Posted by Gordon Maney on Sunday, May 26, 2002 at 11:06AM :
In Reply to: NP540 vs. NP435 - Overdrive?? posted by Kevin Schwartz on Saturday, May 25, 2002 at 1:06PM :
I have an overdrive 540 in a W300. Not many OD 540's (or 541's or 542's, for that matter) were used in Dodge medium duty trucks. I have been told that one place they were more likely found (even though they were rarely found, if you follow that thread...) was in school buses. Not a big load for a bus, and speed might be useful.
The NP 540 trans was used by other OEM manufacturers. Ford, International, Studebaker, and I believe Chevy also used it. I bought mine from a salvage yard specializing in truck parts. The transmission I got came from a Studebaker. The fellow had all the parts necessary to make it fit any of three other make trucks.
He had to change the input shaft and output flange to go in my Dodge.
Sometimes the transmission rebuilders will have them as rebuilt units, but they will be expensive.
As far as common parts between 540 and 435, there are virtually none, other than, I have been told, one or more of the synchronizer assemblies. Dave Cirillo would be qualified to offer additional comment on that.
Due to the odd shift pattern, unaware salvage yard people may have an overdrive 540 and not realize it, because they put their trans in the position they assume to be 5th, and the two shafts turn at the same speed.
good luck, it is a great transmission, and worth the effort or cost to obtain.