The Ultimate NV5600 Users Thread

[02vito]

Dieseldemon: How often do you change the lube in your trans? Do you overfill it and/or use an aftermarket filter, such as those that bolt in place of the PTO cover?

 

[Grizzly]

I have over 400000 miles on my Gv5600 and it has never been opened up I have been using OEM lube only and have never had a problem.

How much weight do you tow and how often? Do you tow in the Rocky's?



I believe you mean NV5600?



george

 

[Dieseldemon]

No filters and I have 100000 miles on the last change the last time I went thru the rockys was 3 yrs ago pulling a 30ft RV at 12000 lbs

 

[bboxall]

Shift boot

One thing that shocked me about my NV5600 transmission was the rubber shift boot. I took the floor console apart to add the Eaton/Fuller shift knob & vacuum plumbing so that I can add 2WD low and the exhaust brake enable/disable on the shift knob. When I get the console out I see the rubber boot is broken all the way around. Upon further inspection I find road grit on the shift mechanism and appears to have fallen into the transmission. I removed the shift tower and cleaned everything I could, drained the transmission, flushed the transmission (Yes $$$$), drained again, flushed, refilled. (I use the Mopar transmission oil for the NV5600).

A new boot isn't available from Dodge so I made one from a piece of motorcycle intertube. It is held on the transmission side by the shift tower bolts and on the shifter by carefully wrapping/winding around the shifter and then adding a large hose clamp.

Moral of this story - CHECK YOUR SHIFT BOOT! The road dirt ain't good for the transmission... .

 

[Rockranch]

I'll get it started by mentioning that it is best to overfill the NV5600 by filling with a total of 7 qts of the correct oil. This helps get more oil to the rear output bearing which tends to run dry and overheat, ruining the bearing and perhaps the entire transmission.





Godspeed,

Trent

Blacksheepdiesel, or anyone else,

Where does the recomendation of 7 quarts come from? My Haynes book shows 4. 8 qts. With a 1 qt. overfill for the bearing issue, I get to 5. 8. Call it six.



The reason I ask, is that I just installed the trans cooler from Geno's, which is made by Blumenthal's. It is supposed to add 1 qt. per side and there are 2. That should bring us up to 8. After I put in 6, I checked the fill hole and the level was right at the fill hole. 1 more for overfill on the bearing issue and I am at 7 qts. If you should put in 7 for a stock trans, and the coolers are supposed to add 2 qts. , what gives? Should I add the other 2 for a total of 9? or would that be way too much?



Thanks

 

[AWeiman]

ok so i have been kicking around the idea of installing coolers on the trans. aside from the added fluid capicity does anyone have pre and post install temp. numbers? just curious if it a worth while mod or not?



--adam

 

[blacksheepdiesel]

Rockranch,

The whole point of putting in extra oil is to get more splashed on the mainshaft bearing to help lubricate and cool it to prevent overheating and carnage. I have put 12 quarts in a stock NV5600 (meaning no coolers) which brings the oil level to the bottom of the rear seal. While in use the oil heats up and some comes out the seal and then when going up significant grades the oil will continue to come out until there is about 7 quarts left. I purposely was the guinea pig on this to find the highest usable oil level.

If you add coolers then you will need to add the additional capacity of the coolers to the 7 qts.

In your case yes, 9 quarts.

Godspeed,
Trent

 

[Rockranch]

Ok. Now I understand better. I just wanted to make sure I didn't get too much in, or had missed something on my install. Thanks, Blacksheepdiesel.

 

[blacksheepdiesel]

You are welcome dude. Doing what I can to help guys keep from having preventable issues with this transmission.

Godspeed,
Trent

 

[blacksheepdiesel]

My observation is that when shifting my '04. 5 the engine speed at which the shifter "falls" into the next gear is about 1600 rpm. This is taking the shifter out of one gear and putting it into the notch for the next gear and applying slight pressure until the shifter simply falls into the gear. Obviously this is for up shifting only.

What is your experience?

Godspeed,
Trent

 

[bboxall]

My observation is that when shifting my '04. 5 the engine speed at which the shifter "falls" into the next gear is about 1600 rpm. This is taking the shifter out of one gear and putting it into the notch for the next gear and applying slight pressure until the shifter simply falls into the gear. Obviously this is for up shifting only.



What is your experience?



Godspeed,

Trent

I agree 100%. With my truck I try to begin shift at 2000 rpm. Since each gear is about 500 rpm lower I push the clutch in, pull the shifter to neutral, pause just for an instant and then slowly apply pressure on the next gear position. I have also found that when the transmission is cold it is good to bring the engine back up in rpm to the engagement speed for the next gear. In other words, speed match so that there isn't any mismatch between the engine and transmission speed in the new gear. A light pat on the throttle will do bring the engine back up to 1500-1600 rpm as you let the clutch out.

transmission seems to fall right in gear this way. One thing worth mentioning is it appears that higher rpm shift points, like 2300+rpm result in more difficult engagement in the next gear.

 

[GOTSOOT]

this might apply to the rebuilding of a NV5600@ Standard Trans. I had my NV-4500 rebuilt by standard trans,and to say the least, I was not impressed by some of the "Steps" that should have been done EX:don`t you think they would clean the outside of the case be fore going inside NOT. I sthe assembly grease they use is mostly moly,is this a good thing?drained fluid out after 1500 miles and got about a quart of "Solid" stuff=moly in the bottom of a gal. jug after sitting for a few days,OH also there was a good amont of SAND in the fluid also. Where did that come from. Againthey won`t be doing my trannys anymore!!not cleaned or painted like I would expect it to have been done. I`m done.

 

[blacksheepdiesel]

Good point bboxall. I normally rev the engine until 2100 rpm before shifting unless I have a heavy load going up a grade and then I rev to 2300 or so. When cold I tend to rev to 2300 which gives me more time to get the shifter into the next gear. The cold transmission oil slows the gears and shafts down much faster than when at operating temp.

My thinking about engaging the next gear at the "proper" rpm is that it will be easier to shift and will wear the synchros less resulting in longer time between rebuilds.

Godspeed,
Trent

 

[RWood]

My trans shifts a little faster. From 2100 to 1700. I do have a short shift kit. But I think it just takes time to synchronize.

 

[RVTRKN]

The cold transmission oil slows the gears and shafts down much faster than when at operating temp.

As mentioned before, put your transfer case into neutral and the trany into 4th while warming up your truck. My NV5600 was really notchy until it was warm, and by doing that, it was easier to shift with a cold truck.

 

[ILIANBG]

So, I want to add more oil to the transmission. What is the easiest way to add more then the factory fill plug? Do I have to go from the top/inside? I do not have coolers.
I want to try it with the 7 qts. as it was suggested here.
Ilian

 

[blacksheepdiesel]

Hey Ilian!

Some guys have driven the truck up on ramps on the drivers side and then added through the fill plug. Other folks remove the shifter and dump it in the top.

Godspeed,
Trent

 

[ILIANBG]

Thanks Trent,
I have made a set of ramps about 6. 5" tall, but that barely helped me last time to add only a bit more then the factory spec. I guess I have to make at least 12" tall ramps/ or try doing it from the top.
Do you use any coolers on yours? Do the coolers allow filling from a top-placed filling plug, making it easier? If so I might consider buying a set.
Thanks again.

 

[GReed]

I use a small pump that fits on the lube bottle. I put a piece of clear tubing on the dispense end of the pump and top the transmission off until lube runs out of the top PTO bolt hole. I don't remember exactly how much it took to fill the transmission. Most any auto parts stores have the pumps. Also work good for pumping out brake and PS fluid.

 

[SMorneau]

Years ago I had a puddle under my truck. It was a busted temperature probe in the sideplate of the 5600. Lucky for me I made it home without much leakage. I hope my new guard prevents something similar from happening again.