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Dually Projects \ Well WTF, do I post my 3500HD project here or notWell WTF, do I post my 3500HD project here or not
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someotherguy
+1y
Some REAL PROGRESS finally; got the transmission back from the shop a few days ago. Long output shaft and housing swapped over to the new case, new input shaft bearing retainer, new front & rear seal, new brake shoes. Gave the pilot bearing a little bit of grease and installed the transmission back onto the engine, then installed some mounts and threw the engine into the frame. It's bolted up, transmission mount and crossmember are in place, it's ready to start hooking stuff up to it.
And so I can start hooking stuff up, modified the firewall hole for the harness, since the '96 harness needs a larger hole. Made a template from the donor truck and cut it out. If I'd looked harder at the connector I'd have made my cut a little different and not bothered with that diagonal cut, but no biggie, it's like factory, and fits great:
I still need to enlarge the hole for the clutch master cylinder and drill the new bolt pattern for it. They gotta change everything, right?
Maybe next I'll try moving the fuel hard lines over from the '96 and swap its fuel pump over to my '92 cab & chassis sender/tank and install the tank. With that and some harness installation it should be ready to fire up. Plenty more work after that, though.
Richard
And so I can start hooking stuff up, modified the firewall hole for the harness, since the '96 harness needs a larger hole. Made a template from the donor truck and cut it out. If I'd looked harder at the connector I'd have made my cut a little different and not bothered with that diagonal cut, but no biggie, it's like factory, and fits great:
I still need to enlarge the hole for the clutch master cylinder and drill the new bolt pattern for it. They gotta change everything, right?
Maybe next I'll try moving the fuel hard lines over from the '96 and swap its fuel pump over to my '92 cab & chassis sender/tank and install the tank. With that and some harness installation it should be ready to fire up. Plenty more work after that, though.
Richard
Post was last edited on Dec 27, 2011 01:12. This post has been edited 2
times.
someotherguy
+1y
Tryin' not to stop while I'm on a roll...
Bunch of "little" work that took forever. Ground the hole out larger for the new style clutch master cylinder. This was amazingly difficult and made me wish I had a plasma cutter. The metal is 3 layers thick and bonded. Drilled square hole out round a little bit for accelerator cable. Installed and did preliminary adjustment on parking brake cable. Installed power steering/hydroboost lines. Began laying out the engine harness, probably about 60% connected at this point. Cruise module installed (truck originally didn't have it), wiper motor and linkages installed, driver's side engine accessory bracket w/power steering and A/C installed.
All pedals mounted, dash harness laid out, firewall insulation pad installed and modifed a little to clear the newer parts, newer parking brake release cable installed, gotta find a friggin brake switch clip (the older one doesn't fit this pedal and it seems like I'm missing a box of fasteners from the donor truck)
Was just at the stealership today, buying 4 quarts of GM's re-labeled Castrol Syntorq LT for the transmission...$87 out the door.
Richard
Bunch of "little" work that took forever. Ground the hole out larger for the new style clutch master cylinder. This was amazingly difficult and made me wish I had a plasma cutter. The metal is 3 layers thick and bonded. Drilled square hole out round a little bit for accelerator cable. Installed and did preliminary adjustment on parking brake cable. Installed power steering/hydroboost lines. Began laying out the engine harness, probably about 60% connected at this point. Cruise module installed (truck originally didn't have it), wiper motor and linkages installed, driver's side engine accessory bracket w/power steering and A/C installed.
All pedals mounted, dash harness laid out, firewall insulation pad installed and modifed a little to clear the newer parts, newer parking brake release cable installed, gotta find a friggin brake switch clip (the older one doesn't fit this pedal and it seems like I'm missing a box of fasteners from the donor truck)
Was just at the stealership today, buying 4 quarts of GM's re-labeled Castrol Syntorq LT for the transmission...$87 out the door.
Richard
Post was last edited on Dec 27, 2011 01:12. This post has been edited 2
times.
someotherguy
+1y
Yeah it's a freaking rip. I could have got it just a couple bucks cheaper if I wanted to mail order it but after shipping it just wasn't enough of a difference to matter. The actual product is Castrol Syntorq LT 75W85 GL4, it was developed by Castrol specifically for OEM purposes, for both GM and Chrysler to use in the NV4500 transmissions. Both of those guys sell it under their own name and labeling.
What kills me is that I have seen a picture on the net of a bottle with Castrol labeling, implying it had been sold in the normal retail channel, but Castrol's customer service people deny this completely, saying the only place you can get it is from GM or Chrysler. I found one place that obviously buys it by the drum and sells it in 2 quart bottles with their own label on it but it wasn't any cheaper and I'm not sure if I trust them.
Then there's all the people that say you don't need the Syntorq, that any synthetic gear oil is fine. Sorry but that's BS. There's reasons for different formulations, and usually it's because of "yellow" metals in the transmission. Those apps require GL4, I already knew that from back when I had a Unimog. The transmission took GL4 and the differentials took GL5. The additives in GL5 attack the synchronizers. Well in the NV4500 the synchros (blocking rings) are carbon-fiber impregnated and apparently the Syntorq is made to protect these.
As much as these transmissions and their parts cost, plus New Venture being out of business creating a future lack of parts (some things are already no longer available) I'm not taking any chances. $87 now is cheap compared to $1000+ later no matter how you look at it.
Richard
What kills me is that I have seen a picture on the net of a bottle with Castrol labeling, implying it had been sold in the normal retail channel, but Castrol's customer service people deny this completely, saying the only place you can get it is from GM or Chrysler. I found one place that obviously buys it by the drum and sells it in 2 quart bottles with their own label on it but it wasn't any cheaper and I'm not sure if I trust them.
Then there's all the people that say you don't need the Syntorq, that any synthetic gear oil is fine. Sorry but that's BS. There's reasons for different formulations, and usually it's because of "yellow" metals in the transmission. Those apps require GL4, I already knew that from back when I had a Unimog. The transmission took GL4 and the differentials took GL5. The additives in GL5 attack the synchronizers. Well in the NV4500 the synchros (blocking rings) are carbon-fiber impregnated and apparently the Syntorq is made to protect these.
As much as these transmissions and their parts cost, plus New Venture being out of business creating a future lack of parts (some things are already no longer available) I'm not taking any chances. $87 now is cheap compared to $1000+ later no matter how you look at it.
Richard
someotherguy
+1y
Hell yeah
and topless
Miss that monster, sold it before I left TN to come home to TX. Of course I miss my old white '92 a lot more.
Richard
and topless
Miss that monster, sold it before I left TN to come home to TX. Of course I miss my old white '92 a lot more.
Richard
someotherguy
+1y
Yeah the running joke is that it was my Mercedes 2 seater convertible.
When I would bust trails in that thing back in TN, can't tell you how many people would ask me where I got the Mercedes emblem for it. They just looked at me stupid when I told them it was built with it.
Richard
When I would bust trails in that thing back in TN, can't tell you how many people would ask me where I got the Mercedes emblem for it. They just looked at me stupid when I told them it was built with it.
Richard