'91 K5 Four Wheel Camper

[beags86]

Owned a couple nv4500s in plow trucks, to this day I still don't get the hoopla, I guess better then 465, that's a low standard to compare too....
When I bought my first one, I figured it was just a 465 with a OD.

 

[ZooMad75]

Granny gear and od. It's all that matters. And yes they shift better than a ZF 6-speed in the gmt800 trucks.

They still aren't like a Hurst shifted m21 car 4-speed, but as dump truck trannies go, they are good.

 

[campfire]

I've driven both. My dd S10 is also a manual with a nv3500 that has very similar shift quality to the bigger bro.

I found a large difference between them. There's a reason I used a 3500 the second time, and it's not because I prefer internal slave cylinders...

The 4500 is a good unit, but 'dump truck' is a fair description, compared to other options.

 

[78K30]

Maybe I’m too deeply routed in heavy equipment but I don’t mind an NV4500 at all and actually enjoy driving them. On the other hand The later 465’s found in GMT400 trucks are a nightmare, the detent springs are way too stiff from the factory making an already marginal shifting experience worse

 

[beags86]

Maybe I’m too deeply routed in heavy equipment but I don’t mind an NV4500 at all and actually enjoy driving them. On the other hand The later 465’s found in GMT400 trucks are a nightmare, the detent springs are way too stiff from the factory making an already marginal shifting experience worse

The only thing worse at shifting then the 465 is a early IH1486 without the shift update kit.

A nv4500 is perfect for a gmt400. good but not great. They are like sex with a flat chested broad, it's good enough but you just want more.

 

[campfire]

Maybe I’m too deeply routed in heavy equipment but I don’t mind an NV4500 at all and actually enjoy driving them.

I do too, but I hafta be in the right mood. A slow mood. And even then I have no great love for the 3-4 split.

 

[AgDieseler]

I'm in the 4L80E camp, and I prefer the laptop interface for tuning. There are some good options out there, and I remain impressed with my PCS unit. Their new TCM2800 is just an aftermarket version of the factory GM computer, and super heavy duty.

David

 

[85k5witha6.2]

Ok I kind of skimmed a lot because I’m 23 amd have a terrible attention span, but the trans is a 4l85 isn’t it? Not an 80? My vote would be that. But that’s back to the 23 year old thing..

 

[ZooMad75]

I'm in the 4L80E camp, and I prefer the laptop interface for tuning. There are some good options out there, and I remain impressed with my PCS unit. Their new TCM2800 is just an aftermarket version of the factory GM computer, and super heavy duty.

David

I've got a pretty short attention span when it comes to tuning. I just don't see myself getting into going through that. Having all the adjustability is cool but I don't see it in the budget to get to that level. It would be easiest to get a Howell harness to run the L29 and the 4L80e off of the factory style PCM and the Howell tune. My other concern comes back to complexity. The controls, the wiring, the solenoids and such could fail at the worst time. I've been 70 miles into the Mojave road off pavement and a problem there is not good. Granted, I could have had a problem with the 700 and didn't but it's the luck I have something would happen. Eliminating the complexity brings a level of peace of mind that the transmission isn't a possible issue waiting to happen. Larry's trucks haven't let him down off pavement or on. If Campy's measurements are right, I may not have to fool with the driveshafts at all which just makes the swap less expensive to do.

Ok I kind of skimmed a lot because I’m 23 amd have a terrible attention span, but the trans is a 4l85 isn’t it? Not an 80? My vote would be that. But that’s back to the 23 year old thing..

I think for 98 it's still a 4L80e.

 

[Truckman4life]

We have a '96 3500 dually flatbed truck at work with the 454 and nv4500. I love to drive it.

 

[Bent77]

My 465 chit second gear and I drove home

 

[campfire]

My 465 chit second gear and I drove home

I dumped an extra gallon of swamp water into mine, and drove 800 miles home with no apparent damage. I haven't tried it, but something tells me a 700R4 would not have fared so well.

Lots of similar stories out there. Any transmission can strand you, but the risks rise as things get more complicated.

 

[Capt Ron]

https://denver.craigslist.org/pts/d/nv4500-4x4/6756136813.html

 

[Capt Ron]

So what are your plans on the L29? Run as/is or rebuild?

 

[beags86]

So what are your plans on the L29? Run as/is or rebuild?

Thought he said twin turbos somewhere??

 

[ZooMad75]

So what are your plans on the L29? Run as/is or rebuild?

Inspect. Based on how the plugs look move on from there. If they look ok it's getting a full reseal intake to oil pan with valve stem seals. Paint orange, because I can. Install.

Thought he said twin turbos somewhere??

That's a negative ghost rider. No hair dryers for this one.

 

[beags86]

Inspect. Based on how the plugs look move on from there. If they look ok it's getting a full reseal intake to oil pan with valve stem seals. Paint orange, because I can. Install.


That's a negative ghost rider. No hair dryers for this one.

I know you didn't say that, but you might as well while your in there....

 

[ZooMad75]

I know you didn't say that, but you might as well while your in there....

As cool as it would be, my fab skills for tubing are on par to the artistic skills of a kid in preschool with a box of crayons. So we'll stick to the idea of speak softly and pack a big block for simplicity.

Now the 5.3 would have perked up on a turbo for sure.

 

[Larry]

Zoo’s new engina got a douche today. Turned out pretty clean but spraying away the grime revealed those honyoks did some screwy stuff to it at one point as one corner of the upper plenum looks to be broken and epoxied. Luckily for Rob, I happen to have two L29’s intakes in stock so for a minimal fee of one billion dollars I’ll hook him up. I also pulled all 8 plugs and they look clean! No oil fouling or anything. This should be an easy rattle can rebuild on this one. The only bad thing I saw is its going to need a power steering pump as this one is one of those pile of EVO (electronic variable orifice) steering pumps. Those are great to throw away.

Big goober of epoxy on the corner

I got a line into a buddy to have some EGR valve and EVAP purge solenoid block off plates made. All of a sudden I have 3 friends doing L29 swaps (Rob, Captain Ron, and Ian) so I might as well have a few extras made for anybody else wants in on them. My buddy is probably going to make them out of aluminum like how my Marine L29 intake was. He probably won’t get started on the plates until closer to xmas.

This is what a Marine L29 looks like with the EGR Valve blocked off and EVAP purge solenoid port cast over. Then all ya got to do is add a big pipe plug to the port in the intake where the EGR pipe flows into the exhaust manifold. So much cleaner looking without that stupid EGR valve. Those linear EGR valves were pretty sucktastic anyway and pricey to replace

 

[Babaganoosh]

My 465 chit second gear and I drove home

My 4L60e chit 2nd, 3rd, 4th, reverse and I still drove 5 miles home.