Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) NV4500 worries

[tbrudder]

Hi, all.



Past few months, it's seemed harder and harder to get my transmission into gear. Say I'm sitting at a stoplight with it in neutral, push in the clutch and go to grab first (or second, or third... ), and it doesn't want to shift into gear. At first, it just seemed a little slower, but it's gotten to the point that it sometimes doesn't want to go into gear unless I really force it. Generally, if I wait a few seconds and try again, then it will go into gear.



I'm trying to figure out what the problem is--any ideas? I changed the fluid (with Syntorq), but it didn't help. The clutch pedal doesn't feel any different than it used to, and it seems to shift fine at speed--it just doesn't want to go into gear when it's been sitting in neutral with the clutch out. I was worried it might be the synchros, but I'd think that this would only affect one or two gears, and not all of them--unless all the synchros in my transmission went bad at once. Makes me think maybe the clutch isn't disengaging all the way, and the input shaft is still spinning. What do y'all think?



I'd rather get stuck replacing the clutch than having a transmission rebuild--give me an excuse to put a Con O in there, at any rate. :-laf



Also, can anyone recommend a good transmission shop in Central Florida? I'm in the Tampa Bay area, but I'd gladly drive a ways to find a good shop--particularly if anyone knows a place that's done a few South Bend installs (their website doesn't list anyone in Florida)...

 

[SRadke]

Is it more difficult to get into first, second or reverse than the higher gears, fourth or fifth? Souds like you've got something dragging, either your clutch or pilot bearing. It's not uncommon for a pilot bearing to seize up and drag or for a spring to break in the pressure plate and cause it to not fully disengage. Stock clutch I assume... . how many miles?



-Scott

 

[0013]

mine is doing the same thing!!! i have 145K on a stock clutch and a edge comp. i think its time for a southbend... ... .

 

[tbrudder]

It does seem easier to get into the higher gears, but it's not effortless by any stretch. Sometimes, it just does not want to go into gear--in any gear. As far as I know, it's the original clutch, with 108K on it. It had 60K on it when I bought it, so I don't know how it was treated back then, but the guy had a 5'er on it.



Ah, well. Guess I need to find a good transmission shop (come one, one of you guys has to be near Tampa!). So, where's the best place to get an SBC?



--Ty

 

[JGK]

Is it more difficult to get into first, second or reverse than the higher gears, fourth or fifth? Souds like you've got something dragging, either your clutch or pilot bearing. It's not uncommon for a pilot bearing to seize up and drag or for a spring to break in the pressure plate and cause it to not fully disengage. Stock clutch I assume... . how many miles?



-Scott

Scott, you're saying if the input shaft is still turning a bit, the symptoms will be difficulty shifting into 2 or reverse while stopped, correct? I've got that exact problem and posted a question about it in the 12-valve forum. This may be my problem as it started after the installation of a SB dual-disk last month. If so, hopefully it will loosen up with wear.



Thanks,

-Jay

 

[SRadke]

If there is some drag, be it from the clutch or pilot bearing, it will be difficult to get into gear when stopped. If this is the case it should be more difficult to get into the lower gears because the lower gear syncro's have less leverage advantage to use in countering that drag. IE, it should go into fifth much easier than first. Sometimes you'll even have to put it in a high gear to get the clutch and pilot shaft stopped, then quickly change to first or second to be on your way.



-Scott

 

[tbrudder]

Yeah, that sounds like what mine's doing. Oh, well. Beats a bad transmission, I suppose...



--Ty

 

[TFeldvebel]

Ty,

My NV4500 did the same thing, wouldn't shift into 1st or 2nd from a dead stop. When I pulled the transmission I found the original pilot (needle) bearing had chewed itself to bits, and chewed up the trans input shaft as well. I assumed that it was dragging enough to keep the input shaft spinning slowly, and making it hard to shift. I ordered a new Con OFE from SB with a new input shaft for the transmission. Once I had it all back together it works like new again.

Tom

 

[aarlucas]

When mine did this it was the clutch disc itself. My disk came out in 13 pieces. It was very hard to shift and it finaly got to where it would not disengage when I pushed in the clutch, making me think it was my master and slave clutch hydrulics. So, if I were you guys, I'd start at the clutch because I bet you find your problem there. One more thing too, my pilot bearing was completely gone too. I mean there was nothing left of it except for a paper thin part of the outer bearing shell, which I couldn't even see until I tried to instert the new bearing.

Good luck!

 

[mstephenson]

at 100K i was pulling a trailer and went to downshift when i couldn't get it back in gear. any gear. removed the trailer and it drove fine. mechanic couldn't find anything wrong with it. went out of town when it finally got stuck in second and i drove it to the dealership. pilot bearing was completely gone. he showed me a what looked like a bushing that had been honed out. so that was replaced and while they had it down i had the clutch replaced for good measure. worked like a charm. $$$



i changed the fluid this spring to royal purple and that was the easiest shifting truck i had ever driven.



now i have 200K and it's getting hard to shift again. problems changing gears unless i have the rpm's just right. harder for 1 and 2 and 3 than 4 or 5. i have to double clutch it frequently.



so what did yall decide to do?



? is it the pilot bearing again ?

? is the clutch ? if so, i'm getting a sb

please tell me you didn't have to rebuild and this is going to be somewhat cheaper.



thanks for the help,



michele

 

[terrywerm]

I've been starting to see the same thing at 160 K on my stock clutch, but not too bad just yet. The problem is worse when the engine/transmission are cold. As others have said, most common causes are binding pilot bearing/bushing or dragging clutch. Either way the transmission has to come out to properly fix it.



Since the weather has gotten colder, mine has gotten worse, but the problem pretty much disappears once I have everything warmed up. I'm currently hoping that it holds out till spring so that I have warmer weather for replacing my clutch with a South Bend. Hopefully my input shaft will be OK, but I'm setting extra cash aside for it too, just in case.

 

[mstephenson]

fyi: i just talked to a transmission man and he said he puts a brass type bushing in place of the pilot bearing. lasts much longer.