My ZF has been just fine...it spent about 350K miles behind a 7.3l in an F-450 before the synchros went, and was rebuilt before being installed in my truck and hasn't given me anything even remotely resembling a problem yet. I actually did the swap in large part because the synchros on my T-19 were on their way out. I'm not trying to dispute the statement that the T-19/NP435 is as tough as nails; they're some of the strongest transmissions ever built...but I wouldn't categorize the ZF as being a piece of junk, either.
Just my $.02
and, also keep in mind that my truck's mostly a freeway cruiser/hauler...I used to take her off-road, but I finally learned that you can have a towing rig or an off-road rig...but you really can't reliably have both in the same truck. So, my truck's being built more as a towing rig, and someday I'll get an off-roader to play with
With double OD, 4.10 gears, and stock tires, I'm hoping I'll be able to get to 20 mpg on a regular basis...I'm already doing 17 to 18 highway mpg depending on how gentle I am with the throttle...and have broken the 20 mpg barrier a few times with the cruise set at 55 mph going down the I-5...
And, absolutely that van was clean
...I bought it in 2000 for $3K, and the odometer had
just rolled over for the first time. I really wish I could have found a way to keep the van and the truck... BTW, I don't think I mentioned this in one of my earlier posts, but that van had a 6.9l
doing glow plugs on the van was very simple; just unbolt the passenger's front seat, pull it back, remove the doghouse, and sit down on the floor. No getting wet (I had to do it on a rainy day) and not much getting dirty
I don't want to think about what a pump job or a head job would have been like, though...OTOH, in about 40K miles, the glow plugs, the starter, and the battery cables were the only things that engine needed