'91 Cummins Transmission Question...

[GsxrMike]

My buddy got a sweet deal on a 1991 Dodge Cummins 4x4 truck but the tranny was in about 20 pieces. I belive it is the getrag 360. The parts to fix it are going to be close to $900. We were told we could swap in a NV4500. I don't know jack squat about manual transmissions.

Questions -
What year/model vechicle should we be looking for?
What should we look out for if anything?
Will the t'case bolt up or will we need that with the tranny?
How hard will the swap be? (Anything special we will need to do? i.e. linkage differance or anything?)

Any other info would be great!

 

[Wrench]

I don't know about the NP205 shift linkage itself, but if you get an NV4500 from a '94 up Dodge Cummins application it will bolt directly in. I think you can even use the same clutch.

You will need the matching transfer case, just mail me your old one . No, it'll bolt right up as well. FWIW, that tcase has the biggest input shaft ever available in a 205, 29-spline 1-1/2 inch. Serious beef.

That's a sweet truck, I love those early body style Cummins trucks.

 

[GsxrMike]

The guy that told us that also told us we could snag one out of a chevy. Is this correct? If so what year? I don't see how it would work with the bolt pattern but I am very green with this kinda stuff.

 

[DEMON44]

you can use the tranny from a GM yes. but you have to change the input shaft & bellhousing, the bellhousing is bolted on. change it to the dodge part. the clutch, flywheel too.

you can find dodge nv4500s around too. IIRC about '92 to 2000 for dodge NV4500. start calling wreckers. the NP205 will bolt directly to the back of the dodge nv4500 with the male-male coupler. if you use a gm nv4500 you will have to get a different (GM) tcase.

 

[k204dr]

you'll be way ahead to just fix the getrag. only problem they had was low oil, and that can be fixed by overfilling.
chevy trans has to be 96 or newer, you'd have to swap the input shaft and bellhouisng, and either run a chevy transfercase or swap the mainshaft and tailhouisng piece to dodge 29 spline, and also the starter and flywheel housing will have to be from a 94-00 dodge.
now with a dodge one, you'd still have to swap the flywheel houisng and starter obviously. the flywheel housing is thicker in the 94 and newer.

 

[GsxrMike]

you'll be way ahead to just fix the getrag.

It would cost about the same to repair the getrag than it would to buy a NV4500 and from what I've read and heard the NV4500 is a WAY BETTER tranny. I found a site that offers a kit http://www.high-impact.net/nv4500_dodge5.9diesel_getrag.htm. If we could find a tranny for less than $1000 I would say it would be better to do the swap. I guess I will start searching for a Dodge NV4500. Thanks for the help guys! Anymore help is also welcome!

 

[Wrench]

Dodge started using the NV4500 in '94 with the new body style. And you already have the Dodge 205, so there's no point trying to find a Chev 32 spline 205 to fit behind a Chev NV4500.

Good luck!!