6T50 / T76 BATTLE has begun

Hello all,

This thread is for all my experiences and likely more questions than answers in the beginning about tuning my 6T50 trans. with it's T76 TCM.

I finally took the leap of faith to buy HPT for this specific reason - it wasn't the best time for me but I really felt I need to protect my tranny from the savage LHU turbo Ecotec in front of it, with at least increased line pressures at first.

Now that I have the software, I REALLY like it and will surely use it for LOTS of other things. But back on topic, here is a summary of the situation as it stands:

I am completely lost and a bit overwhelmed about how to improve the trans. calibration to protect the hardware and for much better shifting performance. I daily drive the car everywhere rain or shine, it is my transportation. But I drag race it every weekend and performance is #1 PRIORITY. It would be cool also if it could last at least 100k miles if not a lot more, as I hear it's not particularly fun to pull it out and apart.

It is a 2013 Buick Verano T (2.0 liter turbocharged Ecotec I4 with 6T50 six speed automatic clutch to clutch trans.). It has just under 18k very hard miles on it right now. It has full intake and exhaust and that's putting it mildly, as well as tuned by me and riding on what remains of Mickey Thompson ET Street drag radial race tires on the factory 18" wheels. It is a heavy automatic car and I beat the crap out of it every day. It is very well cared for though by a professional mechanic, all maintenance is done and overdone with the best fluids and it is allowed to warm up and cool down before the daily raping.

At the end of the day it is a luxurious Buick and very important transportation to keep running, but like I said racing is first and I am aware of and comfortable with the risks. I need the car to shift quicker, harder, firmer, and never slip, also for the TC to lock up perfectly to boost the car out of sight on the street and at the track. I would love nice tire chirps all the time as it happens occasionally now and most importantly to protect the trans. and apply the clutches good at this much higher than stock horsepower level.

I bought HPT to do this as the ONLY solution, and very happy I did! But opening the file I am SO lost it is complex I don't know where to start. I love researching on my own but there isn't much reading on this here. My new buddy lt1z350 has send me tons of great new info as he is a trans. expert familiar with these kind of applications. I really appreciate it and desperate for more guidance to make this thing run and shift good. Thanks!

Well no replies except privately from my buddy Joe, but here are updates as promised:

I found some literature online outlining the features and characteristics of my 6T50 trans. Somewhere I read that it was a lifetime fill but I never trust that so based on that and my friend's input I decided to drain and fill the fluid after 17k hard miles. I had access to Transynd which is for Allison but the best similar & much better fluid (than Dex. VI) I could come up with for now. (note: afterwards one of my trans. tech buddies said it may eat the seals of my piston rings, so I will keep searching for a better fluid. still better that it is new and fresh than the coffee that was in there. temps also destroy seals...)

So as per the instructions in GM SI, I drained 4 quarts that came out. It was black, Black, BLACK!!! Pure coffee came out of there :(

So I got the 4 quarts of new in there and it seems happy, shifts and drives great.

In addition to that I completely revised the trans. calibration according to Joe's guidance combined with my experience and common sense. Very much improved! :) It needs minor tweaking but overall very good. For instance the part throttle 2-3 is sometimes a tad hard, I am sure I can work that out. Also I would like a tiny bit harder 1-2. Overall very good and MUCH better than before. Does not really spin into gears with the slicks and 3.23s but economy has gone up and it feels very firm and fast. The huge thing is that removing stall torque management allows me to lauch at 4k RPM now instead of just 2k RPM!! The car turns and stays sideways off the line!!!! Can't wait to try to best my 2.1 second 60' time, this is crazy.

To be continued...

http://youtu.be/lPhr2Q2LnYY