I am the new owner of another IDI

[Greg5OH]

sort of related;
http://ontario.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-cars-trucks-1982-gmc-3-3-diesel-W0QQAdIdZ461345809

What does everyone think of this truck? worth the cash in first place? no od is a little dissapointing but always possibility of an aux transmission. 14 bolt is comparable strength as well right? what kind of mileage do you thibk it gets unloaded/loaded?

 

[towcat]

The day we bought our sons suburban, there were two diesel burbs here on CL, one was a 94 with all the cooling system upgrades and the other was a 97 with no upgrades and 170,000 miles.
We opted to pass both up, only to read a diesel power article of how rare they are and how collectors snatch em up quick. Both suburbans sold that day and I've never seen another later model diesel for sale since.

i flat out do not trust the fly-by-wire trucks at all. i have yet to see one that didn't act up at the most inopportune time.

 

[towcat]

sort of related;
http://ontario.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-cars-trucks-1982-gmc-3-3-diesel-W0QQAdIdZ461345809

What does everyone think of this truck? worth the cash in first place? no od is a little dissapointing but always possibility of an aux transmission. 14 bolt is comparable strength as well right? what kind of mileage do you thibk it gets unloaded/loaded?

i seriously doubt it still has the first year motor, but if it does, the heads are unique as well as the valvetrain and injectors. if you need parts, it really sucks to be a first year motor.

 

[homelessduck]

I brought it up to the correct level. It took 5 quarts. I noticed the PO recently added a larger trans cooler so maybe he did that at the time of the engine swap and never topped it off.

Reverse still slips horribly and OD does as well. The other gears feel much better. If I put it in reverse it will creep back at idle but if you try to back up an incline it just slips.

Calvin : When you said it's either the low fluid or it needs a rebuild, what were you thinking it needed internally? Clutches? Could it just be a bad pump? It doesn't make any bad noises. I'm still going to drop the pan and check the filter but at this point I think I'll have to scrap the project.

 

[homelessduck]

I just checked the pressure through the cooler ( only place I could T in to) . P, OD,D,2nd and 1st have 50psi at idle. Reverse drops to 25psi. Forward geards work fine. It's reverse and OD that are having issues. I read somewhere that there is something that can be installed backwards and cause these exact symptoms.

Any ideas?

 

[towcat]

I brought it up to the correct level. It took 5 quarts. I noticed the PO recently added a larger trans cooler so maybe he did that at the time of the engine swap and never topped it off.

Reverse still slips horribly and OD does as well. The other gears feel much better. If I put it in reverse it will creep back at idle but if you try to back up an incline it just slips.

Calvin : When you said it's either the low fluid or it needs a rebuild, what were you thinking it needed internally? Clutches? Could it just be a bad pump? It doesn't make any bad noises. I'm still going to drop the pan and check the filter but at this point I think I'll have to scrap the project.

i'm suspecting the clutches got burned from the low fluid condition. drop the pan and look for problems.
if you want out from under this project, see if a magnet sticks to the transfer case body and take a pic. i may be interested if it is a np205 unit. rumour has it that the 6.5/4LL80E/NP205 existed for that year GM.

 

[homelessduck]

Calvin : You don't think it could be a pressure issue since reverse is significantly lower, and is actually suppose to be higher than forward gears?

Is it even possible that it could be the reverse band, servo, worn pin, or whatever that part is that can be installed incorrectly and leave you with no reverse or OD ..?

I value your opinion over anything else I read from Google so if you're pretty sure it's the clutches I won't even dig in to it much.more, other than dropping the pan.

 

[homelessduck]

Checked the pressure again. First time the tcm was unplugged, oops. Now it reads :

P,N,OD,D,2ND 25 psi.
1st is 45 psi.
Reverse is 50 psi.

 

[homelessduck]

I took it down my driveway in manual 1st - low to check for engine braking which apparently would rule out a bad rear band. It creeped down so I guess the band is good (?) .

Tcase is definitely not a 205.

It drove back up my driveway without slipping in manual 1st.

 

[homelessduck]

http://s20.postimage.org/79aen8krh/130304_0006.jpg
http://s20.postimage.org/kepwtcen1/130304_0005.jpg
http://s20.postimage.org/bkz0c8rod/130304_0004.jpg
http://s20.postimage.org/82n0fuqsd/130304_0003.jpg
http://postimage.org/image/tdkkk48wp/
http://s20.postimage.org/if9b1xkbh/130304_0001.jpg

If this does truly have 10k on it, isn't some metal normal for the first fluid change on a rebuilt / new trans?

The fluid looks fine, isn't burnt.

The yellow looking stuff on the filter in.the.last picture is just a reflection of the trees.

The filter was clean.

 

[towcat]

I brought it up to the correct level. It took 5 quarts. I noticed the PO recently added a larger trans cooler so maybe he did that at the time of the engine swap and never topped it off.

Reverse still slips horribly and OD does as well. The other gears feel much better. If I put it in reverse it will creep back at idle but if you try to back up an incline it just slips.

Calvin : When you said it's either the low fluid or it needs a rebuild, what were you thinking it needed internally? Clutches? Could it just be a bad pump? It doesn't make any bad noises. I'm still going to drop the pan and check the filter but at this point I think I'll have to scrap the project.

unlike other trans, GM hydramatic did away with manual band adjustment quite a few years ago. if your pump was NFG you would be affected in all gears.
looking at your pan, I'd be worried about the alu flakes. that's not normal by any stretch of the imagination.
can you post a pic of the transfer case?

 

[79jasper]

Towcat, isn't there something with 1st and reverse being on same clutch or something like that?

Meaning if one goes, both do?
Or am I thinking of a complete different transmission?

 

[homelessduck]

Yep, I'll snap a picture of it tomorrow.

 

[homelessduck]

Jasper : OD and reverse use the same clutch, which is the two gears that are slipping.

 

[79jasper]

In that case, I'd say it's definitely time for a rebuild or replacement.