Crunch, Clack, Clack, Clack, Clack, Clack....

[Briman]

That's the sound my new '04 made on the interstate today. It appears to be coming from the NV-5600 and the clack clack noise interval is directly related to the input shaft speed.



This truck was the one I got as a buyback replacement for my '03 with the vibration and has 2000 miles on it.



I was just a few miles from the dealer and drove it in, clack clack all the way (loud). They guys in the service write up area said "I've never heard that before".



After a couple of hours I called the service writer and he said that the noise was coming from the transmission and that they had been in contact with star. He said that instead of pulling the transmission and repairing it they may push for a new replacement. Good grief, that makes me feel great (NOT).



I'm wondering when DC and quality control will become synonymous.



I have a nice gold neon with 18K on the ticker in the garage tonight. Its been a long time since I had crank windows and manual door Locks. The Neon makes the garage look huge.



I don't know how to react to this. My initial response is to take the wife's wagon down to the dealer, get all my supplies out and abandon the truck at the dealer (I'm serious).



I did not do anything I know of to create all this bad Dodge karma.



*#&!%*^#@!

 

[PJereb]

Hmm, maybe you garage needs an exorcism



That sucks to the 10th degree, hopefully your dealer will get it fixed if it is simple and if not, you will get yet another truck.



Good luck,

Peter

 

[evldsl]

It's not karma it's like this the third time is the charm, you and your truck will never split up and will be together forever.

 

[rbattelle]

Ouch, that really sucks. I wouldn't blame you if you did abandon the vehicle at the dealer. But I must admit, I am extremely curious what went wrong with the 5600. Is it possible it could be a clutch thing... . like a diaphragm finger broke off or something?



Please keep us updated.

 

[Casey Balvert]

I suppose that there must be a bad one somewhere in the bunch but it seems the NV5600 has been pretty reliable so far.



Casey

 

[Dean Upson]

I wonder if it is the clutch springs, I thought they had that fixed in the later '03 models. Mine sure rattled before I had the tsb done to it. It is fine now. I would not be bothered if they put in a new NV5600. Your luck has not been the best, good luck this time.



Dean

 

[Briman]

It could indeed be the clutch springs, I wondered that myself. Sorry for the post. As you could tell, I was disappointed in what happened. I will let you know what the dealer finds out.



As an aside, not 20 minutes before it happened I told someone I loved the truck..... Big mistake expressing love for an inanimate object.

 

[RobbieH]

If you have an NV5600 problem it really has nothing to do with DC.

 

[Mopar_Mudder]

All I can say is don't bother buying any Lottery tickets :{

 

[Casey Balvert]

Originally posted by Briman

It could indeed be the clutch springs, I wondered that myself. Sorry for the post. As you could tell, I was disappointed in what happened. I will let you know what the dealer finds out.



As an aside, not 20 minutes before it happened I told someone I loved the truck..... Big mistake expressing love for an inanimate object.

It ain't just inanimate objects that mistake applies to. At least your truck won't kick your ass out in the cold.



Casey

 

[Briman]

The dealer says they think a syncro spring came off. The noise is in the transmission, not the bell housing. I don't know how these are put together so I can't explain it any better than that. Is New Venture owned by DC? I thought it was!

 

[rbattelle]

Originally posted by Briman

The dealer says they think a syncro spring came off. The noise is in the transmission, not the bell housing. I don't know how these are put together so I can't explain it any better than that. Is New Venture owned by DC? I thought it was!

NVG is a subsidiary of DC.

 

[frijole]

CLACKY transmission

Briman, This is NOT bad Karma, It's ****ty workmanship, plain and simple. Get in their face and stay there, make 'em fix it right. Good luck my friend... Ron

 

[TboneMan]

Originally posted by rbattelle

NVG is a subsidiary of DC.

Actually, DC is trying to dump NVG and has been trying to do so since GM backed out of the arrangement a couple of years ago.



The latest news is that DC is negotiating with Magna International out of Canada to take NVG off their hands.

 

[Briman]

Cause of Clack

The dealer pulled the transmission and disassembled it. According to them, parts were missing in the reverse section. A blocker ring and friction cone were not installed at manufacture. This allowed part of the reverse mechanism to move into places it should not.



The normal warranty procedure would have been to repair the trans and reinstall it. The Dodge Rep got involved and an alleged new (not reman or B stock) is being shipped to the dealership.



It surprises me that DC is trying to unload NV. Is it not profitable? The NV5600 is a great transmission when it has all the parts.

 

[rbattelle]

Re: Cause of Clack

Originally posted by Briman

The NV5600 is a great transmission when it has all the parts.

:-laf I reckon you could say that about a lot of things!



I hope they tell NVG about the missing parts. I have known people who work at the plant where they make these transmissions (it's just outside Syracuse, NY), and they'd be interested in knowing about problems like this.



BTW, just a couple years ago they built a HUGE (and I really mean huge) addition to the NVG plant. They can't be doing all bad if they can afford new state of the art facilities!

 

[TboneMan]

rbattelle,



It was my understanding that the 5600 and 4500 are made in Muncie, IN, not here in Syracuse. I do seem to remember that my Ram 1500's NV3500 transmission had a Syracuse plaque on it however.



Syracuse is primarily a transfer case and transaxle shop. They make (or made) most of the transfer cases for DC (Jeep and Dodge) and GM vehicles. At one time (I'm not sure if they still do), they had contracts with Range Rover, and American General (for the TC in the Humvee , H1).



As for the financial end of things, the rumor is that Syracuse makes enough to cover itself and the loses experienced at the Muncie plant.



Right now they are one the biggest manufacturing employers in Syracuse. We just hope they stay around.

 

[rbattelle]

TBone,



My NV5600 has a tag on it indicating it was manufactured in Syracuse.



I was born and raised in Syracuse, and honestly didn't know pennellville was anywhere near there!

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

The 5600 is a good transmission, and one reason I bought a 2004 Ram. The ZF used by F and C is miserable; be glad we don't use it!

 

[scotty1]

When my 5600 failed in the 01 they shipt it back to DC who in turn shipt it to NV to learn from. LOL

One time when I had a loaner Neon it was just not the same when I returned it.