I've decided to ditch the ole 258 and drop in a V8. Going to be a 350 Chevy. Found a guy who sells slightly used GM motors with 1 year warranties for good prices. It's going to be a Vortec, LT1, LS1, or Ram Jet. Depends on what he's got in a month and price. So here is the question, NV4500 or auto?? Going to put an Atlas II in at the same time. If auto, which one and torque converter? I'm talking souteast wheeling here so I'm in mud, rocks, and mud and rocks together if that makes a difference. Vehicle specs as follows...

1984 Scrambler
Front and Rear 60's
5.13 gears
Spool Rear
Detriot Lockers
39.5x18 boggers
4.5" Rubicon Express YJ springs SOA

This is jeep is rarely on the street, mainly a trail rig. Thanks

Auto

Can't recommend specifics for that motor but 700r4 and turbo350 seem to be popular. There is a post about torque converters and such in gen4x4.

Just search gen4x4 for "torque converter"

Hey is that Joe? If it is, would you mind hooking me up with the contact info for that engine guy? I'm seriously looking to do a V-8 in my CJ-7. Email me if you get a chance.

If you want to talk about the NV4500/Atlas II, I can show you my junk, or Patrick, or Jack. We're all running that combo. I think Patrick's would be closest to your setup though.

Manual or Auto, geez you don't want to start any flame wars do ya:rolleyes: . Pick whichever you please, both work well. If it is purely rock crawling you may like an auto, they are easier. If you do go auto go with a 700r4 or the newer 4L60e. 3-1 first gear and 70% overdrive. NV4500 is an excellent manual, you get a granny first gear and overdrive for highway. If you won't be driving this on road much go with a sm420 or t-18a. ~7-1 first gears, and usually a lot cheaper than the nv4500. Just make sure if you get a 700r4 it is the newer late 80s model, or upgrade the parts to the new style.

Ben

The 4L60E would not be a bad choice, in addition to the 700R4 & TH350. I'm not sure if you can hook a 700R4 up to an ECM for an LT1 or other motors, which means you'd need the stand alone computer. Not a big deal, but the expense is added on. That being said, a 700R4 is probably cheaper than a 4L60, but otherwise the same in regards to the case, etc. The 87 & older 700R4s are crap, so if you get one rebuilt, make sure it's been updated.

You may not need such low gearing in the Atlas with the 700R4 or 4L60E because they're OD, which means lower gears in the axles will be sufficient. With the auto, the crawl ratio is not nearly important.

Bryan

i ran a manual for a long time and when i swapped in my 99 vortec 350 i swapped in a th400 at the same time. I LOVE IT!!!! i was worried that i would not like it but i like it alot better than the np435 that i used to run. i run a vortec 350, th400, and atlasII 3.8 with 4.56's and 42" tsl's. it works really well.

if you go auto a setup like my th400 works well. i have a 4x4 version of the th400 that came with a np208 case. i ordered my atlas witha 32 spline input and it bolted right up to the th400/208 adapter with the exception of one hole that i had to redrill. the other 5 mounting holes lined up. anyway as i said i really like running the auto.

I'm on a hunt for a 5.7 vortec with the th400 and a 208 transfercase...what would be a good donor vehicle. I'm assuming a Suburban, Chevy 2500 or 3500 P/U or Van.

I also guess that the manuals had the NV4500...

Cheers

Originally posted by cjshawn
I'm on a hunt for a 5.7 vortec with the th400 and a 208 transfercase...what would be a good donor vehicle. I'm assuming a Suburban, Chevy 2500 or 3500 P/U or Van.

I also guess that the manuals had the NV4500...

Cheers

you will not find a vehicle with the combo you listsed. maybe a tbi 350 but not the vortec. the th400's and 208's came bevore the vortec version of the 350's

top

Originally posted by high5


you will not find a vehicle with the combo you listsed. maybe a tbi 350 but not the vortec. the th400's and 208's came bevore the vortec version of the 350's

Correct. The TBI starts in 87 and newer Suburbans or similar trucks. At some point in late 87 I think, you also lose the TH400 and 208 and end up with a 700R and a 241.

Another vote for Auto. I have a 4.0/999 in my YJ and its my first auto. I love it! I am looking into a V8 swap and it WILL be and auto behind the V8.

Don't listen to all these wimps telling you to get the slushbox. Get the NV4500 and shift it your own damn self. I've got a Ramjet 350 with the chevy NV4500 and it's an awesome combo. No worries about roasting your tranny either.

Another bad thing you might want to keep in mind going with a high-horse V8 and an auto tranny is that it will be harder to keep your engine cool because of the added heat being dumped into your radiator by the internal tranny cooler.

I vote for the NV.

HTH,
Jake

hey I wanna know where you are getting the engine from too....I am in atlanta (actually I think I know you) and wanna price a v8 or too.

although I will probably just go stip one out of pull-a-part

Another vote for an auto. I love my 4.2/999 combo! Way better than the 5 spd I had in the jeep before the auto. I've NEVER regretted putting in the auto, even when the tranny seal blew a couple days ago :mad: Once I get that fixed, I'll be a happy clam again.
Scott

Originally posted by Ketchup Dog
I've NEVER regretted putting in the auto, even when the tranny seal blew a couple days ago
Scott

Thank you Scott. You make my point for me. :D

Originally posted by Jakesteramalamajama


Thank you Scott. You make my point for me. :D

my point is unless you have run both in a trail rig then you can not give a a good comparison. with an auto yes there are more things to go wrong but you just take the time to do things to aliviate the problems. get a big cooler and build a skid plate so you will not rip a hole in the pan. i run a th400 and have had no problems. as i stated in my earlier post i ran a manual in my jeep for 10 or 11 years. i was uncertain of swapping to an auto but it seemed that with my manual that sometimes i just did not have the right gear. usually first was good for crawling but it was no good for wheel speed. 2nd was alittle better for wheel speed but 3rd and 4th were basically useless. there seemed to be too big of a jump between 2nd and 3rd. anyway i was alittle worried about swapping to an auto but now that i have one i love it. it flat out works better off-road then my manual did. with the way that the torque converter works i can crawl and have wheel speed all in 1st gear. it is awsome and i will never go back. i have run both so i am just giving input from my experience.

Originally posted by high5


my point is unless you have run both in a trail rig then you can not give a a good comparison.

I have run both and I was giving an opinion, not a comparison. Keep the automatics where they belong: Luxury cars.

:flipoff2: :D

Jake