into my 2003 Mach1 with the built engine and VMP supercharger. It shifts pretty good, but not had a chance to take it racing yet. It makes 800rwhp and should last a long time (I use a McLeod RXT clutch in it).
My TTSaleen has broken quite a few T-56 units along with a 4R70 and most recent the 6R80.
My plan is a Rossler Powerglide going forward as they are proven in this type of setup.

The lift is a life-saver. The very first night I had it, I put the engine in the car. That's all I needed to make it happen.
I love it.
 

Ryan2KRedL

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What's the reason for swapping the auto for the 6 speed?
The TTSaleen is not going 6 speed. It is going to a Powerglide from the 6R80 it had.
The T56 Magnum shown in the video went into my Mach 1 after I tried to use the 6R80 in it. I wasn't happy with it, see video for details.
Thanks.
 

SecondhandSnake

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The Magnum T-56 I put into my 2003 Mach1 with the built engine and VMP supercharger. It shifts pretty good, but not had a chance to take it racing yet. It makes 800rwhp and should last a long time (I use a McLeod RXT clutch in it).
My TTSaleen has broken quite a few T-56 units along with a 4R70 and most recent the 6R80.
My plan is a Rossler Powerglide going forward as they are proven in this type of setup.

The lift is a life-saver. The very first night I had it, I put the engine in the car. That's all I needed to make it happen.
I love it.

Yeah I was curious if you were going to try and push the envelope with the Mach 1 as well. I know how hard it is to resist the temptation, even with a second car.

Just out of curiosity, what was it that kept breaking in the T56 on the TTSaleen?

A 'glide will definitely fit the bill. It certainly lives behind even higher power combinations, and I know 99GT over on theturboforums has done great with one.
 

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