Howdy all! I toasted my third NV3500, so I figured it was time for an upgrade. I purchased a used NV4500 and a 241 HD transfer case, supposedly both from a 1 ton. (The transfer case does have a PTO cover.) I went to great lengths and much money. The 3/4 ton clutch fit nicely, bellhousing bolted right up, and had my driveshaft altered. I filled the transmission with 3 quarts of Mobil 1 synthetic 75w-90 and one quart of Mobil 1 synthatic blend 80w-90, and the transfer case with Mercron-Dexron III auto transmission fluid. But she shifts kinda sluggish, and I put the transfer case in 4HI on straight asphalt and something kept "popping" rythmically, accompanied by a "whirring" noise. All my tires are aired up equally, and the noise stopped when I went back to 2HI. If this is just the uber transmission-transfer case, I can live with that. But if I got shafted with blown parrts, I need to know. Thanks!!

 

According to Wikipedia.
These are the ONLY lubricants recommended by New Venture Gear for the NV4500:

• 75W-90 Castrol Syntorque Synthetic (NOT the same as Castrol Syntech)
• Mopar Manual Transmission Lubricant (PN 4874465)
• GM Goodwrench Synthetic Manual Transmission Fluid (PN 12346190 in Canada 10953477)

What fluid were you using in your NV3500s?? I've beat my NV3500 like it owes me money and it's holding up fine so far with over 170K miles..

It's also recommended that you overfill the NV4500 by 1 quart..

 

I'm not sure.... 45k miles ago, I bought the truck and had a trans shop rebuild my 3500 cause I had no 3rd gear, but he said something had broken inside and he couldn't get it open. He sourced a used one, but it kept popping violently out of first after about a week, so he got another one. I told him to put synthetic in it then, and now this.

Overfill by 1 quart? How do you do that? Through the shifter?

 

Go to the hardware store and build a 90 degree angle out of pipe and thread that into the fill hole of your transmission. When installed straight up you should get another inch of oil in there. Did this on my old Getrag and it work good.

 

Better drain that gear oil out pronto. you WILL burn up the nv4500 in a hurry unless you put in the correct fluid. I cant think of many manuals that still use gear oil.

 

Yeah, did change my fluid to the Mopar 4500 fluid a little while back. But now I'm noticing an oil leak around the extension housing. Hmmm. By the by, no one I talk to will answer me; I liked how I could slip in and out of gear with my 3500 when it was new(ish), but my 4500 won't. It kinda just "clunks" in and out of gear. Is this a symptom of excessive wear? Or just a side effect of this particular trans?

 

our older olivers...

 

My wife's 2000 VW Beetle's 5-speed uses gear oil...

 

I didnt say NO vehicle uses gear oil any more. Most have gone away from it. Some still use it.

 

Depends. The 4500 has a different shift feel to it. Its a bit rougher than the 3500.