2500

97 12v CTD ext cab 4x w/47RE... should I beef up tranny or sell truck for 5sp?

100k miles with all maintenance pulled. Truck runs beautifully with no hint of trouble anywhere. front end is tight, new tires, body straight, getting 19-22 mpg on the road.

really want to lightly bomb truck, but afraid of weak tranny issues.
would bomb CTD 300-350hp range right away if tranny would support.

so it's new triple disc torque converter at min for $1k+ or sell my perfectly good truck and find another 97 with 5sp.
(fully equip w/tools, can do all my own labor)

what do ya think?

BigDiesel396

I say get the converter and dont look back, you obviously like your truck and you know the maintenance on it and how its driven etc etc.. 1K invested in a good torque converter for an excellent running truck especially with as low of miles as yours, is a no brainer i think..... My vote is heavily for keepin your truck. Also if you were going to buy a 5spd to modify you'd have to buy a clutch with it so either way you have to buy a good converter for an auto or a good clutch for a stick...

downlow

Get yourself a GOOD valve body shift kit ((maybe a ATS)) and do a good PM ((preventative main.)) on it. If the cash allows it buy a nice tq and make it a triple lock if at a possible. Ive got 189,000 on my stock trans and it shifts fine but I can shutter the tq if I lean on it. Learning how to drive it will make that trans go a long ways regardless of what u hear. Most failures by heavy footers is because they just don't understand the concept of "figure out when it shutters and avoid it." However remember it is stock and there is only so much u can do. Most go with gauges,#10 plate, 3000gsk and 4.00 exhaust. Look around on this forum and youll figure it out. ((do some searches)).


STICK WITH THE AUTO

Scramblinman

Were it mine, I'd swap a 5 speed into a truck as you described it before selling it to purchase one with a manual transmission. Not a whole lot of low mileage 12v trucks around.

The 5 speed isn't without it's warts, either. 5th gear will require addressing at some point or another. And at the higher end of the power range that you specified, I would want a larger aftermarket clutch and input shaft. That right there will cost you as much as the $1,000 triple disc torque convertor.

In the end, it boils down to your own personal preferences and how you want to use the truck. The automatic will be faster for racing and when towing you don't lose boost while shifting between gears. The manual is more durable and offers more finite control.

clutch1

i would say keep the auto.

Cummins Freak

build the auto.....heck i have my engine bombed and a stock auto

Box5

you've got a rare breed of truck, you don't see many 150k miles and less 2nd gen cummins in good shape...believe me I looked for a year straight before I got mine... I'd say run the auto, either beef it up now, or run it until it dies and then swap in a 5spd if you want. I've seen some good deals for nv4500's on ebay, and check the pick'n pulls for a clutch assembly, mod ur driveshafts, and the only thing i'm not sure about is the different spline and bearing you need for the transfer case, but it sounds like a fun swap to do if the auto goes.

jester1542

If it is paid for and as described you don't have huge problems, I'd just build up the tranny. Either a full tranny replacement or as suggested a VB and a torque converter. It might be a bit expensive but you'll know what you are working with and you won't get a replacement cheap either.

displacedtexan

I'd build the tranny if I were in your shoes Charles. But I know you want a stick. The only thing is that around here it is hard to find a low mileage, good condition, 97, 4x4, much less mandating a stick. In my searches it seems that the sticks tended to be used harder, at least around here. And that truck of yours looks good

Did you put new tires on it? I was thinking you were saying you wanted 265s...

Muddin_dude06

I would build up the auto, they are WAY faster than a comparably bombed 5sp... If you get a triple disk Goerend converter I think that it will come with a lifetime warranty?

Scramblinman

If that is true and you are anything like myself, an automatic will ALWAYS be a compromise and I do not think that you would ever truly be happy with it.

I would just bomb the motor as you see fit and take it easy while setting money aside and collecting the parts necessary for converting to a 5 speed.

ckt_santiago

Well, depending on what you plan on doing with the truck, you could more than likely get away with a single disk billet TC and a trans-go shift kit for about $600 (PM me). Really, unless you plan on doing a lot of drag racing or towing really heavy, a single disk billet TC and a decent shift kit is all anyone NEEDS... Now what people WANT is a whole different story, cause who doesn't like boasting that they have a triple disk billet TC that cost them $1300?..... Personally I went with a triple disk because I am going to be hauling pretty heavy (35' GN hauling tractors and other machinery for our Ag repair business).

2500

no plans to race truck... just want a good running truck. that also gets good mileage. I'd like to be able to haul 10k+ without issues. if I follow instructions that everyone has graciously posted. should be able to bomb to 350hp without much fuss or expense. would not want to bomb much without a nice set of gauges.

my thoughts are to go to 19.5 or 245 x 85 x16 for 33.5 inch tall. but one thing at a time

ya ... I'd like stick, but everyone is telling me a new TC and possibly a VB makes a worlds of difference. have never drove a beefed up tranny combo, it's hard to judge.

thought 5sp conversion was a real pita and not to attempt it unless you have an entire doner CTD.

what makes this so hard is I LOVE my truck!!!
didn't want to post that first. wanted to get what every one thoughts were without biasing it.

probably will keep this truck and beef up TC. then I'll look for a doner 5sp truck for a long term project.

thanks everyone for your help!!!

eng208

What did you ever decide to do? I would recommend you sell that truck to me, cheap, and then find what you want. I would love to have another 97 automatic. I would do it just like I have mine. In other words, I think you should definitely order a single disk and a valve body from Dave Goerend. You won't have any other problems from that tranny except what you create.
Chris

Box5

If I could go back, I would have done a nice TC and VB, because 4.10's with a 5spd are even lower gearing than with the auto. But I plan on swaping in some 3.55's eventually so the 5spd will be alot better to drive with the longer shifts. I love the 5spd, but don't care for the short gearing I have right now. So basically 4.10s suck is what im trying to say.