Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) bye bye NV-5600

[Texas Diesel]

That's right. I had two 5600's fail at low mileage due to (in my opinion) lubrication failures. The last one had Royal Purple Synchromax installed the day I got it home. 67k miles later (sold) it is shifting PERFECTLY. Is there a connection between "lifetime" OEM (lowest bidder syndrome) lube and the failures. You decide.



REDRAM: Use the "ignor user" button, it eliminates a lot of senseless reading. Since adding a certain person to my ignor user list the new posts since last visit count (per day) has decreased 85% and the flow of USEFUL information has not dropped at all :-laf

 

[bpenrod]

the g56 IS a Getrag transmission !!

Now why would you say that? I thought it was made clear before the G in G56 is not Getrag!

 

[Texas Diesel]

The mechanic at the dealership (who went to school on the new models) said they said in a class on the new models it was a Getrag.

 

[Kirwin]

G56 is not a Getrag

See this thread over in the 3rd gen forum for explanation. Poster is SNOKING thread is titled G56 transmission Is not a Getrag. There are other threads but this one is clearest. Ken Irwin

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

"Good luck - there are better products for your transmission (regardless of what a stick in the mud "like Gary" says. He changes products so frequently he doesn't get a baseline to judge from. "



UMMmm - been satisfactorily using Chevron Delo 400 since the old '91 - and since day 1 in the '02. Is 150,000 miles or so a decent "baseline"?



Tried Amsoil in the differential shortly after buying the '02 - lost LSD action, so went with Valvoline semi-synthetic, which so far has worked perfectly...



Tried Amsoil in the 5600 - gear grinding was so bad on shifts I had to drain it and return to the OEM, then a few months ago, tried the Redline MTL in the transmission - again had too much gear grinding, and returned to the OEM after about 1500 miles...



Yeah - I'm not too bright, and I do like to experiment within limits the effect of the supposedly "better" lubes - but I *AM* bright enough to NOT stick with "just as good, or better" stuff that is obviously NOT working, just in order to obtain what some others consider a proper "baseline to judge from"... :-laf :-laf

 

[DPelletier]

That makes about as much sense as blaming a cracked #53 block on Penzoil.



:-laf



Indestructable????????? Have you not read all the grinding in 3rd posts? You're joking right?

Nothing is indestructable. Period. But despite your experience, the NV-5600 is still the best transmission ever used in a pickup truck by any of the big three. I'm wondering if the transmission hold, quality control issues and dual mass flywheel problems of the G56 have changed your mind on the poor old NV-5600 since your original post?



BTW, driveline clunk is a combination of things such as u-joint wear and rear end gear lash as well as any slop in the transmission. I would expect a brand new truck not to have any driveline clunking and I suspect it has more to do with brand new u-joints and other driveline components than it does with the G-56.



My two NV-5600's are both doing great. No grinding, No clunking. I sure am glad I bought the last truck before the change.



Dave

 

[DSpencer]

Let me put and end to these wivestales about the g56.



http://www.benzworld.org/news/news.asp?id=106



I tried to tell you earlier on in this thread.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

"I got to test drive a new Dodge 3500 with the Getrag 6 speed. Guess Dodge gave up on the 5600, guess I have too, I'm on #3 in 110k miles. "



In spite of anticipations, and the fancy PR hype quoted by MB in the nearly 3 year old piece quoted in the post above, consider THIS:



In view of all the DC auto transmission problems and failures starting in the early '90's trucks, in spite of scattered manual transmission problems such as dropped 5th gear nuts - and yeah, even the scattered gear grinding in some NV-5600's, stop and consider, there is only *ONE* transmission that has TOTALLY stopped ALL deliveries of manual transmission equipped trucks to dealerships and new owners, and left HUNDREDS of trucks stalled on rail cars and in storage lots as potentially serious problems were sorted out...



Care to guess WHICH transmission that was? :-laf :-laf

 

[Blue2002]

Gee Gary,

Would it begin with A and end in n? A*****n

George

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

... Don't get me wrong, I sincerely hope the end result of the switch to the G56 turns out to be a good one. Remember, DC also switched from Dana rearends to the current setup, and has had their share of problems because of THAT switch - and frankly, ONE of their greatest goals was COST REDUCTION! Now, IF they can do that with axles and trannies, and at the same time deliver a BETTER product, we all win - but if quality/performance sacrifices are made, we also LOSE!



I have a tendency to resist seemingly extreme claims where someone switches products, brands, etc. , then loudly knocks what they used to have, while bragging up the new selection - often before the paint has even dried!



The 4 and 5 speed manuals certainly had their quirks and weaknesses - the NV-5600 is very good, but not perfect - and I have few doubts the G56 will ultimately reveal it's own set of scattered problems as well once the miles start piling up!



I started out this diesel stuff with a '91 Dodge/Cummins - kept it for 11 trouble free years and 120,000 miles before moving into my current '02 that is also doing extremely well. As much as I enjoy the new truck, there is NO WAY I would now presume to bash the older 1st generation stuff - after all, the new one still has 8 years and many 10's of thousands of miles before it even MATCHES the '91!