1990 GMC 3500 question

farmer boy · Aug 22, 2011

Found one online while looking at trucks and have a few questions about them. The one I found has a 6.2L diesel with a manual trans. I assume it's a SM465. Are these transmissions well built? With a 6.2 you can't do much anyways but the 6.2 still had the ball$ to kill a 700r4. What kind of rear end came in them. Different options? or are the all geared low? Is the front axle solid. I would assume it is but aren't sure. I'm looking for something that would get better(more consistent) mileage than a 97 305 Vortec and actually be able to do a bit of work with it without being afraid of tearing it up. Just a general farm truck. Don't need to haul fast with it. Just needs to be able to haul a 16' livestock trailer which I know a 6.2 will do. I'm more or less sick of light duty 1/2 tons, with poor brakes, and poor transmissions. TIA

Bob · Aug 23, 2011

ONE comment...

The 6.2's were TOUGH on clutch disc hubs in those HEAVY applications.

Allan in NE · Aug 23, 2011

Just musings from my feeble old memory.

The tonners and suburbans always were one year behind in production changes; so if it is a 1990 model, think of it as a heavy version of the '89 pickup.

As Bob has said, I recall them being hard on clutches and brakes. Also, seems to me that was about when the ball joints were dealin’ them fits up the kazoo too.

Now, just about anything under the sun would “kill a 700-R4” and that’s why they were phased out in the middle eighties. Just a very poorly designed transmission and it took GM clear up until 1991 to finally get the thing somewhat straightened out as the 4L60.

All said and done tho, that small transmission was never put in a one-ton truck; just in the 2500s and half tons. Even then, it needed more cooling capacity and had trouble with the hard parts breaking.

These were the years when the manufacturers’ finally found out that the automatics were becoming way more reliable than the standard transmissions/clutches.

Now, if your just pulling a 16’ trailer, it will probably handle it just fine.

Allan

Goose · Aug 23, 2011

As I recall, early to mid '90's Chevy and GMC pickups with a manual trans were noted for noise in third gear.

We replaced several with low mileage used units and didn't gain anything. If you ignored a bit of noise, it didn't get any worse, nor did the trans fail.

farmer boy · Aug 23, 2011

What was put in the truck as an automatic. TH400? that's basically a 4l80e without over drive, right?

Allan in NE · Aug 23, 2011

400 was the three speed; 4L80 was/is the overdrive.

Allan

1990 GMC 3500 question

farmer boy

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Bob

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Allan in NE

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Goose

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farmer boy

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Allan in NE

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