’89 Burb NP241 falling out of 4HI

[Larry]

So I’ve had this ’89 Burb for a little over a year and never really had a chance to buzz it around in 4hi until this past week when we finally got some snow. Driving this thing around I noticed it doesn’t like to stay in 4HI where the shift lever keeps falling down into 2HI. I wouldn’t say it pops out of 4HI, but more like slips out. I haven’t had a chance to crawl under it yet this week to see what the heck is going. Has anybody seen this on a 208 or 241 before? Is this a shift mechanism problem, rod adjustment or a detent problem inside the tcase?

I am getting ready to swap out the SM465 for a NV4500 the week between Christmas and New Year’s and plan to reuse this 32 spline 241 behind the NV4500. Looks like I may need to operate on the guts of the 241 as well?

Suggestions?

 

[TheBeast_88K5]

Adjust the shift linkage...

I had the exact same problem on my 208.
The shift linkage gets a little slop in it, never fully engages the gear, slips back into 2HI.

4LO works just fine, tho... Right?

 

[Larry]

Adjust the shift linkage...

I had the exact same problem on my 208.
The shift linkage gets a little slop in it, never fully engages the gear, slips back into 2HI.

4LO works just fine, tho... Right?

Yea, 4Lo seems to work fine. I’ll check the linkage this weekend. Dude, I tried a search and came up with nada if that is what the finger pointing to the note is telling me. What did I miss?

 

[Kocher93]

Fork pads?

 

[super k]

Larry,linkage adjustment sure came to my mind as the first possible problem. I've never experienced it,but I guess on a truck with the transfer case indicator,that would show you're in because the shifter would still move to where it should be,but the linkage didn't move the transfer case end enough.

 

[TheBeast_88K5]

Popping out of 4HI is linkage, or fork pads.
Linkage is most common, and easiest to check.

Shift lever is in the correct spot, but fails to fully engage the gear.
As soon as you jostle it, it bumps out of gear all the way,
leaving the gear indicator halfway between 2HI and 4HI.

4LO usually works properly, in this condition.

sounds about right...

 

[Larry]

I didn’t have time to play with it today as I had to replace a lower control arm and axle shaft on my buddy’s daughters Maxima then take the wifey Christmas shopping. I might have time to check out the linkage Sunday though. If not, no biggie as the tear down for the NV4500 commences next Sunday as soon as I see the wife off on a plane to visit her parents in FL for Christmas. I have the week of Xmas off work and without adult supervision (wife) so I should be able to get a lot of drinking done that week. Oh, I mean...a lot of wrenching done that week.

So, if this turns out to NOT be a linkage problem but something internal to the tcase such as the pads that have been mentioned, where do you buy replacements? I checked Napa Pro-Link and cannot find them. Does Drivetrain Direct, National Drivetrain or similar sell those? How much of a mofo are they to change? I’ve been into plenty of 203 and 205’s but never aluminum 208 or 241.

As I mentioned, it doesn’t pop out of 4hi but more like slip out. Heck, I only noticed it kept coming out because the light in the cluster goes off then I look down at the lever to see it back in the 2hi position then instantly yell out loud SOB!!!, you MOFO POS!

Even the lever feels lazy like there aren’t any detents. It does seem like detents are felt in the Neutral and 4low positions though.

When I do the NV4500 swap I am looking at using a Dodge 241 or GMT400 floor shifter assembly to avoid interference with the GMT400/800 shifter boot assembly I will be using. That said, the linkage will be changing anyway.

This is a picture of the NV4500/205 in my K10. I used a ’92-’94 shift lever, GMT400/800 shifter boot and bezel as well as an ORD twin stick. This is the same exact shifter lever and boot assembly I picked up for the NV4500 swap into the Burb. Anybody have any recommendations on a shifter assembly concoction that works with this set up when using a 241? I don’t think the Burbs stock shifter assembly and bezel will fit this boot assembly. In doing some research it looks like a ’93 and later Dodge shifter assembly would be the easiest and cleanest to install. A GMT400/800 might work as well.

 

[super k]

I imagine your GM dealer could supply service parts. I looked into parts there for a 241 before,but ended up ordering a crate unit and kept the original as a spare because parts add up quick. That case would find it's way into neutral out of 2Hi. It only happened when decelerating after a long run,like coming off the interstate. When I'd hit the go pedal it would either be grindy & 1/2 out or completely out. If I thought about it,I'd hold the lever in that situation,and let go once I was on the throttle again. It didn't happen with on/off throttle driving. I was told that was synchronizers.

My '92 GMC has the NV4500/NP241 combo. It seems like you might be able to keep the same linkage/shifter to me. Did the Suburban have a 4L80E? I still have my poor old '91 Suburban here and could compare to the '92.

Home alone,huh? Sounds like you'll be in the kitchen most of the time fixing your meals and doing laundry...heh heh

 

[TheBeast_88K5]

Folsom Lake Chevrolet has them on their shelves...

I'm sure other Chevy dealers do.
Or 4x4 shops, tranny shops, etc.

 

[Larry]

Good info, I see those shift fork sleeves/pad things in the exploded view and will start making calls to get some here before the tear down.

I imagine your GM dealer could supply service parts. I looked into parts there for a 241 before,but ended up ordering a crate unit and kept the original as a spare because parts add up quick. That case would find it's way into neutral out of 2Hi. It only happened when decelerating after a long run,like coming off the interstate. When I'd hit the go pedal it would either be grindy & 1/2 out or completely out. If I thought about it,I'd hold the lever in that situation,and let go once I was on the throttle again. It didn't happen with on/off throttle driving. I was told that was synchronizers.

My '92 GMC has the NV4500/NP241 combo. It seems like you might be able to keep the same linkage/shifter to me. Did the Suburban have a 4L80E? I still have my poor old '91 Suburban here and could compare to the '92.

Home alone,huh? Sounds like you'll be in the kitchen most of the time fixing your meals and doing laundry...heh heh

That is crazy Tim, I have never heard of a 208 or 241 doing what happened to yours. The Suburban has a 465 4 speed in it now, which is why I am going the 4500 swap to gain OD for long hauls. The Sub will probably end up following the K10 around the southwest on our desert adventure runs.

Heck, I do most of the cooking/cleaning/laundry and shopping as it is now even when she is home She has been busy working on her CPA and MBA and now readying for a baby so I do the Mr. mom stuff around here .

 

[super k]

A BABY??? Congratulations! I always cooked some and did pretty much all the laundry. I was a bachelor for a good while before I married. Sure made it easier when she left me and my son...not that I'd wish that on you. I'm sure you have a good one.

That's right,you jogged my memory. That was the whole thing about finding this Suburban...4spd. Pretty unusual by '91 (and long before).

That NP241 problem was on a '95 I bought used,so who knows. I'll keep an eye on this to see what turns up. Can't wait to see that swap done,either

 

[bix]

My 241 started doing this swell when i was wheeling this weekend, did this problem ever get fixed?

 

[Larry]

My 241 started doing this swell when i was wheeling this weekend, did this problem ever get fixed?

Oh, yeah long time ago. The issue was the rear transmount was broke allowing the lever to get pushed around. Odd that I never noticed any vibrations or banging around during normal driving. I replaced the shift pads later during the NV4500 swap, which they looked brand new. Sounds like most of these issues are related to worn pads but not in my case... or tcase lol

 

[bix]

Awesome! Im hoping mine is just the linkage... Not in the right time or place to be changing fork pads, but oh well. Im thinking its the linkage because if the roads smooth it never wiggles out, only when its really rough faster paced terrain. Either or, this thread was good to find, Gotta love ck5!

 

[Kay86K5]

Make sure to check body mounts too. But usually the main problem with this is exactly what Larry posted that the trans mount is just done for and needs replaced. But on my dads 88 K5 two of his body mounts were missing the bolts and it was causing the body to have excess flex which was pulling on the shift linkage and popping it out of low range too. These are all pretty simple fixes, just something else to look at