The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Diesel Conversion project -- 1st pics

Brad, thats a great idea, when ya find a truck just put a hook to it and drag it in.
I actually did that once by mistake...went out on a call for a car and hooked the wrong one cause there was two the same.
Had to take it back and get the right one, I don't think to first owner ever knew ! We all laughed a bunch.
Hey, what is a NV4500, I'm guessing a trans but you guys are making it a little hard to follow what your talking about and I have to keep looking up this stuff to understand what your talking about.
Dan

OK, sorry there Glasman...... We're throwing all-sorts of new terms around here......

The NV4500 (5 speed) and NV5600 (6 speed) are both light truck transmissions built by New Venture, and used primarily behind the Dodge Cummins..... Although the NV4500 was also found behind the GM 6.5L diesel and I believe behind some GM and Mopar big-block gas motors... The NV5600 was basically only found behind the dodge cummins, and only from like 01-03.. New Venture went out of business, parts are now hard to find, and the 5600 is not the strongest tranny in the world....

For kicks, dodge now puts the Mercedes-Benz G56 (6 speed with granny low 1st and overdrive) behind the cummins starting in 04. Frankly, for those wanting a manual and a cummins, there really isn't any other more logical choice. It's tough, reliable, and will handle a LOT of power, and will bolt up easily to a cummins taken out of a dodge.... The tranny was also designed by Mercedes for use in 2-3 ton trucks, so plenty heavy for our needs.....

Thanks Matt, NV now becomes SV.....Short Venture. lol
Dan

Yep!

Well Deerefanatic you are a wealth of information I need. I assumed the nv5600 was a tough character 'cause I haven't torn mine up yet. I trashed 2 Chevy automatics and thats why I bought the Dodge. I didn't know they were out of business or about the MB. Thanks!

Well, the NV5600 is pretty tough. Until you start throwing really heavy loads or hi horsepower at it.... It's what happens when they blow up that's not pretty!

I talked with a guy down the road from me who has a Dodge with over 200K on it with a 5600 in it. I asked him if he thought it was a weak trans and he thought no but he had the trans apart for repair of what he termed a design flaw, but said it was a repairable thing.
Something to do with a nut inside he said. He's also just finished putting a 4 cyl. diesel into a 75 chevy pickup which looked good.
Maybe that NV5600 isn't so bad once you fix the little flaw in it.
Dan

OK, now I've seen a good/clean one (may need to Join old GMC trucks to see it)
http://oldgmctrucks.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/294006236/m/616101765/p/1
Still a lot of work though.

Grigg

It CAN BE DONE!!! Now have proof!!!

As for the design flaw, are you sure the guy wasn't talking about the 4500 (5 speed). They definitely had a design flaw with the nut that holds fifth gear falling off... Never heard that with the 5600.... What I've heard of is bearing failures, and they usually seize up and spin in the case, ruining the tranny case and shaft in the process....

"fingers in ears" lalalalalalalala, I can't hear you.

Sorry....

Man, I was looking at the pictures that guy has... Looks ideal. I wish he'd posted up some pics after the fenders were put on.......

Some how John's thread about a Detroit conversion with a Roadranger transmission turned into a thread about Cummins 6BT's and New Venture transmissions.
Both are interesting, but I think each deserves different thread.

Grigg

Sorry there Grigg.... It happens.... Now everybody back on track yall........

Your right, I meant to say 4500, 5 spd. Now back to Detroit.
Dan

Could someone host the picture on another site? i couldn't join the gmc truck site

I don't mind.

Under the current circumstances, it's probably even appropriate for this thread to change anyway

Aloha,
Waimanalo Johnnie

Ah course if we had pics of a Detroit Diesel and Road Ranger transmission installed ina AD truck and John driving it down the road on U-tube we wouldn't get all these flight of ideas and such, letting our eyes and hearts stray from the true love;)

Dave,
Here ya go.

Grigg's driving, I'm just the turn signal

His truck.

Semper Fi,
John

the 5600 ran from 1999-2005. in 01.5 dodge went to a HO engine. which also (when equipped with 6 speed standard) came with a 5600 with an upgraded input shaft. The SO (standard output) engines with the 5600 had a 1 1/4 input shaft. after 01.5 it came only behind the high output engines in the 2nd gens. which had the 1 3/8 input shaft. the 3rd gens (03 and up) came with the 1 3/8 input shaft only. it was 05 before they dropped the nv's and switched to the g56's. the nvs are cast cases and VERY heavy. the g56's are alumnium.

that being said i have gernaded 3 of these nv5600s. They are VERY expensive to rebuild and VERY hard to tear part

Hi new guy here, Looking forward to watching this build. I plan on doing something similar with a 1936 T16 GMC.

Is a 4-53T in your plans?
Ed Pruss in CO is building A 37 GMC with a 4-53T and a 10 speed, you may want to pick his brains.

Grigg

I haven't got the truck home yet. I am a creature of opportunity. I have several engine choices to look at here at the home front. One being the 5.9/5spd in my Dodge. Ever hear of a Hercules 4cyl. diesel? It's sitting in a airforce gen set I have. Then there's the 6.5/Allison?? that came with the P-30 Need to get busy with a measuring tape. Thanks for your tech article. I don't always like reinventing the wheel. I was able to find the correct pieces (axles, brakes, plus some neat add ons) by following your guidelines.

Yeah KC -- best to watch Grigg's or Ed's projects as I have gone in another direction now

Good luck with your project!

Regards,
John

For your 36 project browse through www.4BTswaps.com, it is a forum for all types and brands of diesel engine conversions I think all of your listed engine choices have been discussed at one point or another and you can learn more about them by posting questions too.

Also check out oldGMCtrucks.com, a guy there is swapping a 6BT in an early GMC somewhat like yours. Really nice work.

My preference would be the 4BT in your truck, should fit better than the others and has reasonable power with easy upgrades if necessary.
If that's not enough HP it gets a lot more complicated to fit something with enough.

Grigg