Gear Vendors Overdrives?

[fryco]

Anyone with experience? Worth the price or not????

[ripdog28]

I dont have one but have never heard anything bad and only good comments from owners. They are a local company so id say go for it.

[BR3W CITY]

I went with a 4l80e instead to keep my overdrive. I'm running an LSx engine however, and without the electronics the 4l80e may be more of a pain.

[COBRO]

Ive got one behind a th400 and a 454 - they are bullet proof and drop the revs about 500rpm. The plus side over an overdrive auto is they are a gear splitter so your 3 speed auto turns into a 6 speed. I got mine used for less than half the cost of new so it was more than worth it to me and I found it just when I was doing a engine/trans swap so the timming was perfect. Compared to getting a OD trans. then rebuilding it the price of the new GV is close but the GV will out last several trans. so yes it is well worth it.
HTH CB

[fryco]

Thanks for the feed back, I'm knocking around different ways to get better fuel mileage. The old slug only gets about 3.5mpg rolling down hill with a tail wind, mostly because of its methanol fuel. I guess the 4.56 rear don't help either. I just want to get it over 5mpg. I could simply switch to race gas and roughly get 4- 6mpg. Its similar cost per mile.... But, I would need another carburetor, blah blah, blah... With that mind, $1000-$1500 for another carb or $2600 for the overdrive??? Which I don't know if it will fit (My truck has the four rail frame)

p.s. I know you can convert carburetors back and forth for fuel type.

[BR3W CITY]

just thought, you can run the 4l80e with a full manual body and not worry about the electronics

[Captainfab]

What do you mean by "four rail frame"?

Originally Posted by fryco

Thanks for the feed back, I'm knocking around different ways to get better fuel mileage. The old slug only gets about 3.5mpg rolling down hill with a tail wind, mostly because of its methanol fuel. I guess the 4.56 rear don't help either. I just want to get it over 5mpg. I could simply switch to race gas and roughly get 4- 6mpg. Its similar cost per mile.... But, I would need another carburetor, blah blah, blah... With that mind, $1000-$1500 for another carb or $2600 for the overdrive??? Which I don't know if it will fit (My truck has the four rail frame)

p.s. I know you can convert carburetors back and forth for fuel type.

[fryco]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

What do you mean by "four rail frame"?

My frame has inner frame rails that come together that form a drive shaft loop now. The stock carrier bearing for the two piece drive shaft was located in it originally. Maybe I used a poor choice of words. Check out the picture you'll see what I mean.. I changed the height of the frame rails, but the shape mimics stock frame.

[Captainfab]

Oh okay, I see now. You have the '60-'62 X-member frame. That explains your comment about the room. For some reason I thought your truck was a '63. Very nice truck BTW

[fryco]

It is a 62', the grill messes with people, stock grill is ugly.

I found a guy on e-bay selling a turbo 350 w/converter (all TCI) with a attached gear vendors overdrive for $2100, I don't have good luck w/ebay. I purchased my transmission thats presently in my truck from a e-bay store. Transmission was assembled wrong, wrecked second gear and drive instantly.... I never did have any luck with "used parts". The seller is way to far away to go and inspect... Think I'll let it go

[stich626]

go g/v and you'll have it for life..
a 4l80e blows drums,, and cost the amount of a g/v to rebuild(core+ the rebuild) then add controller and converter
some of the 8sec rides on drag week use them.
they are very strong..you get better mph not only from the o/d but from the gear splits
as it alows the engine rpm to stay the same.. (or close) no big drops
and that gives better mpg...

[ripdog28]

GV are good for around 2000 hp. They have less drop in revs between shifts for faster ET. yet you get 6 gears..... IMO, 2100 for trans and GV is well worth it, especially if the trans is built with a brake. GV are over 2k alone new. A 4L80 will cost over $3-4k to handle the same power as a built 400/GV

[raycow]

The one downside of the GV, when compared with a 4L80 or any other overdrive automatic, is that you don't have a lockup converter. This means that your converter slips more when the GV shifts into OD. You are putting more torque through the converter at lower rpm, so the slip increases. That slip goes toward heating up the oil, and it is costing you in terms of gas mileage.

Ray

[stich626]

Originally Posted by raycow

The one downside of the GV, when compared with a 4L80 or any other overdrive automatic, is that you don't have a lockup converter. This means that your converter slips more when the GV shifts into OD. You are putting more torque through the converter at lower rpm, so the slip increases. That slip goes toward heating up the oil, and it is costing you in terms of gas mileage.

Ray

that depends I know of a few th350 with lock up
and quite a few 200r4's with a g/v and lock up

[fryco]

Originally Posted by stich626

that depends I know of a few th350 with lock up
and quite a few 200r4's with a g/v and lock up

I never gave the slippage thing a thought. I guess my 4200 stall would be doing allot of that...

I think when spring comes around I'm going to try some things with the carburetor to get a little better mileage. Maybe stretch out the throttle linkage, I have a feeling I'm in the secondary s going down the road. Possibly throw the 160 jets in it(little guys), it currently has 180's all the way around. I tried this past summer in the shop, the motor ran real rough. But, later I found a bad power valve, never tried the small jets again... It runs great, kinda don't want to mess with it. (which brings up overdrive questions....)

If I had a traditional style frame I would just buy it and get it over with.

Anybody know of anyone thats fit one of these (gear vendors) into a 62 frame?

[Fitz]

Originally Posted by fryco

Anyone with experience? Worth the price or not????

Go for it. I put one behind a JW Racing built Turbo 400 hooked to a ZZ572....It can take everything that motor can put out and not break! Definitely worth the $.

[AirMale]

GearVendors behind a T-400 and a 540
Easy install
Auto or manual shifts
rated to 2000hp
high rpm stall convertors won't slip until torque is applied so "cruising" at 2200 rpm DOES NOT HEAT UP THE TRANS OIL PERIOD

[turbo350]

Another thumbs up for the gv unit. A buddy put one in his 'vette years ago and he does alot of autocross and some road racing. Lots of abuse and really no issues with it.

[xteamxtreme]

So with this slipage issue, would this make the gv unit a bad choice for the weekend drag racer with or without the high rpm stall converter. Also, what does one of these units weigh?

[bigsnookmaster]

Originally Posted by fryco

Thanks for the feed back, I'm knocking around different ways to get better fuel mileage. The old slug only gets about 3.5mpg rolling down hill with a tail wind, mostly because of its methanol fuel. I guess the 4.56 rear don't help either. I just want to get it over 5mpg. I could simply switch to race gas and roughly get 4- 6mpg. Its similar cost per mile.... But, I would need another carburetor, blah blah, blah... With that mind, $1000-$1500 for another carb or $2600 for the overdrive??? Which I don't know if it will fit (My truck has the four rail frame)

p.s. I know you can convert carburetors back and forth for fuel type.

No offense, but with the truck you built running on methanol, why are you worrying about mileage? I've got a mechanical roller 406, and kinda threw the mileage thing out the window myself.

[KQQL IT]

Originally Posted by bigsnookmaster

No offense, but with the truck you built running on methanol, why are you worrying about mileage? I've got a mechanical roller 406, and kinda threw the mileage thing out the window myself.

Smiles per gallon. Not miles per gallon.
Posted via Mobile Device

[fryco]

Originally Posted by KQQL IT

Smiles per gallon. Not miles per gallon.
Posted via Mobile Device

I hear that, I was only trying to get about 5mpg out of it... And maybe slow the motor down a touch on the highway. My engine builder told me it wouldn't do a hole lot better on gas. Mainly heat up way faster and start easier.... I think thats why the mileage is so bad, i wasn't taking in to account the fuel I use to warm it up. (it has to cost $10 to move the temp gauge, lol!!!)

Well the Gear Vendors dream has passed for now... The tax man got me good (and a few others) I think i'm going to just play with it as is for a while. until the piggy bank heals a little.

The way things look around here its never going to get out of the garage. 6-10 inches of snow tonight, really mid April, gotta love Wisconsin!