I've got a line on a '93 donor CTD to swap into my Dodge Dually. It's Auto trans equipped. While I'm doing the swap, and have everything in pieces, should I switch to a manual trans? What's everybody's preference? How available are the 5-speed's that came with the '93s? The truck will be 95% street driven, mostly short mileage commutes with the occasional long distance hauling of my Road Runner. The Dually is currently an auto trans truck.

 

I think it's going to depend on what you like to drive and what kind of work you like to do. The auto swap will be simpler mechanically but more complex electrically. If you want the auto to work properly you're going to need to transfer the computer and do some wiring. With a manual, you can skip most of the electrical stuff, it only takes a couple sensors to run the grid heaters but they aren't strictly necessary. If you're running a manual and don't care about the grids and the WIF light all you need is 12 volts to the shutoff solenoid. I wouldn't bother with a Getrag unless it was free or darn close, if you have to spend money get an NV4500 out of a '94 and up since you're starting from scratch.

 

wannadiesel,

Forgive my ignorance, but what are grid heaters and WIF lights?

I've driven both auto and manual trans for years. I like rowing the gears and I "understand" manual transmissions better than autos. I'll start looking for an NV4500.

I may also need you for a search and destroy KDP mission on this motor. I'll check to see if it's been done when I get it in hand.

Dave,

I'm an NRA Life Member myself. I wish I had more time to go shooting.

 

Pete, if you're going the NV4500 route, start looking for the 2 inch adapter plate also, the first gens used a 1 inch thick plate,so you'll need to swap this part also.

Rick

 

Grid heaters heat the air in the intake manifold to cut down on white smoke on cold starts (below 59 degrees). They are not strictly necessary in our part of the country, mine are dead and the truck has started just fine all winter. The WIF light is the idiot light on the dash that tells you there is water in the fuel filter. On a '93 both these items are computer driven, so you'll need the computer and a few sensors if you want them to work. No problem on the KDP, it'd be cake without the truck in the way.

 

Thanks for the explanation. Take a look at this kit: Link
They're offering a complete conversion kit from auto to the NV4500. The only thing they don't include is the manual pedal set. $3,440.37 for the kit. What do you think? It would save me a lot of trouble.

 

Looking on that website I don't see any mention of whether they replaced the oem shaft with a fully splined shaft, and whether the nut that holds the 5th gear is the upgraded locking nut.

The achilles heel of the NV 4500 is the 5th gear problems. 1 the splines on the sharft that the 5th gear rides on don't extend all the way, so when it is shifted into 5th gear, 1/2 the gear is off of the splines. This creats a weak spot on the splines and under high torque they can twist, making it difficult to shift in and out of 5th gear. Also the nut that holds the 5th gear can loosen off and allow the gear to slip off the end.

New NV 4500s come with the updated locking nut, but they still come from the factory with the short splined shaft. I think I saw an aftermarket shaft with extended splines advertised for $300.

I don't want to discorage you. With those weak spots corrected the NV 4500 can be a very good transmission. But I wouldn't go to all the effort to swapping it in without fixing the problems first.

 

Graeme,

Thanks for the heads-up on both problems. Before I order it, I'll ask them if both have been corrected.

 

While surfing tonight I cam across this place which offers the upgrade shaft and nut if you end up needing them. I don't know if their prices are typical or not, but it gives you an idea.