New Venture Gear 3500 transmission
Encyclopedia
The New Venture Gear 3500, commonly called NV3500, is a medium duty 5-speed overdrive manual transmission
manufactured by New Venture Gear
used by GM and Dodge in compact and full-size light trucks.
It can be identified by its two piece aluminum case with integrated bellhousing and top mounted tower shifter.
with the 4.0L inline 6. It looks similar to and could be mistaken for the Dodge NV3500 however the Jeep NV3550 bellhousing bolts to the transmission case.
There are four GM medium duty transmission designs that led to and are often mistaken for the NV3500:
Capacity:
NOTE:
Dodge Ram order code DDC
General Motors RPO codes
Full-size CK, Silverado, Sierra MG5
Small trucks S10 etc. M50
Wide Ratio Gearing Option in Dodge 1500 & GM Full-size Light Trucks:
Close Ratio GM S/T Small Trucks & 2500 Light Duty Dodge Ram Truck Gearing:
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
manufactured by New Venture Gear
New Venture Gear
New Venture Gear, a division of Magna Powertrain, is a automobile transmission company. It was founded in 1888 under the name "New Process Gear" then in 1934 it was purchased by Walter Chrysler. In 1999 New Process Gear was renamed "New Venture Gear" when it became a joint venture between General...
used by GM and Dodge in compact and full-size light trucks.
It can be identified by its two piece aluminum case with integrated bellhousing and top mounted tower shifter.
Similar Transmissions
In North America the NV3550 is used by JeepJeep
Jeep is an automobile marque of Chrysler . The first Willys Jeeps were produced in 1941 with the first civilian models in 1945, making it the oldest off-road vehicle and sport utility vehicle brand. It inspired a number of other light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover which is the second...
with the 4.0L inline 6. It looks similar to and could be mistaken for the Dodge NV3500 however the Jeep NV3550 bellhousing bolts to the transmission case.
There are four GM medium duty transmission designs that led to and are often mistaken for the NV3500:
- 1987 MG-290 MG= Muncie Gear
- 1988 HM-290 HM= Hydramatic Muncie
- 1989 5LM60 (early)
- 1991 NVG 5LM60 (late) NVG= New Venture Gear
- 1993 New Venture Gear releases the NV3500. Externally the earlier GM units "look like" the NV3500 however internal components were extensively re-designed.
- The HM290 and 5LM60 units have a complicated arrangement of 4 shift rails. The NV3500 has one shift rail.
- There are two designs for the 5LM60 input shaft and bearings (input shaft and main shaft). The first design 1988–1990 has a ball bearing with a roller bearing behind it. The second design has a much larger single ball bearing. The first design bearings are reputed to be failure prone. The updated input shaft and bearings carried through to the NV3500.
- All 5 of these transmissions can be interchanged as a complete unit with the following caveats.
- "Drop in" interchanges between GM S (S10 etc.) and C/K trucks will require modification of driveshaft length and crossmember placement. GM S models have a longer tail-shaft than C/K trucks.
- Master & slave cylinder bore sizes went from standard to metric in 1992 (Master: 11/16"->18mm, Slave 13/16" ->20mm)
- GM and Dodge transmissions will not interchange.
- The case and bellhousing are one piece with differing, engine specific, bellhousing bolt patterns.
- Dodge uses Dodge specific input shaft length, spline count, and pilot diameter.
- Dodge output spline count differs from the GM units.
Lubrication
Lubricants for the NV3500:- OEM Recommended:
- Mopar Manual Transmission Lubricant (4874464)
- GM Synchromesh Transmission Fluid (in US 12377916 in Canada 10953465)
- Less expensive alternatives CERTIFIED to meet GM 9985648 and Chrysler MS-9224:
Capacity:
- 4.2 pints DRY is stated in the Owners Manual and the Service Manual.
- When performing a fluid change some of the old oil will not drain out.
NOTE:
- 5W30 engine oil does not contain additives for use in manual transmissions.
- Additives in standard gear and axle lubes will etch the bronze synchronizers and 80W oil will not properly flow into the NV3500 bearings.
Applications
- 1993–1998 Chevrolet & GMC CK with 4.3 liter V6
- 1999–2006 Chevrolet SilveradoChevrolet SilveradoThe Chevrolet Silverado , is the latest line of full-size pickup trucks from General Motors.-History:...
1500 and 2500LD - 1999–2006 GMC Sierra 1500 and 2500LD
- 1993–2003 GM S (S10 etc.) trucks with 4.3 liter V6
- 1994–2001 Dodge RamDodge RamThe Dodge Ram is a full-size pickup truck manufactured by the Chrysler Group LLC. As of late 2010, it has been sold under the Ram Trucks brand. Previously, Ram was part of the Dodge lineup of light trucks...
1500 - 1994–1995 Dodge RamDodge RamThe Dodge Ram is a full-size pickup truck manufactured by the Chrysler Group LLC. As of late 2010, it has been sold under the Ram Trucks brand. Previously, Ram was part of the Dodge lineup of light trucks...
2500 Light Duty - 1994-2004 Dodge DakotaDodge DakotaThe Dodge Dakota is a mid-size pickup truck from Chrysler's Ram division. From its introduction through 2009, it was marketed by Dodge. The first Dakota was introduced in 1986 as a 1987 model alongside the redesigned Dodge Ram 50...
- 2000-2001 Jeep CherokeeJeep Cherokee (XJ)The Jeep Cherokee is a unibody compact SUV. It shared the name of the original full-size SJ model, but without a body-on-frame chassis, it set the stage for the modern SUV. Its innovative appearance and sales popularity spawned important imitators as other automakers began to notice that this...
with 4.0L/AMC 242 I6: NV3550 - 2000-2004 Jeep WranglerJeep WranglerThe Jeep Wrangler is a subcompact four-wheel drive sport utility vehicle and an off-road vehicle manufactured by American automaker Chrysler, under its Jeep marque – and now in its fourth generation. It is a successor to the famous World War II 'Jeep' vehicle by way of the Willys civilian...
TJ & LJ with 4.0L/AMC 242 I6: NV3550
Dodge Ram order code DDC
General Motors RPO codes
Full-size CK, Silverado, Sierra MG5
Small trucks S10 etc. M50
Features
- Single shift rail unlike the HM290 and 5LM60
- Distance between the centerline of the mainshaft and the countershaft is 85mm.
- Fully synchronized forward and reverse gears.
- A two piece aluminum housing with no access plates.
- A shift tower mounted shift leaver.
- GM RPO codes;
- Wide-ratio MG5
- Close-ratio M50
- Dodge order code DDC
- Rated for 300 ft·lbf of torque
- Weight 110 lb with oil
Wide Ratio Gearing Option in Dodge 1500 & GM Full-size Light Trucks:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.02 | 2.32 | 1.40 | 1.00 | 0.73 | 3.55 |
Close Ratio GM S/T Small Trucks & 2500 Light Duty Dodge Ram Truck Gearing:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.49 | 2.16 | 1.40 | 1.00 | 0.73 | 3.55 |