What can be said about the 4-speed New Process NV833 overdrive manual transmission?

[LT7A]

Dude! Gettin' after it! Good luck with this. I envy you having this transmission. I am relegated to slush-boxes in my trucks.

[hatzie]

The hardened and ground bearing surface finish on a new or serviceable used countershaft should be absolutely smooth. Just like a freshly ground crankshaft journal... maybe smoother.

How rough is yours where the needle bearings ride?
The reason I ask is... It looks like you have at least four well defined wear rings from the needle bearings. The two on the slotted end look rough enough that I would consider a new countershaft... or spray welding and re-grinding back to spec.
How does the countershaft needle bearing bore opposite those wear rings look and feel?

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by hatzie

The hardened and ground bearing surface finish on a new or serviceable used countershaft should be absolutely smooth. Just like a freshly ground crankshaft journal... maybe smoother.

How rough is yours where the needle bearings ride?
The reason I ask is... It looks like you have at least four well defined wear rings from the needle bearings. The two on the slotted end look rough enough that I would consider a new countershaft... or spray welding and re-grinding back to spec.
How does the countershaft needle bearing bore opposite those wear rings look and feel?

thank you, I concur. Yesterday morning I dropped this transmission off at my local manual transmission rebuild shop and we will see what they say. I was quoted $300 to put it back together, I like to share the cost information cause I know that is something I would want to know about. Keep in mind I provided them with the $200 rebuild kit already. They said it will be done in a couple days, but that may be in mechanic/machinist time, LOL! so we shall see, no rush on my end

[Gregski]

it's been a while since I updated you all, so here it goes, I added this to my Restoring Rusty thread, but it ought to be here too

Ok, let me come clean and tell you I am not about to rant or complain,
I am just taking you with me on this journey as I always do be it to Home Depot, Auto Zone, or the Pick n Pull junk yards.

So I drop off my transmission in pieces in a cardboard box and zip loc baggies to them on Wednesday morning 7:00 am before I go to work.

They say it will take them a couple days to get it done. That sounded good to me.

So I figure, they will start on it that day, the next day for sure, and maybe I can pick it up Friday after work, sounds reasonable to me, but hey I'm not in a rush

[Gregski]

... so a week goes by and I don't call them on purpose to see when or if they will ever call me (they do have my contact information written on the cardboard box and on blue tape on some of the zip loc baggies)

after a week I call them (realizing couple days in mechanic time may mean couple weeks in human time, lol)

Two guys work at this small shop, and the guy who answers the phone puts me on hold and goes to talk to the second guy to find out the status (fair enough) - - - then the phone gets disconnected, I think it was accidental.

I call back after an hour to give him ample time to gather the pertinent information and I go straight to voicemail and have to leave a message (no big deal)

couple hours later I get a call back...

There are Two Things Wrong with my transmission, (cool I think, they found the problem/source of the noise it has been making)

1. The tip of the Main Shaft needs machining - $135 dollars Extra!

2. The counter shaft pin moves around and I either need a new case or my case needs a bushing installed - $185 dollars Extra!

and 3. This shop does some machining but not this type of work so there is a delivery fee to take my parts to another shop and back - $100 dollars Extra!

So $300 => $720

[Gregski]

Exactly THREE WEEKS later (just a quick update) they are not answering their phone, I leave messages and they are not calling me back, and you wonder why I do as much work on my truck myself as I can instead of taking it to "the shop", ha ha

peace 'n' chicken grease

[hatzie]

Originally Posted by Gregski

Exactly THREE WEEKS later (just a quick update) they are not answering their phone, I leave messages and they are not calling me back, and you wonder why I do as much work on my truck myself as I can instead of taking it to "the shop", ha ha

peace 'n' chicken grease

Same reason here. Got used to doing my own work when I was young N poor and can't stomach the BS now that I'm old and grumpy.

"If you take it someone else you don't know what kind of bad job they're going to do. If you do it yourself... you'll know."

[LT7A]

Gregski, You might want to make a parts list and go get everything and make sure it's all there. You aren't dealing with a reputable shop and I would hate to see you lose parts to it. Took a long time for you to get what you needed for it.

[KDO]

Originally Posted by LT7A

Gregski, You might want to make a parts list and go get everything and make sure it's all there. You aren't dealing with a reputable shop and I would hate to see you lose parts to it. Took a long time for you to get what you needed for it.

And another piece of advise, take a friend or two with you. When a shop stops responding, they are either closed and out of business or expecting you to stop by and will hit you up for more money. Go get your stuff right away!

[hatzie]

Originally Posted by LT7A

Gregski, You might want to make a parts list and go get everything and make sure it's all there. You aren't dealing with a reputable shop and I would hate to see you lose parts to it. Took a long time for you to get what you needed for it.

Originally Posted by KDO

And another piece of advise, take a friend or two with you. When a shop stops responding, they are either closed and out of business or expecting you to stop by and will hit you up for more money. Go get your stuff right away!

This is probably the best course of action.
These guys sound more than a little dodgy.
Make sure they haven't "Lost" some of the original parts that are damn close to irreplaceable now.

[Gregski]

I appreciate all the advice and for all of you fallowing along, being a lover and not a fighter I decided to wait it out a bit, lol

Anyway FOUR WEEKS to the day today, so here is your update:

Got a call from them, they said the machinist at the machine shop was on vacation, (reasonable it being Thanksgiving season and all) they apologized and said the transmission will be ready this week, Thursday or Friday at the latest.

[Gregski]

Five weeks later to the day I got the transmission back. $720 for the labor on top of the $200 worth of rebuild kit parts I dropped off to them with the gear box already

[Gregski]

so took today off (Friday) and after waiting for the Mercury to rise above a toasty 40* F started in the garage at 9:00 am

spent the first 45 minutes or so fartin' around and cleaning up the work area as it got to the point where I was loosing my mind, maybe some of you can relate

then took a 15 minute coffee break ...

but by 11:33 am the old transmission was out

and by 11:59 am the new one was in

then it was time for LUNCH, not bad for a one clown circus act

[Gregski]

So the transmission is fixed, it no longer makes the strange Chubaca noise, however it is not a quiet / silent transmission like a modern day Toyota one, ha ha, don't get me wrong it doesn't grind or rattle but it just kinda sounds like an 80s transmission ought to sound, even after a proper rebuild.

So do I like it? Short answer is not really.

Which transmission do I like better the NP833 or the Saginaw? The Saginaw by far. Why? it is a much more fun truck to drive, it is peppier. Compared, the NP833 feels like I am haulin a load of cement in the back, ha ha. Keep in mind this Saginaw came from a little Vega or a Monza so it was geared for less torque which makes it quicker rather than faster, I may be explaining this wrong, but you know what I mean.

So here is what I learned, so I will share / repeat (cause you all know this already)


GEARS-----NP833 RATIO-----SAGINAW RATIO
1st-------------3.09------------------3.50
2nd------------1.67------------------2.40
3rd------------ 1.00------------------1.65
4th-------------.73-------------------1.00

the bigger the RATIO number the quicker the truck in that gear (of course assuming the rear differential ratio stays the same as in my case it did, I did not run out and swap the rear end to the 4.11 gears, although yes I am thinking about it especially now that I have Overdrive again), so stay tunned

[hatzie]

Originally Posted by Gregski

So the transmission is fixed, it no longer makes the strange Chubaca noise, however it is not a quiet / silent transmission like a modern day Toyota one, ha ha, don't get me wrong it doesn't grind or rattle but it just kinda sounds like an 80s transmission ought to sound, even after a proper rebuild.

So do I like it? Short answer is not really.

Which transmission do I like better the NP833 or the Saginaw? The Saginaw by far. Why? it is a much more fun truck to drive, it is peppier. Compared, the NP833 feels like I am haulin a load of cement in the back, ha ha. Keep in mind this Saginaw came from a little Vega or a Monza so it was geared for less torque which makes it quicker rather than faster, I may be explaining this wrong, but you know what I mean.

So here is what I learned, so I will share / repeat (cause you all know this already)


GEARS-----NP833 RATIO-----SAGINAW RATIO
1st-------------3.09------------------3.50
2nd------------1.67------------------2.40
3rd------------ 1.00------------------1.65
4th-------------.73-------------------1.00

the bigger the RATIO number the quicker the truck in that gear (of course assuming the rear differential ratio stays the same as in my case it did, I did not run out and swap the rear end to the 4.11 gears, although yes I am thinking about it especially now that I have Overdrive again), so stay tunned

The A833 is tougher than the Saginaw but it's geared for long distance freeway driving.

I liked the Saginaw automobile 4 speeds' evenly spaced gears for daily driving in my first 1/2 ton, and the A-Body LeMans I had in high school, rather than the huge jump from 1st to 2nd like most truck transmissions. It'll last a long long time as long as you don't do burnouts and it's probably better for fuel mileage around town.

A Gear Vendors Overdrive on the A833 would allow you to split shift 1st or a Ranger under-drive would let you split shift 2nd but they're too bloody expensive for just one more gear.

[dragonball98312]

I know its been awhile since anyones posted here but was curious if anyone has experience with the van my6. Im buying a 89 g20 that has this transmission. Mostly curious about the shifter. Pretty sure ill have to swap the stick but is the shifter in the same location as the trucks? I know the transmount is further back. I was also suprised that it being a 89 it was still a mechanical clutch and not hydraulic

[D13]

Van tail housing, brackets and rods are different than trucks. Not sure about plates inside the shifter, but the shifter itself is a Hurst and all the wear parts are available.

[dragonball98312]

Thanks. Mostly curious if i could still run my bench if i got a different shift handle

[MusicMan70]

Dragonball,
thanks for posting those photos of the Van application in it's "natural" factory installed state. I could never tell how it was exactly mounted but can see it now.

Here is a photo of the shifter alone. The reverse is on the right center as opposed to the left and up on the truck shifters

As far as the handle goes, you could get one of these angled-for-a-bench seat applications.

[dragonball98312]

Yeah i thought it was pretty unique. Never seen one in the van before but knew it was an option. I was buying parts off a guy who claimed he had a parts van that was a factory 4 speed. Needless to say i was intrigued. Worked out a deal and ill be bringing it home soon. Ill be sure to take alot of pictures

[Dazzoman]

Originally Posted by dragonball98312

I know its been awhile since anyones posted here but was curious if anyone has experience with the van my6. Im buying a 89 g20 that has this transmission. Mostly curious about the shifter. Pretty sure ill have to swap the stick but is the shifter in the same location as the trucks? I know the transmount is further back. I was also suprised that it being a 89 it was still a mechanical clutch and not hydraulic

I bought one online only to find out the factory (made by hurst) shifter was indeed positioned farther away than the truck application . I sold it and found another that did fit a bit closer to the seat . I got around that by removing the shifter rod and heat bending it enough to reach around for the seat clearance .
The photos here with the red brick background are my old photos I took . Hope this helps .