TKO600 - keep it or sell it.

[scherp69]

Like the title says, I'm debating on selling my TKO600. It's new, never run, but has been mocked up. The main reason I was thinking about selling it was I've read quite about quite a few guys recently that have been having issues. Plus, after reading about what Keisler had to say about them, and they sold them for how long?! For those that don't know my build, it's a 68 Acadian (exact same as a Nova but says Acadian on it). It has a L92 which should be mid to high 500 hp. I plan on using the car primarily has a street driven car, but am building it on the off chance I ever get an opportunity to do a road race.

So here's what I was thinking: Sell the TKO and get the new Keisler RS600. Only issue I see guys are still waiting to get theirs so don't know what's going on. Get a T56 instead. Only thing with that is I live in a valley in the Rocky Mountains. Not sure how much of a benefit I would get with the 6th speed in the mountains. I could be wrong though. Or is there another option?

What do you guys think? Please expand on your reasoning as to which way your chose, if you don't mind.

[CFster]

How much (if you want to sell it)?

What has Keisler been saying?

[Flash68]

Does the T56 fit your tunnel without mods? Do you care?

If you think you'll road race at all I'd be leary about a stock TKO. you can also send it to liberty for upgrades.

I like the idea of the RS600 but as you said it's not truly tested and shipping/delivery seems up in the air still.

Not an easy call but the TKO I had didn't shift very smoothly right out of the gate.

[scherp69]

How much (if you want to sell it)?

What has Keisler been saying?

They've just been talking about how they have fixed all the flaws with the TKO600 with their RS600. They basically said that it's a truck transmission that has been made to work for cars (if I remember correctly). As for what I would want, I'm not completely sure. I know Summit wants $2200 for one, so I would probably want $1800 or $1900 depending on if I include shipping in the cost or not.

Does the T56 fit your tunnel without mods? Do you care?

If you think you'll road race at all I'd be leary about a stock TKO. you can also send it to liberty for upgrades.

I like the idea of the RS600 but as you said it's not truly tested and shipping/delivery seems up in the air still.

Not an easy call but the TKO I had didn't shift very smoothly right out of the gate.

I've already cut the tunnel once so modifying it isn't a big deal for me, althogh I've already finished the underneath so would prefer not to cut it again. How much difference is there in fitting a T56? Right now I am leaning towards the RS600 as it should bolt right in and will work with the scatter shield I already have. But like you said, it's still not truly tested, although Keisler did say that they have been running that transmission, or something very similar for years now. It is the shifting of the TKO that I am worried about though.

[The WidowMaker]

i just did the same thing and would make the same decision over again; sold the tko for a t56 magnum. it is larger, requires a different bell, shorter driveshaft and different height trans mount setup. if you dont mind the work its the best trans out there right now. if you dont want the work, send the tko to liberty because youre still way under the 3200 for a RS.

btw, i ended up selling my tko for 2k locally with the harnesses. i kept the yoke and the poly mount. the magnum fit in my tunnel, so other than the bell and ds im all good.

[Vegas69]

I'm not that happy with mine but it is a work horse that is proven to hold up to the abuse. I'll likely send mine out to be modified eventually. Some of the tko's are fine stock. It's really the luck of the draw. I have a notchy 1-2 shift. You can actually feel that it doesn't 1-2 shift well in the garage just rowing through the gears. There is a slight catch. The other gears work great. You may want to put the shifter on it and see if all the gears are smooth. If they are, you may be fine. It's paid for, right? If you didn't already have it, I would say to get a t56 based trans. The rs600 is not a proven combination yet. At least not the way I abuse stuff.

[CFster]

What modifications are you guys speaking of? I'm constantly banging 5th instead of 3rd - Is there a way to fix that? Mine also sounds like a truck!

[The WidowMaker]

http://www.libertysgears.com/ they sell a trans modded that is really reasonable, or you can send them yours. you end up paying a little more, but the results have been good.

[scherp69]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Todd....if it's held up for you, I guess it can't be all that bad :D

The one thing that really is detering me from getting a T56 is the possibility that I'd have to cut the tunnel again and I'm in the middle of building a custom console, which would have to be changed if I went to a T56. I'm never going to get my car done if I keep buying things, changing my mind, buying new stuff, modifying, installing and on and on.....................................

Thanks for posting the link to Liberty Gears Tim. I had forgot about them. I just email them to see what it would cost and what they would recommend to have done.

Todd...didn't you price out some mods to your trans from Liberty?

[Vegas69]

Ya, it was only $300-$500. Freight was the killer. I don't have alot of desire to tear my car apart just for fun anymore either. :unibrow:

[The WidowMaker]

The one thing that really is detering me from getting a T56 is the possibility that I'd have to cut the tunnel again

i was worried as well, but it fits with a lot of clearance. i would say that if you had at least 3/4 all the around your tko that it would fit. i was most worried about the trans to bell mount area. the front of the magnum is large, but again, mine fit without any more cutting.

[scherp69]

Heard back from Liberty this morning. Looks like their prices have gone up. Here's the reply I got:

For a TKO 600 we normally recommend doing the internal linkage upgrade, bronze fork pads, carbon lined blocking rings, surface enhanced hubs and sliders, and threaded front cluster cap. The cost to do these processes if you send in the complete transmission is roughly $700. They are roughly 5-6 weeks turn around time.


I'll have to check the clearance I have around my TKO. I don't mind expanding the shifter hole, but really don't want to cut the whole tunnel out again for a T56. Does anyone know how much farther back the shifter is on a T56?

[strtlegal]

Mike I can almost guarantee you will have to cut the floor crossmember. I cut all the way back to the point. The rear bolts on my TKO shifter are right there.
I know the T56 does sit further back.

[scherp69]

You're right Chuck. Went out and checked the clearance. I barely have 1/4" clearance in a couple spots so would require a complete tunnel chop to fit a T56. Don't think that's going to happen. I would have to redo a ton of work that is already finished. I emailed Liberty back to see if they deal with anyone in Canada that could do the upgrades. If not, I could ship it to them from Canada and have them ship it to the border when I order a bunch more parts.

[BBC71Nova]

Mike I'd run it and if you don't like it then yank it and have it tweaked. Thousands of those were sold and I'd say the vast majority love them. Just extreme instances and a number of bad ones will be what you read about online like anything else. Heck by the time you decide it isn't up to snuff they might have proved that the RS600 really is the best thing since sliced bread :). I think the TKO600 resale has/is tanking at the moment due to the trade-in program and so many wanting to move to RS due to the hype.

The T56 requires extensive tunnel mods from what I could find out.

[scherp69]

Mike I'd run it and if you don't like it then yank it and have it tweaked. Thousands of those were sold and I'd say the vast majority love them. Just extreme instances and a number of bad ones will be what you read about online like anything else. Heck by the time you decide it isn't up to snuff they might have proved that the RS600 really is the best thing since sliced bread :). I think the TKO600 resale has/is tanking at the moment due to the trade-in program and so many wanting to move to RS due to the hype.

The T56 requires extensive tunnel mods from what I could find out.

You know John, that's actually crossed my mind also :lol: My problem is I get an idea into my head (which is the easy part) and then have a hell of a time getting that idea out of my head. I should actually rename my build project from Overtime to Buy and Sell. Buy parts, change my mind, sell them at a loss, buy new ones that are usually more expensive and hope that I don't change my mind again. You are right though....I might be very happy with the trans I have. And the thousand bucks that I'd end up spending to get it upgraded would buy some pretty nice new parts to actually get my car closer to being done. Why can't I think more logically :willy: :willy: :willy:

[strtlegal]

Sorry Mike but you wont be happy...hahaha

Once you feel the upper rpms that your LS motor can do you will find yourself shifting there all the time..It happens so quick you will be grinding gears..Mine never was super notchy, its always fealt like a synchro'd trans but when I spun the motor you could feel them working against you..

I think Blake cut his crossmember out but he built a cage also..So take that for what it's worth

[scherp69]

That's what worries me and why I still haven't ruled out sending it off to Liberty. I created this same thread on pro-touring.com and there was an interesting post about the RS600. Don't think it's an option anymore. I think I will end up sending my TKO to Liberty. Even though I could wait and try it first, and I might be happy with it, I don' want to chance it. I would rather pull the trans out now, while it's still easy to do and I don't have to worry about paint, etc. I was planning on pulling the engine again anyways so would be much easier to do now than later. Plus, if the trans is gone for a couple months, I really won't miss it right now. I will when the car is done though.

[214Chevy]

i just did the same thing and would make the same decision over again; sold the tko for a t56 magnum. it is larger, requires a different bell, shorter driveshaft and different height trans mount setup. if you dont mind the work its the best trans out there right now. if you dont want the work, send the tko to liberty because youre still way under the 3200 for a RS.

btw, i ended up selling my tko for 2k locally with the harnesses. i kept the yoke and the poly mount. the magnum fit in my tunnel, so other than the bell and ds im all good.

What you just said is exactly the same thing I did. I sold my whole TKO600 setup for $2500 on a truck forum. Put a little more money with it and bought my T56 Magnum. I did have to raise my tunnel though.

[JKnight]

I'm one of the weirdos that is really happy with the TKO behind my 406 (aluminum flywheel, so it revs pretty well). I haven't had any issues shifting in the 5-6k rpm range and the 2-3 shift seems to go perfectly if you don't hamfist it. Just a little nudge.

I love the one in my dad's 72 GTO as well, so it's not like I got one that was made on a Monday. I say set it up as perfectly as possible with your offset dowels and give it a shot, you might just like it.

[The WidowMaker]

the numbers are posted somewhere, but the shifter is a little over an inch back. it wasnt too bad. if you only have 1/4" clearance around the outside its going to be too tight.

you can also get all the parts from liberty for MUCH cheaper. theres a thread somewhere that lists all the prices. i was told that if you have ever built a motor that you could put in the parts that are needed to make it shift better.