Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) 6 speed problems?

[Kirwin]

I just read the results (all 116 of them) from a search I did on the 6 speed transmission problems. How about an update for those of us that still wish we had been able to get a six speed. I am close to buying a NV 5600 to put in my 97 2500 Ram and would like to know what the final outcome on all those gear clash posts were. Did they all go away after accumulating some miles as seemed to be the norm form the posts I read? Any heavy towers out there that had long term problems? I already have more power than a 03 HO Cummins. Plus I got the sound of a diesel! I can put a 6 speed in now, they are available from several sources. Might just replace my NV 4500 with an NV 5600. Any thoughts from those of you who got the best of both worlds? (HO and 6 well spaced gears) Thanks Ken Irwin



PS Please include your mileage in your responses.

 

[jerryrigg]

I have the 6 speed, I have not had problems yet but I have my solution already figured out...



PM: Preuber, ask him about his transmission



He has a 98 24v 4wd 3500 with a 10spd Roadranger!!!!

 

[Sageair]

I have 32,000 miles on my 2002 2500 equipped with the H/O and 6 speed. I have towed six horsesquite a bit with no problems at all except the thrird gear notchiness when cold. I love mine!!The spacing is perfect.

 

[Bob Cochran]

Have 47,000 on my 01 3500 HO. Have slight notchyness but no real problems. Sure cannot race this thing as shifts from 4th to 5th to easy to grind as it wants to go into reverse had to happen to many times to ignore so only do what I bought it for towing. Love it for towing my 14,000# 5 er.

 

[24Vpirate]

i just bought my 02 HO six it has 1200 miles on it and the thing pops out of third gear bad. the dealer says they have to put in the third gear shaft. I dont like the idea of those clowns working on my truck. I told them i just want a new one but they say no i have to let them try this first. other then that i love this thing

 

[klenger]

No problems with mine in 20,000 miles. One of the shafts on the NV5600 is a different size than the NV4500. I'm real stupid about this, but you can't just drop in an NV5600 made for the HO. You probably already know more about this than I do.



I traded a 6 month old 2001. 5 5 speed for a 2001. 5 6 speed. Cost me a few $1000, but better than driving something I didn't like for years, and then spend $3000 to upgrade it.

 

[lcoblentz]

I have a 2002 2500 with 6 speed manufactured in Mexico, April 2002. Now have 10,000 miles with no problems at all. Hauled a load of Hay (wet hay!) that was extrememly heavy with no problems, and a Butler trailer loaded up for elk season from Colorado Springs down to Del Norte without problems. Drove a 2001 ETH/DEE that you couldn't shift from 4th to 5th without gear clash. That's what made me wait until the '02s came out.

 

[Pit Bull]

I have a 2002 see sig. I now have 2500 miles on it and it shifts great. I have the notchy 3rd. gear when it is cold (20 degrees). It is not notchy when it gets warmed up. Mine shifts real smooth into all of the other gears even when it is cold. Mine was manufactured in Lago in June of this year, if that makes any difference? Good luck and I know you will enjoy a 6 speed.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

I have 80,600 miles on my 2001 ETH. Shifts better now than it ever has. Was heavy & notchy for many miles.



With a SBC, new slave cylinder and RedLine MTL lube, it shifts very good now. Slides into 1st and reverse easily at a dead stop.



Still a bit notchy going into 3rd, and grinds going into 4th if I'm forcing it.



Not a lot of miles towing, but it has a TON of "city" miles, ie, ALL the gears have gotten a lot of use (my clutch pedal pad is close to wearing a hole through it).



Vaughn

 

[RedRam1]

My NV5600 has worked great for 25K miles. No 3rd gear clash, or any other problems. These trannys seem to either work flawlessly, or not worth a crap. I drove several examples when I was shopping for trucks, and there is a WORLD of difference in the way these things shift. I found a great deal on a low mileage, ETH/DEE similar to what I ended up with, but passed because the transmission was so bad - clashed like h@ll goiong into third, and took all of my 185 lbs to pull into reverse - no way in the world my wife could have shifted that thing.

 

[1tuffram]

Originally posted by Vaughn MacKenzie

I have 80,600 miles on my 2001 ETH. Shifts better now than it ever has. Was heavy & notchy for many miles.



With a SBC, new slave cylinder and RedLine MTL lube, it shifts very good now. Slides into 1st and reverse easily at a dead stop.



Still a bit notchy going into 3rd, and grinds going into 4th if I'm forcing it.



Not a lot of miles towing, but it has a TON of "city" miles, ie, ALL the gears have gotten a lot of use (my clutch pedal pad is close to wearing a hole through it).



Vaughn

Can you elaborate on the Red Line MTL? Do you think it helped shifting any or do you attribute the better shifting to other things like having 80K miles on it and the new slave cylinder or SBC? Just curious. I have 4600 miles on my 02 ETH/DEE and like many others has the notchy shifts from 2nd to 3rd (especially when cold). Compared to my 5sp (daily driver) this 6sp is a SLOW and stiff shifter, even when warm. Tring to rush shifts results in either gear clash (mostly with 2nd to 3rd). I also notice if tring to shift too fast even with excessive force on the shift lever it just won't go in until RPM drops. Double clutching sometimes helps with the clash/notchy shifts but not for faster shifts. Not sure if I need more miles on the thing or change the fluid. But by the sounds of things this is just the nature of the beast for 99% of folks.

 

[Pit Bull]

Originally posted by 1tuffram



this 6sp is a SLOW and stiff shifter, even when warm.

Not sure if I need more miles on the thing or change the fluid. But by the sounds of things this is just the nature of the beast for 99% of folks.

I think it is both the nature of the beast and it takes some miles to brake it in. I like mine and I am not in any hurry. When mine is cold it will shift slow into 3rd, but if I take my time it is fine. After a few miles it shifts faster and is smooth shifting into all gears, but it is still not fast. But it is fast enough for my style of driving. If you try the red line let us know if you think it changed anything??

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

1TuffRam, the Redline did a lot to improve shifting. IMO it's the best and most appropriate lube you can put in the 6-speed. It is a GEAR oil with the correct weight for our 6-speed. I recently changed to it from the Amsoil 5W30 engine oil and it works a lot better.



See the first one in this link:



http://www.redlineoil.com/frames/gearoil.htm



Vaughn

 

[Pit Bull]

Originally posted by Vaughn MacKenzie



IMO it's the best and most appropriate lube you can put in the 6-speed. It is a GEAR oil with the correct weight for our 6-speed. I recently changed to it from the Amsoil 5W30 engine oil and it works a lot better.

Vaughn, which one did you use? MLT or the MT-90.

 

[Hohn]

I love my 6-speed! I held out and had the dealer go 600 miles away to get the combination truck I have now.



I live in GA, and it doesn't get cold enough yet for me to encounter the notchiness others have noted. I occasionally (rarely) have problems getting a gear, but then again I don't even have 2K miles on it yet (all city pretty much).



I don't know where mine was made or what improvements (if any) were made on the 2002, but mine FLAT WORKS. It's easy to forget you're driving a work truck it shifts so good.



My wife is learning to drive a stick in the CTD and is struggling. She seems to have the habit of skipping third and going straight into FIFTH!! I reach over and grab the shifter and yank it out of gear as soon as I realize what she did. It doesn't do that to me, so it must be "operator error". Then again, a CTD isn't the easiest stick to learn on-- hydraulic clutch, creeper first... yada yada.



As for the REDLINE products, I have come to swear by them. I have used their stuff since 1996, and every vehicle I own that's broken in has their stuff all over it.



The MTL switch is coming for me very soon. I also have been tolkd that their 75W-90 gear lube works great in the T-Case in place of the ATF that DC recommends. .



HOHN

 

[RustyJC]

When new, our 2002 6-speed had a mild 3rd gear grind when cold. Somewhere between new and 11,000 miles (current mileage), it went away and got easier shifting. No complaints based on present performance of the 6-speed, other than the gates are not totally intuitive to find at times. Most of the miles on our truck are towing a 13,500 lb 5th wheel.



Rusty