Got a 93 K3500...What to do with it ?

[Brooklyn Tow]

Vail is correct...

Twist and pull.....They come right out

 

[Acesneights1]

Yep it came right out. Got the tranny today. Clutch still has air.

 

[Acesneights1]

New tranny looked good from what I could see with PTO covers off. I resealed them as well as the input shaft seal. The whole clutch fork assbly was wasted. I wonder if that is why it would not bleed properly. Needed everything new. Both new and old tranny appear to have the damper(score!!). Looks like the rear nuts were loose on the old tranny. The old tranny looks like a very recent rebuild so some idiot(PO) obviously didn't know what the **** they were doing. I saw what looked like synchro material caked around the damper . Getting new tranny ready to go in. Harbor Freight 129$ Tranny jack works well. Even reached it with the 6 inch lift. The asshole so called mechanic that worked on this truck is a dirty douchebag. Two of the transfer case bolts were only half way in, one of the tranny to bellhousing bolts was missing. What a dickhead. I hope I meet him someday so I can tell him off. Worthless POS, and he works at a GM dealer.
BTW anyone in CT, Kudos to Scranton Motors GMC parts guy. I called him 5 mins after they closed on sat (today) and he not only picked up the phone , but processed the order for the new clutch fork and left it with a sales guy for me to pickup. Guys like that are hard to find. Man is a standup guy.

 

[3500GMC]

Good parts guys are real hard to find.. Fer sure.

I get the vibe that you are not thoroughly impressed with the previous owner and/or mechanic... :hihi:

 

[Acesneights1]

Well, what a difference. The clutch before was hard, felt like it was binding and felt airbound. Now it feels perfect, you could push it down with 2 fingers and the truck shifts very smooth both up and down. I notice 3rd is a touch tighter than the rest but it shifts fine unlike before. I'm not sure if the clutch linkage was the issue or the loose nut on the mainshaft or both but it's all good now. Minus the 3hrs I spent running around getting extra parts including a new tranny mount(it was wasted as well) I'd say the job took about 8 hrs and that included me resealing the new tranny both the side covers and the input shaft seal. Job can be done without messing with the crossmember for the torsion bars, just entails bringing the transfer case up on an angle until the tail shaft clears. I swear, every nut and bolt in this truck needs to be gone through. Transfer case had only 4 of 6 bolts. Tranny had 3 of 4. Truck drives awesome now. Until today I was hating the 5 spd. Now I love it.

 

[handcannon]

It's about time you had something go your way!! Good news.

Don

 

[bk95td]

Can you post the part number and brand of the aluminum clutch master cylinder and the GM part number for the throw-out fork? I'll be wanting to put them in my 93 "Refuge" truck.

 

[Acesneights1]

I'll have to look at the reciept for the clutch fork but I gave them my vin#. I have an external slave, The Master was Perfection and I got it from Advance Auto.

 

[Acesneights1]

What a difference in clutch feel. Before it felt like a 73 K30 with a Long Style Pressure plate. Now it's like driving a friggin VW. I guess that was why I could not get it bled. It's perfect now and I did nothing except while I had the slave out I pushed it all the way in with the bleeder closed a few times.

 

[tanman_2006]

I know its alil late but my 93 has a tach and CEL or SES, not sure why since it is a 5speed too. My tach reads 12-13 but my batts are crap, cables are corroded badly, and alt is iffy. Needle moves with my blinker and goes passed red low line when glows kick in lol. I also have the same lack of boost issue, it barely hits 11 and wont even hold that, it takes being floored and 2200+ RPM with the WG wired shut.

I am glad you are getting your 93 figured out. Mine is strong and also has its issues, but MPG isn't one of them.

 

[Acesneights1]

I know, the MPG is way better on the DB2. I suspect my low boost, is low fuel delivery caused bu=y the accelerator pedal cable. I have to get someone to help me but I strongly suspect I am barley getting over half the available travel with it. The cable looks new but I wonder if it's the wrong one ?? I don't see anyway to adjust it but there is alot of slack and I replaced the bushing on the eyelet at the IP linage so that is tight. it was worse before I did that. Maybe the moron who owned this truck put a gasser cable in ?? I could cut the crimp off the cable and use a lock from from a Holley carb/choke cable but I'd rather make sure there isn't another explaination first. There is no area of this truck that has not been butchered by the PO. A GM mechanic...what a joke. He should have his hands smashed with a sledge hammer so he can never soil the world of mechanics again. I mean really, they license people to drive, perhaps the should license people to own tools...(J/K). It's a sin what the jerkoff did to this truck.

 

[iamdave0887]

Kenny thats the old NV4500 in the pics?

That thing looks like it would literally fit right in place of where my SM465 fits. Looks to be almost the same size.

Do me a favor(when you can) and take some measurements of the length of the case(where it bolts to the bellhousing to the tail) and the distance from the trans mount area to the back where the t-case bolts to.

If it'll fit, i may actually hunt one down. Overdrive would be a real nice thing to have.

The t-case flange looks identical to mine. round 6 bolt flange.

Almost looks like the SM465 shifter would fit that top load hole, but i doubt it. For the hell of it, snap a pic of that too. :hihi:


Looking at the bellhousing pics, it looks just like the SM465 bellhousing save for the clutch fork/slave/etc is on the passenger side. I'd bet you'd be able to use a "SM465" bellhousing with the slave on the driver's side when you stuff the NV4500 into the CUCV. That way you can use an 80s style slave, clutch line, and master cyl. Everything would bolt right in.

 

[Acesneights1]

AFAIK, the SM465 uses a different bellhousing. The NV4500 I have is an early one so it has the shifter nub. I "think" the later ones have a 4 bolt shift tower. I know what I have is coveted by the Jeep and Toyota conversions. Both NV4500s are in the pics. The red painted newer looking one is the one I took out. The scuzzy looking one is the one I put it. I would have cleaned and painted it, but that is bad luck....
FWIW I think the later model NV4500s are better as the ratios are better defined to a diesel. The granny low is not really needed on a 4x4 as you could always put the transfer case in low if needed and my truck has a spot around 35-40 mph where it's too slow for 4th but running high RPMs in 3rd which IMHO contributes to the third gear going out on these probably from hanging in 3rd too much or shifting back and fourth alot. Although I have not driven a newer version, the ratios look like they address that problem

 

[Acesneights1]

What I don't get is why the 5spd gets so much better mileage. The direct drive I get but I would think the fact that is does not coast would hurt it. I was gonna turn the IP up a little but the thing runs good the way it is and gets really good mileage even with the big tires.

 

[1995yukon65]

Hey kenny, you want to trade trucks? Lol

 

[tanman_2006]

I am always shifting between 3rd and 4th in mine while in town and when towing i jam 3rd to make hills, that has to wear on them. I use the low 1st gear when towing in mine so IDK why you would say its not needed, I cant get off the line w/o it while pulling my tractor or swather and there is no way I am towing in 4x4 down the highway.

I get full fuel in my 93 and can bellow black smoke unloaded, If i keep my foot 1/2 way out of it I get good mileage 16-17 unloaded. When I shift I have to get atleast 1500 rpm in the next gear or it boggs and blows smoke. That probably has something to do with timeing and low boost. But it runs like a bat outa hell at 1900-3,000+

 

[iamdave0887]

AFAIK, the SM465 uses a different bellhousing.

I don't know. That one in the pictures look very similar to mine.

The trans bolts to the aluminum bellhousing with 4 3/4" head bolts(1/2-13 thread IIRC). The shifter tower might be too far back now that i look at your pictures again.

Damn, would be nice to put a NV4500 in the K-5, just to have overdrive, even though the 3.08s do help with a lack of overdrive right now.

 

[Acesneights1]

Oh, It can be done but I think you need a different bell housing. Trans is 20 1/2 inches long.

 

[Acesneights1]

I'd be curious to know for sure though. When I convert my CUCV I'd really like to use an older bellhousing with linkage. I hate these hydraulic setups.

 

[Acesneights1]

Got a leak what looks like it's actually coming from the center of the yoke ??