Questions....

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Cummins919

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Nov 30, 2008
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Alright the auto trans went out in my truck. Im wanting to do a NV swap because i believe it would be the cheapest route and most reliable for the costs. I can get a NV4500 for right at $850 and thats with almost every part i need to do the swap. Minus driveshafts and gear in transfer case and a few random things. If i rebuild the auto i want it built were it wont go out again but also i dont need it to hold up to more than 350hp. In your guy's opinion dont you think it would be cheapest to do an NV swap vs. getting the automatic rebuilt to hold up behind the cummins. Also i understand its more work to swap it over but im not worried about that part. Thanks
 
Personally, I would go with a built auto, but that's just me.

I like not having to shift, and the advantage at the track is undeniable. Mine is pushing about 60K on the build, and since it was done right, it still feels like the day it was built. I've pulled some heavy loads, but my day to day driving puts a pretty good workload on it too.

Seeing that I spend about 1.5 hours a day sitting in Houston traffic, the thought of rowing gears just makes me cringe now. :D
 
I understand what youa re saying but....i will not be racing and dont drive in traffic at all. Im looking at the costs of things and im hoping to be sittin around 500hp in the future. Im not worried about the work and love driving 5 speeds. Also im not worried about the work to swap everything out. Im more worried about the costs of everything. And i cant go spending tons on a trans to hold up to 500hp when i can be sensible with the NV and run it with just a nice clutch at 500hp. Im looking for the most cost effective way to do this. Again im not worried about the work. Thanks
 
You jumped 150hp from your first post to your 2nd. That is a big difference in either the clutch or auto tranny in terms of what it will need to be in order to hold up. An auto is a little more to build, but I think they hold up better. If you like 5 speeds though, then you have that option too.

Eric
 
The longer I've owned my 99' daily driver, the more I wish it was an Automatic just like my 95'.
 
Cummins Driver said:
You jumped 150hp from your first post to your 2nd. That is a big difference in either the clutch or auto tranny in terms of what it will need to be in order to hold up. An auto is a little more to build, but I think they hold up better. If you like 5 speeds though, then you have that option too.

Eric
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eric, the reason i say 500 is because i alomost have all the pieces to get to that range. If i build my auto i will not make the truck more than 350hp simply because i dont have the money. However if i do an NV swap i will more than likely be around that range. Sorry for any confusion.
 
With an auto you will probably need a billet input, laminated flexplate, and the rest of it built(clutches, VB, billet apply lever, band, and strut, etc..) if you want to hold 500hp. I am holding about 350hp on a stock rebuilt auto with a Goerend triple disc, billet input, VB, and suncoast flexplate. I have had great luck with it. It runs high 14's at the track and I have pulled it plenty of times. Transmission has over 100k miles on it(some of it with stock parts before i added the goerend stuff). So, a quality stock build with a billet input, flexplate, triple disc converter, and VB will hold 350hp well for a long time, but you are still looking at some $$.

A good single disc clutch will hold 500hp if you dont abuse it. So, the stick would be cheaper probably, but its just personal preference more than anything. I think a stick shift with the same HP as an auto feels stronger usually, but the auto will be faster. So, the stick may be more fun to drive.

Eric
 
Thats how i feel about it as well , i like the sticks and for price i thought the stick would be cheaper as well. How much was your trans in your truck to hold 350 ?
 
I wish I had an auto. I tow alot (heavy) and a single disc sucks for that, so there was $750 down the tube, Then I put in a dual disc with upgraded hydraulics, still jumpy but workable, $1300. Then I blew the trans, $1800 for a brand spankin new one.

How much does a built auto for ~500hp run? I think I blew enough money on this manual crap to knock a huge dent in the cost of a built one.

I sold a truck Identical to the one I have now except it was an auto, because I thought it would be cheaper to just throw in a clutch vs a built auto.

I would have a WAY nicer driving truck if I would have built the trans in the old one :(

My $.02

On Edit: 75% of the rigs I have owned have been sticks, 20% I converted to a stick, the other 5% I sold within a month of buying.
 
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freeze plugs

as it say freeze plugs can't keep them in the block had one come out about a week ago then earliy tonight had the one right behind the first one come out. olny around 30-42 lbs of boost woundering if i got the wrong ones or just didn't get them in right or do i have other problems
 
smokejunky said:
as it say freeze plugs can't keep them in the block had one come out about a week ago then earliy tonight had the one right behind the first one come out. olny around 30-42 lbs of boost woundering if i got the wrong ones or just didn't get them in right or do i have other problems
Click to expand...

Why did you post this in a thread about the cost effectiveness of possibly converting an auto to a stick? It has virtually nothing to do with it. Sorry if I'm sounding like a d*ck, but you need to start your own thread about this problem that your having with your freeze plugs, which I hate to say, is a common problem for some trucks. I hear about it more with common rails, but it can happen to any of them.

Rant done...

As far as converting to a stick, I agree with Cummins Driver. It probably will be cheaper in the long run to go with the NV since you say you're not afraid of the work it will take. I personally like shifting, but auto's are soooo nice when they're built right. I would never change my truck over to a manual. Just my personal preference.

You definitely aren't the first and won't be the last guy to do it. At least upgrade the 5th gear nut while your doing the swap. It will save you a possible headache in the future!
 
I'd go with the 5 spd myself. But I had a bad auto experience years back that has turned me off of them ever since, and I don't foresee that changing in the near future. If you do the 5 spd swap, I'd recommend getting a good dual disc right off the bat. I've got a SBC 3250 in my 12v and it drives just like stock. Nice and smooth, makes a bit of noise when on the clutch, but thats about the only flaw. It'll hold the power, and its still decently priced. I'm pretty sure you can get them for 1-1/4" input shafts, so that will save you $500 or so as well on the input shaft upgrade.
 
Cummins919 said:
Thats how i feel about it as well , i like the sticks and for price i thought the stick would be cheaper as well. How much was your trans in your truck to hold 350 ?
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I got a discount on a few parts. I probably have about $2300 in my transmission, and it still has never been rebuilt. However, when It goes out and I get Goerend to rebuild it, I already have a lot of his parts, so he will take that $2300 off the price of the built tranny. I would have about $2800 in it if I had to buy all of it for what it sells for.

Its not cheap, but its not really cheap either way you go about it, so that is why I say its all personal preference. Im happy with mine for now, and when it goes out ill have Goerend build it and Ill throw some more power at it then. I haul farm equipment and hay a decent bit in the summer and drive it every day without a problem.

When i got my truck I wanted a 5 speed bad. I thought I would end up swapping one in eventually, but then I got to reading about built auto's and put the parts in mine and I love it now. They are very reliable and fun to drive. Just not cheap, as you mentioned.

Eric
 
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