NV4500 swap a sucess

[acesneights1]

Well thanks to a friend in NY I have a nice NV4500 setup from a 93 with everything to put in my 86 K30/M1008. I hope it compliments the 4.56s gears and 35 inch tires. I will try to document as much of the swap as possible. After this then I am going to swap out the v belt system for Serp and install a Turbo(GM4). I hope to have it ready for the Mud races in Ellington Sept 17.
Here's the tranny I did 6 hrs of driving to get it and worth every bit of it. I plan on using the k30 Master with the 93k3500 Slave and line and either flare union it or use a compression fitting. Everything else looks pretty good. The flywheel I got is perfection made in china. I'm always leary of Chinese made garbage but the PO didn't have any issue with it so I'll give it a whirl.

 

[acesneights1]

I have a hard time getting new flywheel bolts. The PO gave me the ones with the tranny but the head on one of them was a little beat up and I'm not a fan of reusing flywheel bolts anyway but GM discontinued them and Advance can't get them either. I ended up buying 7/16-20x 1inch ARP's from Summit but they are about 1/16 of an inch longer than the ones I got with the truck so I won't know if they will work until I have the truck apart to see the depth of the holes on the crank.Later investigation turns up that the Centerforce Clutch won't clear the ARP's.

 

[ODdave]

Whats with the other top plate?

P.S. Check your pivot ball and clutch fork while it is out. People NEVER grease them like they should.

 

[acesneights1]

So I ripped the TC out and........drum roll please............
IT FITS !!!! Like a finger in an *******...
So That was the big unknown so the project moves forward...He gave me a brand new centerforce clutch with it but the weird thing is the bolts are really shallow and I tried using ARP bolts and they hit the hub in the clutch disc so maybe those flywheel bolts came with the clutch ?? I laid a factory clutch disc on the flywheel with the arps and no issue at all with clearance...I gotta call the PO and ask him if those bolts were special.

 

[acesneights1]

OK so day one went pretty well. The shifter looked awful close to the 4wd shifter and I thought I was going to have to move the 4wd shifter but it fit. I may have to get creative with the shifter boots.. I welded up the holes in the crossmember with 3/16 flat stock and re drilled the holes to line up with the energy suspension tranny mount although it looks different than a factory 93 mount. The transfer case bolted right up perfect to the tranny and the linkage for the 4wd shift is going to work fine...plus big bonus..as far as I can tell initial measurements show that the driveshafts will work without cutting or lengthening. The NV4500 seems to be the exact same length as the TH400. Everything was going good and pretty much bolt in until I put the transfer case in. Small engineering defect. The flange for the front shaft is too low. Basically the tranny is sitting too low on the crossmember. some 2x2 box tube will fix that easily tommorow and then the pedals and master slave go in. The PO of the tranny must have used an updated cover as it has the 4 bolt shift tower. The shifter almost works the way it is. It hits the seat in 2,4,and R but does go all the way in so some minor bending of the shifter should do the trick. It actually feels quite comfortable where it is.
Oh I had to make the drain tube for the engine valley. It is no longer available. I welded a mounting tab to it.
I used the 6.5TD flywheel. It bolted right on with no apparent issue. BTW Got Bill Heath on the phone and the pilot bushing goes flush with the hole it's in. There should be a cavity behind it.

 

[acesneights1]

More pics

 

[acesneights1]

and some more...

 

[acesneights1]

F!!! The engine won't turn over.. Locked up solid..
I was about to rip the tranny back out in a pissed off rage and Dave got me to calm down and look a little harder.....Guess you can't use a direct drive starter with a 6.5TD flywheel....I hope the flywheel to crank bolts are properly torqued...Now I wonder if i should rip the tranny back out and check...

 

[ODdave]

FWIW, a crosmember from a blazer / suburban or other chevy w/ short style adapter will bolt to your mount correctly and have the correct drop/ notch for the front drive shaft. You can identify them by the double or single hump design. Not flat.

Btw, Nice job, you will love it !

 

[acesneights1]

Well I took it for a spin and let me tell you...THIS IS THE WAY GM SHOULD HAVE MADE IT!!! It drives awesome. I have not decided whether to pull the tranny again or not. it seems ok but 3 bolts could be loose. I'll have to keep looking at it. No vibrations. I ground the piss outta the starter but It should be replaced with a GR. I'll have to call the starter shop Tuesday and see if there is a GR 24v. Anyone know if the DD and GR use the same sol ? I have a spare GR but it's 12v.
Here's more pics. Dave was right, the truck has the dimples where the slave goes. That ,makes life alot easier. The clutch pedal setup had two extra studs I had to knock out. Probably came from a gasser with vac booster. I didn't bother trying to hook up the Neutral safety but I do need to wire up backup lights. Also with the tranny mount fixed the shifter no longer hits the seat It's perrect the way it is. No bending needed. I can't figure out if the shifter knob comes off though. I hate the knob and want a Hurst T handle. It looks molded to the shifter handle. I do remember one side of the flywheel tightening easier than the other and thinking it was cocked on the crank but I also double checked to make sure it was seated evenly and the edge of the crank so I am hoping it pushed the starter. I don't think I could have bent the flywheel so easily.

 

[acesneights1]

FWIW, a crosmember from a blazer / suburban or other chevy w/ short style adapter will bolt to your mount correctly and have the correct drop/ notch for the front drive shaft. You can identify them by the double or single hump design. Not flat.

Yeah I had heard that in some posts I had researched but I didn't feel like scouring junkyards when I could easily mod the one I had. I think a TH700 one supposedly works but I have an aftermarket tranny mount anyway which is different from a factory 93 k3500/nv4500 mount so drilling was needed anyway.

 

[acesneights1]

Let me just say again though...This is the way these trucks should have come. it is so much more drivable now and still HAS NO ELECTRONICS !!. I know some have done 4l80e swaps but that requires a TCM. I personally think TH700s are junk.

 

[acesneights1]

Tomorrow I am going to the Starter rebuilder to see if he can make me a 24v GR otherwise a 12v conversion maybe in order. Not my first choice but it will solve about 3 other issues.

 

[ODdave]

Yeah I had heard that in some posts I had researched but I didn't feel like scouring junkyards when I could easily mod the one I had. I think a TH700 one supposedly works but I have an aftermarket tranny mount anyway which is different from a factory 93 k3500/nv4500 mount so drilling was needed anyway.

Only thing that should be different on that aftermarket mount is it may use bolts not studs. Holes are still in the same spot.

 

[acesneights1]

Nope. Totally different. factory one uses 2 studs and spaced differently. Energy Sus one uses 3 bolts. Never saw anything like it before but it is differnt because I had a 93 and it used the same tranny mount as my 98 Burb.

 

[acesneights1]

Here is the mount that came with the tranny for a 93 k3500/nv4500. This is the one I used and had to re drill for.

 

[ODdave]

Not trying to be an ass but its not for a gm if the 2 outside bolt holes dont line up. If you buy the E.S. mount for a 90's gm K1500-3500 auto or man it will fit the crossmember I mentioned. They are all the same.

PS, the center bolt is not used in the replacment aplication........

 

[acesneights1]

This is the factory mount.
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/we...chor_5303486-P_38_R|GRPENGPAMS_1151527854____

 

[acesneights1]

Not trying to be an ass but its not for a gm if the 2 outside bolt holes dont line up. If you buy the E.S. mount for a 90's gm K1500-3500 auto or man it will fit the crossmember I mentioned. They are all the same.

It is the energy sus mount for a 93 K3500/NV4500 and the factory mount I posted is for the same. I don't know why it's made different. It came with the tranny but PO told me it was for a 93.

 

[acesneights1]

1993 - K3500 - Energy Suspension - GMC - Transmission Mounts - SummitRacing.com