need help with id transfer case tag

[72timemachine]

My friend has a 1985 4x4 chevy truck with either a np 203 or 205 transfer case. Am I correct that the 205 is better constructed than the 203?

If he does have a 203 will the 205 ,ate up to the 700r4 we want to install, I have a 1991 700r4 that came out of an 84 blazer.

Finally, how do you understand what the round id tag on the transfer case means, the one in the picture is out of an s 10 but they all seem similar.

Thanks for any schooling help.

[JimmyFloyd]

find the tag on the transfer case. Copy the numbers and post them here. It should state on it which case it is.

[kwmech]

1985 will most likely be a 208

[Hoods69BadBowTie]

Np208s are aluminum. The major difference and the easyest way to tell the difference between the 205 and 203 T-cases are that the 205 has a fill plug and drain plug wheres the 203 only has a fill plug! The tag usually gives the name and where it was built I think and then what kind it is should be at the very top of it.

[71blksuper4x4]

That appears to be a 231 Transfer Case from the numbers on it. A np205 will bolt up to a 700r4 if you have a turbo 350 adaptor for the 205np I believe. Yes, to the question that a np205 is one of the best transfer cases. They would have only came in 1 ton 4x4's in 85. Most, like have been said, were np208's in 1/2 tons and 3/4 tons. Np203's were found from 73-80. Np205 were found from 1970- 1987. Trevor

[1969 GMC]

Originally Posted by 72timemachine

Finally, how do you understand what the round id tag on the transfer case means, the one in the picture is out of an s 10 but they all seem similar.

Thanks for any schooling help.

That is the newer NP tag. At the very top, it says "231 C" that is your model.
"11 89" is, I'm guessing, the build date. The "2 72" is the low range ratio (2.72:1). The other numbers may be a serial #, I am not sure about those.

The tag on my NP205's is different than pictured, it is on the edge of the pto cover, but it pretty much says the same things.

edit: if your friend's truck is a K30 1 ton, then it will either have th400/np205 or sm465/np205, both will have direct 32 spline couplings (no drive sleeve). they are worth a little more if and/or when you want to sell.