NOVAK ADAPTER FRUSTRATION-Please help!
76cj7chick
Old Time Jeeper
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- Location
- WA
- Vehicle(s)
- 1976 CJ7 Jeep with a engine/tranny/wiring harness out of a 1988 s10 blazer 4.3l v6 with th700r4 automatic tranny and a cj7 Dana 300 transfer case with Novak adapter.
Complete wiring harness from the s10 blazer. Painted with HOT PINK Pearl paint with standard sized metallic halographic pink flakes. Painted by me -a newb. New rear, front and side three wire LED lights, New parts, new custom dash-by me And a lot of guidance from fellow jeepers and lots of prayers etc.... :p
So, I decided to install a 4.3l v6 TBI with th700r4 Transmission from a 1988 Chevrolet S10 Blazer into my 1976 CJ7 Jeep.
I contacted Novak adapters and Jeff was extremely helpful with my many questions and uncertainties of which kits I would require. After I felt comfortable with the parts I thought I needed I went ahead and made the order with Jeff over the phone.
Here is a list of items I purchased for the mod:
Kit 172 adapter 700r4 to Dana 20 Transfer Case
6 Spline Transfer Case gear
RM103 Transmission bracket and mount kit
(I didn't need some of the items they had for sale like the motor mounts as I already had a pair).
When I ordered the items, Novak was in the process of manufacturing the adapters, but it took just under two weeks to get the adapter kits.
Upon receiving the box, I opened it and took account of the parts. Everything appeared to be there. One good thing is they pre-assembled the main adapter. I also got a four page overall description of the th700r4, how to identify one, compatibility among other things they have for sale, and two short paragraphs with instructions on how to install the adapter. No pictures or installation instructions that a novice could feel comfortable with going forward with the install.
So, I contacted Novak to get some questions answered.
Jeff was not available (Fri July 3) perhaps due to the holiday the next day. But I did speak to another representative who was not as helpful. I will not mention his name but he was quite blunt and say that the parts and adapter and spacer can only go in one way. Perhaps it would be easy for the vetran builder. But this is my first time ever doing an engine swap and I want to make sure it is correct the first time. Especially after spending close to $1000 on their parts including shipping, and purchasing a Blazer to install the engine and Transmission in the jeep. Not to mention all of the labor I have done to remove the parts from the jeep and blazer.
I then said that the instructions say to apply grease to the Transmission spline and gear that go into the Transfer Case but doesn't mention the type or how much. Novak said to use as much as or as little as I want and that wheel bearing grease is fine or the grease in the grease gun. (If anyone can confirm or correct this please let me know).
I then visited their website again to see if I could find any pictures of how the adapter is set up. There aren't any pictures that specifically have my adapter but it did show how the Transmission mount should be installed. I was just playing around with how the adapter appeared to fit the best. Thinking I got it right, I installed the stud bolts into the rear of the Transmission then put the adapter sub-plate, (which is shorter than the adapter and goes between the adapter and Transmission ). I then lined up the Transmission splines to the adapter and easily slipped it on but then it stopped 3/4" before the sub-plate. I tried this several times same issue.
It was quite late when I discovered this issue, so had to send Jeff an email. Someone mentioned that their website they require the Transmission shaft to be CUT in order for the adapter to fit! I told them that I thought that was only if the Transmission was 2wd as mine is a 4wd version. I would have appreciated knowing this from the beginning. As I don't have the skills or tools to CUT a Transmission spline. If this is true, then why not make the adapter longer to not require this head-ache? I thought I would get an adapter that was easy to install.. Not one that requires to butcher the Transmission spline.
I plan on contacting Novak this Monday to hopefully figure this issue out.
If Novak doesn't make a simple adapter to just bolt to the Transmission and my Transfer Case , would ANYONE know of a company that does??!?!?!
I contacted Novak adapters and Jeff was extremely helpful with my many questions and uncertainties of which kits I would require. After I felt comfortable with the parts I thought I needed I went ahead and made the order with Jeff over the phone.
Here is a list of items I purchased for the mod:
Kit 172 adapter 700r4 to Dana 20 Transfer Case
6 Spline Transfer Case gear
RM103 Transmission bracket and mount kit
(I didn't need some of the items they had for sale like the motor mounts as I already had a pair).
When I ordered the items, Novak was in the process of manufacturing the adapters, but it took just under two weeks to get the adapter kits.
Upon receiving the box, I opened it and took account of the parts. Everything appeared to be there. One good thing is they pre-assembled the main adapter. I also got a four page overall description of the th700r4, how to identify one, compatibility among other things they have for sale, and two short paragraphs with instructions on how to install the adapter. No pictures or installation instructions that a novice could feel comfortable with going forward with the install.
So, I contacted Novak to get some questions answered.
Jeff was not available (Fri July 3) perhaps due to the holiday the next day. But I did speak to another representative who was not as helpful. I will not mention his name but he was quite blunt and say that the parts and adapter and spacer can only go in one way. Perhaps it would be easy for the vetran builder. But this is my first time ever doing an engine swap and I want to make sure it is correct the first time. Especially after spending close to $1000 on their parts including shipping, and purchasing a Blazer to install the engine and Transmission in the jeep. Not to mention all of the labor I have done to remove the parts from the jeep and blazer.
I then said that the instructions say to apply grease to the Transmission spline and gear that go into the Transfer Case but doesn't mention the type or how much. Novak said to use as much as or as little as I want and that wheel bearing grease is fine or the grease in the grease gun. (If anyone can confirm or correct this please let me know).
I then visited their website again to see if I could find any pictures of how the adapter is set up. There aren't any pictures that specifically have my adapter but it did show how the Transmission mount should be installed. I was just playing around with how the adapter appeared to fit the best. Thinking I got it right, I installed the stud bolts into the rear of the Transmission then put the adapter sub-plate, (which is shorter than the adapter and goes between the adapter and Transmission ). I then lined up the Transmission splines to the adapter and easily slipped it on but then it stopped 3/4" before the sub-plate. I tried this several times same issue.
It was quite late when I discovered this issue, so had to send Jeff an email. Someone mentioned that their website they require the Transmission shaft to be CUT in order for the adapter to fit! I told them that I thought that was only if the Transmission was 2wd as mine is a 4wd version. I would have appreciated knowing this from the beginning. As I don't have the skills or tools to CUT a Transmission spline. If this is true, then why not make the adapter longer to not require this head-ache? I thought I would get an adapter that was easy to install.. Not one that requires to butcher the Transmission spline.
I plan on contacting Novak this Monday to hopefully figure this issue out.
If Novak doesn't make a simple adapter to just bolt to the Transmission and my Transfer Case , would ANYONE know of a company that does??!?!?!
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