Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Looking for past thread about NV4500 temperatures. Its transmission rebuild time :)

[Coalsmoke]

About a year or two back there was a great thread about NV4500 transmissions, and about their acceptable temperature ranges. I've been searching for it but can't seem to dig it up and thought maybe a fellow TDR member might have it bookmarked somewhere. I'm at 245,000miles and am starting to get a weird rattle, and I think my throw-out bearing is gone too as its really noisy, so I want to get my NV4500 rebuilt before it eats a gear or does anything unfortunate like leave me stuck in the bush or create carnage in the transmission. I was debating whether or not to put fast coolers on it while I'm at it, I don't tow much but am always loaded at about 10,000lbs as its a welding rig. However, I have a temp gauge and with good oil in the trans, I haven't seen it get above 160*F, usually during the summer it sits at 130F on the highway and 145F around town and on the moutain passes and hardly moves at all during the winter months. I was thinking that maybe I don't even need to think about extra coolers. What do you guys think?



PS: yes the upgrade to a NV5600 would be nice, but too much money for this rig welder.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Coalsmoke, I have a temp gauge on the NV4500 in my '96. Running around town it'll get up to 120F eventually, and 150-160 after an hour on the highway. This is in cool to mild weather.

We had 3 days between 95-100 last weekend and running around town it got to 150 pretty quick. A quick trip down the highway and it was up to 170. The highest mine has run unloaded is about 190.

Towing a flatbed or small camper it generally runs 180-190 in cool-mild weather, 200-210 when it's hot. But one time when it was well above 100 the temps climbed right to 225-230F. I would say of all my towing that was the only time the fastcoolers could've come in handy. But my transmission suffered no noticeable ill effect from that. I bought fastcoolers but decided I didn't need 'em.

By the way my '96 weighs 6800 lbs without me in it and 1/4 tank of fuel.

Vaughn

 

[Coalsmoke]

Hi Vaughn, thanks for the information, I appreciate it. I've never had my temps up that high, but generally speaking I don't tow with it too much, its just a heavy rig but I think that towing and having all of that wind resistance is harder on the driveline than just the weight on the truck. Also, you have a lot more power than I do in your 96, so that probably also accounts for the higher temperatures and I'm surrounded by mountains, so I'm going up the big 40 mile long hills in 4th aka direct, which I have heard keeps the gear oil / transmission cooler. I'll get the trans rebuilt as it is and then if I see the temp gauge get above the 200 mark then I'll get the Fast Coolers.



On a different note, that's amazing that you have got 400,000miles on your 96. Looking back, has it been worth keeping the truck that long? I am at the point of no return now, where if I keep the truck through this summer it will have very little resale value around here. I really like the truck, but it does need a bit of bodywork from rust on the door bottoms and right above the running boards, and the peeling paint needs to be fixed and I keep debating if it is worth it. Being a welder / fabricator I can do all the steel work, but its still a big commitment to do all the paint.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

be sure to change the default setting from 3 months to anytime... I think I read the thread you're talking about earlier today! LOL! (was doing a search about NV4500 fluid)

 

[Coalsmoke]

be sure to change the default setting from 3 months to anytime... I think I read the thread you're talking about earlier today! LOL! (was doing a search about NV4500 fluid)

Thank you thank you, heck thank you one more time for good measure, that's why nothing was coming up I thought that the search function was broken, or I was going crazy remember thread that weren't there. Mr rocket scientist coalsmoke forgot how to use the search function properly

 

[Forrest Nearing]

trust me, I search 3 months back EVERY time I use the dang thing wish they hadn't changed it.

 

[PAckley]

I have learned about these trans the hard way. Just replaced trans with rebuild from Standard transmission in Ft. Worth, TX. 2000 trans had 1 1/4" output shaft, I upgraded clutch/flywheel to HO flywheel from Southbend Clutch. Then bought the 1 3/8" later model (after 2000) trans. Fortunately I received the $1,000 core refund, usually they say the trans they receive are toast.
The rear bearing fails first, causing 6th synchro to not work, then they get progressively worse and 5th synchro fails. Gear noises followed. I tow a 10,000 race trailer, Trans did not like load and high torque of engine options.

New trans works like a dream. Cost was $4400 + 450 for remove/replace. These are expensive transmissions and will become quite rare very quickly!
Standard Transmission told me they frequently see temps from 200-210, but with the NV5600 they recommend the fast coolers and over-filling a pint or so to give the rear bearing ample lubrication.

I will install the Genos trans coolers that go on PTO, as trans temps while towing get to 210 degrees with Amsoil trans fluid.

I bought a 6 speed thinking I would avoid the failure cost of the automatic and discovered even higher repair cost.

 

[PAckley]

I will be towing race trailer to cincinnati next weekend and will be able to report transmission temps and see if fast coolers help appreciably. Will also learn to use 5th gear rather than brute force 6th gear on hills to save trans.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Hi Vaughn . . . On a different note, that's amazing that you have got 400,000miles on your 96. Looking back, has it been worth keeping the truck that long? I am at the point of no return now, where if I keep the truck through this summer it will have very little resale value around here. I really like the truck, but it does need a bit of bodywork from rust on the door bottoms and right above the running boards, and the peeling paint needs to be fixed and I keep debating if it is worth it. Being a welder / fabricator I can do all the steel work, but its still a big commitment to do all the paint.

Coalsmoke I didn't check back to this thread, sorry for the long delay. The body on mine is in great shape but the NW is easy on vehicles (very little rust especially in the dry inland areas with mild winters). I've had to some some $$ at the '96 and in some ways it could use quite a bit more to make it nice. The front end is needed some work, at 350k it was pretty tight but I think it needs ball joints now. I had to spend some $$ on the engine since I had a miss, doing a valve job and switching out pumps, but the engine is getting a little tired. It goes through phases where it uses lots of oil, then oil consumption drops. It runs good though and I just towed a rig with it, does great. It's a couple ticks shy of 407,000. It still looks good and a few people who've ridden along were floored when they saw the mileage, especially the non-diesel types.



Vaughn

 

[Coalsmoke]

Thanks Vaughn, I've decided to keep her and fix up the body and peeling paint. Its going to go from peeling grey to a deep midnight blue Eventually I'd like to find a nice 12V extended cab dually, but for now, the reg. cab single rear wheel will be it. Maybe after another couple hundred thousand miles, I'll retire this one from working hard to 'vacation-duty. ' As you can probably relate, once you get it so that you've fixed just about everything worn out on the truck, its real hard to sell it, it grows on a guy. I know just about every little thing on the old girl.

 

[BTighe]

i sold my 97 because i got tired of working on it. dumbest thing ive done

 

[tgordon]

When we got my wifes car she said that once we got her car paid off I would want a new truck. I told her no, maybe some new body panels etc. Call me old school but I like the old mechanical machines, we get to deal with enough of the electronics at work that the guys there either run old machines they can work on or they rotate what they have. Everything from lawn mowers to semis they fallow that theory.



Hey, are you on the Red Power Magazine site also?



Troy

 

[Coalsmoke]

When we got my wifes car she said that once we got her car paid off I would want a new truck. I told her no, maybe some new body panels etc. Call me old school but I like the old mechanical machines, we get to deal with enough of the electronics at work that the guys there either run old machines they can work on or they rotate what they have. Everything from lawn mowers to semis they fallow that theory.



Hey, are you on the Red Power Magazine site also?



Troy

Hi Troy, yep I am, although I have been too busy lately to spend much time there, and because I will probably be picking up and moving in a while, I am trying my darndest to not start a cat project until I get a place with the room to do it and I will be there for a while. I have the room ehre now, just not the permancy. Good to meet another IH guy