In addition to the T56, luck would have it that Quicktime Bellhousings makes an adapter for the 2JZ-T56. This bellhousing is also an SFI-certified scattershield, which means it’s extra safe for extra-high-powered drag cars that might have a tendency to grenade a clutch or flywheel once in a while. Always nice to get to keep your feet and legs if that happens, right? We also got some goodies from Tilton, too.
Started in the 1970s by McLane (Mac) and Adelle Tilton, Tilton Engineering started out utilizing their vast racing and machining experience, most notably as Crew Chief for the 1971 & 1972 Trans Am championship winning Brock Racing Enterprises (BRE) team. Over the decades they’ve continued to hone their craft, and we’re about to take advantage of that!
This pile of awesome can be yours as part of the Grannas Racing transmission swap kit. We opted for a two-plate OT-series cerametallic clutch. Why? Since this was a full-on race car, engagement harshness wasn’t too much of a concern. We didn’t need more plates because we were making fairly limited power, and the two-plate setup would more than accommodate our needs. Since we weren’t going to be applying extreme power or extreme slip, we also didn’t need a very harsh pressure plate. Overall, this clutch set up would be very well mannered.
To go along with this lightweight 7.25” racing clutch would be a super lightweight billet steel Tilton flywheel, designed for the 2JZ and to work with the factory Toyota starter.
Since the SC300 W58 was going, the Toyota shift fork was going, too. The T56 wasn’t designed to be used with a W58 shift fork, so something had to do the job of disengaging the clutch when the pedal was pressed. To do that job is a Tilton 6000-series adjustable hydraulic release bearing (HRB). The adjustable hydraulic release bearing takes some special care and feeding with regards to setup, but a little patience is really all that’s required. Fortunately for you, the HRB comes with a properly matched/sized Tilton clutch master cylinder with a machined billet adapter plate to go right in the place of the factory SC300 clutch master cylinder, and additionally comes with a matching hydraulic hose to go from the master to the HRB on the trans.
9 comments
Ah cliffhanger!
I T56 swapped my JZZ30 about 5 years ago. Definitely a far better option than going the R154 route as some parts for them are becoming almost impossible to get. Plus the option of going dog engagement down the track.
I used the factory auto bell housing with an adaptor plate. Gearbox is tight, but just fits in the tunnel. I think from memory an obsolete bracket or 2 needs cutting off. And It can be removed and installed as a complete unit. It just requires a few wobble drive extensions.
i would recommend that you loosen the motor mounts, and let the engine ’tilt back’, possibly by hanging a weight from it…then you can get to all the transmission bolts with the aforementioned wobble extensions…i’ve had 2 or 3 feet of wobble extensions, to reach the bolts, which looks ridiculous, but it works.
When doing transmission work on RWD imports:
Step 1 — obtain every 3/8″ extension in the universe
Step 2 — obtain several wobbles
Step 3 — assemble all extensions and wobbles
Step 4 — stand four feet behind the car
Step 5 — tighten that one bolt on top of the transmission
🙂
The V160 would never have to be changed as the aftermarket could easily offer replacement parts including gearing but between the race to the bottom price mentality of the bulk of buyers and the upper-side greed of potential manufacturers it’ll die one of the best high power manuals that ever was!
Shawn, you sound frustrated that I’ve chosen the T56 as opposed to the V160. Is that accurate? Or are you frustrated that there isn’t better aftermarket support for the V160?
Not frustrated at your choice more frustrated at my choices. You know my car from LI, we don’t live far from each other. Keeping myself on the DL 😉
Would prefer V160 all day long but its a hose fest. Glad to see this option but its got to be plug and play. Was originally thinking the late Z unit but the info you’ve provided concerns me with the lack of plug and play for it.
If you have a V160 equipped JZA80 then Grannas’ kits are going to bolt in with no issues. I have an early manual JZZ30/SC300, so there was some question about whether or not the trans tunnel was the same as the later year autos. You’ll see in the coming segments that in the end it wasn’t super difficult to make everything work on my JZZ30.
Good to know as a fallback!
Since V160 parts are still available, albeit rarer, I’m going to have mine rebuild. If all goes well on disassembly it should only need a 3rd gear syncho. Will have all the other weak items replaced with a complete REM polish of all components.
Thank Erik 🙂