6.2 Retrofit, and Best Manual OD Trans?
Hello to The Diesel Page Members!
After doing a significant amount of research (and being very impressed by my friend's M1008), I'm in the market to retrofit a 6.2 and manual gearbox into a future Chevy pickup. Finding a good K10 or similar with diesel power down here in Bethesda is proving to be expensive, so if I'm going to have to do this myself, I figured I should ask the experts. I have a handful of questions, any advice would be greatly appreciated.
1) Are there any special mounts needed to retrofit the 6.2 into an early Chevy pickup, or will the engine bolt in?
2) I'm a big fan of manual transmissions. I've seen people talk about using T56s, NV3500s and NV4500s. What would be the 'best' O/D manual gearbox to use? Secondly, if the pickup already had a 4x4 transfer case, which manual O/D box would fit? I've never had any luck with the TH700R4 with anything I've owned, so manual it is.
3) What Flywheel / Clutch and Pressure plate should be used? How are you actuating the clutch - hydraulic clutch and slave or manual yoke (cable or hard linkage)?
4) It's going to come down to either an early (1967 to 72) K or C series retrofit, and barring that, higher on the range (73 to 89). All depends on what I can find.
I seriously fell in love with my friend's M1008 this past weekend; my eyes popped out when he told me he was getting low to mid 20s for MPG. The only disadvantage was the high gears (4.56) and the fact I can't find a truck in that configuration for under four grand.
Many thanks and best regards,
James F. Smith
Bethesda, MD
Novice Reply: Blind leading the Blind?
James,
It looks like it has been a week and no one has answered your questions.
I am by far not an expert, more of an enthusiast.
So, I will not provide you with any facts, just my opinions.
I hope that after the holidays, one of the Experts will chime, give you better information and tell you what an idiot I am! HAHAHA
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Znuh
1) Are there any special mounts needed to retrofit the 6.2 into an early Chevy pickup, or will the engine bolt in?
No.
If the early model Chevy truck was equipped with a V8 (307, 327, 350, 400) then a 6.2 will bolt right in
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Znuh
2) I'm a big fan of manual transmissions. I've seen people talk about using T56s, NV3500s and NV4500s. What would be the 'best' O/D manual gearbox to use? Secondly, if the pickup already had a 4x4 transfer case, which manual O/D box would fit? I've never had any luck with the TH700R4 with anything I've owned, so manual it is.
I am sorry you have bad luck with a 700R4,
I've known lots of folks that had bad luck and have read about even more folks that just hated them.
Personally, I have good luck with them; I have owned several, but I suppose my experiences are in the minority.
If you would reconsider a slushbox, I have a 4L80E behind the 6.2 in my cargo van.
It really does a great job.
As far as 5 speeds go, the NV4500 is the Big Dawg of the ones you have mentioned.
My opinion is that NV4500 is overkill for a 6.2
A NV3500 is what GM installed in 1/2 ton 4WD drive trucks.
Also, Jeep installed its cousin, NV3550 in Wranglers that were powered by a 4.0 I6 (lots of low grunt from that 6 banger)
These are very good medium duty transmissions.
I feel that for the output of a 6.2, that a NV3500 would serve you well, even in a 4WD application.
For a transfercase, I would seek out a NV3500 with it mating transfercase, I am guessing a NP241.
While it is possible to get the right combination (adapter bolt pattern, spline count, etc) I would feel it would easier and less headaches to trying to mate an older transfercase to a modern transmission, than to get one already mated.
The disadvantages of using a NV3500/NP241 combo are:
1. Driveshafts lengths might need to change.
2. Transfercase shifter issues to solve.
3. Transmission crossmember and mount concerns.
4. Speedometer cable concerns.
5. Does the Front axle differential line up with the new transfercase.
I do not know if this an issue in the GM world, but in the Jeep world, this is always an issue when performing swaps
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Znuh
3) What Flywheel / Clutch and Pressure plate should be used? How are you actuating the clutch - hydraulic clutch and slave or manual yoke (cable or hard linkage)?
I cannot answer is there is one Flywheel/Clutch and Pressure plate combo for a 6.2 that is better than another one.
The Clutch operation is independent of the 6.2.
It all depends on the truck that is going in and what bellhousing one has to use.
For example: If you were swapping in a 6.2 into a 67 C10 that came from the factory with a SBC and a 4 speed.
I would use the clutch arrangement that came in the truck.
Source a bellhousing that uses the Z bar and make sure it would work with the 5 speed that you were planning to use (depth of the bell compared the the length of the input shaft, transmission to bell bolt pattern, etc..)
If the truck was an automatic, then maybe an aftermarket hydraulic clutch maybe an easier solution.
Good Luck!
