High Mileage Manual Tranny... What To Look For?

[hick67]

I know how to drive a manual, every thing from a honda civic to a highway truck. Never owned one and have never driven one for more then a few weeks at a time so other then knowing how to drive them.. i know very little.

I am looking at high mileage 12V's with manuals bolted to them.

They are cheap, I know the engines can handle them (assuming they are taken care of), and I only need the truck for about a year which just so happens to give me the engine and tranny i am looking for come the time i take on a project.

What do you look for when buying a manual? I know enough that the usual grinding is bad, slop in the shifting pattern is bad... but my knowledge is limited.

Could any one educate me a little bit, things to look for, what it should/shouldn't feel like and anything i can do other then running it threw the gears?

I am still about two months away from physically pulling out the cash and making a deal... so i am doing all the research i can, any advice is apprecaited.


I did a search on this, and was unable to find anything... doesn't mean this question hasn't been asked 14 times a week and i missed them. Feel free to just post a thread if there is one that covers this already.

Scott

Edit:

As i hit posted i realized that i don't even know if there is more then one manual transmission or not. I simply know the manuals in these trucks are 10 times better then the auto... and i love driving a manual anyways.

Is there more then on in these trucks, depending on the year, and is there a certain one i want over another one?

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Last edited by hick67 : 11-07-2009 at 04:12 AM.

[RPegram]

Your choices for a trans on a factory 12 valve are the 5 speed NV4500 or 47rh or 47re auto. I believe in '98 or '99 they started offering the 6 speed NV5600 behind the 24 valve. The early 6 spds had weak input shafts (same as 5 spd), but then upgraded shaft after a couple of years.

Look for hard or grinding shifts, loose play in shifter, having to search for gears, leaks, bolts missing, clutch not releasing properly, not wanting to go into gear from neutral, noise when clutch depressed, noise in neutral with clutch out or any harsh vibrations in gear shifter while driving, clutch slipping in 4th or 5th, and accelerating in gears. If all that looks good, then you have a chance of getting a good one.

One real good side to a manual truck is that you eliminate a lot of electronic sensors and other doo-dads.

__________________
'96 Dodge 3500,KDP killed, boost-pyro-trans temp, not stock anymore
'01 Dodge 2500 4X4, EC, LB, 6 speed, FP-pyro-boost,
'97 Chevrolet Suburban, K1500, 4.10 gears

[hick67]

Originally Posted by RPegram

Your choices for a trans on a factory 12 valve are the 5 speed NV4500 or 47rh or 47re auto. I believe in '98 or '99 they started offering the 6 speed NV5600 behind the 24 valve. The early 6 spds had weak input shafts (same as 5 spd), but then upgraded shaft after a couple of years.

Look for hard or grinding shifts, loose play in shifter, having to search for gears, leaks, bolts missing, clutch not releasing properly, not wanting to go into gear from neutral, noise when clutch depressed, noise in neutral with clutch out or any harsh vibrations in gear shifter while driving, clutch slipping in 4th or 5th, and accelerating in gears. If all that looks good, then you have a chance of getting a good one.

One real good side to a manual truck is that you eliminate a lot of electronic sensors and other doo-dads.

So there was only one manual 5 speed behind the 12 V's and two autos?

That what i understood there to be, but wasn't sure.

Every thing you listed appears to be the normal general over look, so it seems i am on the right track.

Thank you sir

[fcaustin]

Also ask if the 5th gear nut has been upgraded/welded. They have a tendency to back off and you will lose 5th gear. This is the only major problem with the nv4500's i know of and if it is a high mileage tranny it has probably already had this issue and been taken care of

__________________
1998 2500 4x4 5 speed regular cab.

[12VEG]

if you're only gonna use the truck for a year and talking about a high mileage truck, you are more than likely not gonna be worrying about any tranny stuff, esp with an NV4500.

What you more likely will run into are the little engine related components that we all deal with, most of the time they're very minor things, but need to be taken care of nonetheless, and simply require a few tools and some research, maybe a shop manual.

things such as,
KDP
fuel shutoff solenoid fuse/relay
worn/corroded battery/starter contacts
worn out overflow valve
lift pump
fuel filters
on and on

they're normal things to go wrong at high mileage and with the right diagnostic tools and mindset, and a bit of help from some of the fine people on CF, you'll have a good time

__________________
1997 2500 SCLB 290,XXX - 5-spd. 4x4, pump tuned with #10 plate, K&N CAI, no sil. ring, KDP tabbed, Autometer C2 Boost, Pyro, & Fuel gauges, BFG All-Terrains, HD Veggie Oil System, B100 & WVO burner! Working on the VGT Turbo conversion, soon to have Valair single disc...
http://s224.photobucket.com/albums/d...20the%20Dodge/

[hick67]

Originally Posted by 12VEG

if you're only gonna use the truck for a year and talking about a high mileage truck, you are more than likely not gonna be worrying about any tranny stuff, esp with an NV4500.

What you more likely will run into are the little engine related components that we all deal with, most of the time they're very minor things, but need to be taken care of nonetheless, and simply require a few tools and some research, maybe a shop manual.

things such as,
KDP
fuel shutoff solenoid fuse/relay
worn/corroded battery/starter contacts
worn out overflow valve
lift pump
fuel filters
on and on

they're normal things to go wrong at high mileage and with the right diagnostic tools and mindset, and a bit of help from some of the fine people on CF, you'll have a good time

The truck will be used continuously for less then a year, then either given to my grandfather as a farm truck to use and double as a personal vehicle when i go back home (christmas/birthday/summers/etc) instead of always having to borrow one.... OR the engine and tranny will get yank, every thing parted out to try and recover some of my cost.

I don't expect to buy a vehicle like this and then not so any work, every thing you metioned seems like regular maintenance for any vehicle, despite the high milage

Nothin is for sure yet, still waiting on the job conformation... but if i get it and a truck... I'll be a new regular around here

Thanks every one

Edit:

I must be "search button" retarded, but could any one send me in the direct of a thread regarding 12v high milage engines 101? Its some thing that has to have been asked like clock work around here, so instead of being one of those people whom drive me nuts asking the same question with a new thread every week, i'll go read past ones... assuming i could find or be shown any

Scott

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Last edited by hick67 : 11-07-2009 at 04:46 PM.