Just changed my NSBU

[golfcartguy]

After a lot of fun in mud and water this past weekend here in Michigan where we've had a crapload of rain and a lot of backroads that don't absorb it, apparently my NSBU decided that it didn't like being submersed in water. :incazzato: The gear indicator in the DIC didn't work right and finally last night, I got a "Shift Range Inhibited" and only had use of Reverse and 1st gear.

Long story short, I stopped at Merchant and grabbed a new NSBU from Jen, and just finished installing it tonight in about 6 minutes flat. :ihih:

Tools needed: 13mm wrench or socket, 15mm wrench or socket, approximately 4 or 5 beers (you choose the flavor).

Put the truck in Neutral and set the parking brake. First remove the 15mm nut that holds the shift lever in place on the side of the NSBU (make sure it doesn't kick out of Neutral while breaking it loose). Next remove the two 13mm bolts that hold the NSBU on the side of the transmission. Pull the old NSBU off carefully, and put the new one back on carefully. Tighten the nut and bolts back down in the order removed, start the truck to make sure everything is as it should be, and VOILA! :sifone:

You just fixed your NSBU, not nearly as scary as it may seem, TRUST ME!

 

[modified]

Man, I could never do that in 6 minutes.
Installing the NSBU AND four or five beers? WOW.

I wonder if the NSBU was really bad, or did you only have moisture in the electrical connectors.
I coat the electrical pins with dielectric grease, to help keep moisture and corrosion out. Electronics and moisture don't mix.
If this happens again and you don't have a spare, try drying electrical pins with a heat gun/hair dryer, and that just might fix your problem.
I always carry a spare NSBU with me.

Good to see you joined us.

 

[Mike L.]

Man, I could never do that in 6 minutes.
Installing the NSBU AND four or five beers? WOW.

I wonder if the NSBU was really bad, or did you only have moisture in the electrical connectors.
I coat the electrical pins with dielectric grease, to help keep moisture and corrosion out. Electronics and moisture don't mix.
If this happens again and you don't have a spare, try drying electrical pins with a heat gun/hair dryer, and that just might fix your problem.
I always carry a spare NSBU with me.

Good to see you joined us.

It cannot be done in 6 minutes unless it's a bare trans sitting on a bench. Believe what you will.

 

[golfcartguy]

Unless I did something way wrong in the process?? All I had to do was put the truck in N, remove one nut, 2 bolts, pull the NSBU off, pull the 2 connectors, put the new one back on, put in the 2 bolts, 1 nut, and two connectors, and I was done. No front drive shaft removal or anything.

Was that way too easy, Mike? If I goofed up something or forgot to do something there, definitely let me know so I can fix what I forgot. Personally, I say that was almost easier and quicker than changing my oil.

 

[Philbilly2]

I have to agree, it is easier than changing your oil.

Last winter alomost every D-Max that I plow with had the NSBU go out in the same night. (very very wet snow)

I changed a total of 6 NSBU switches in one morning in the Coffman's Truck Sales parking lot. By the last one, I could do it really quick.

Toughest part on one that has never been done before is that the electrical connections are really had to undo. By the second or third one that I did that morning, I figured out that it is just easiest to break the plastic away so you don't f**k up the wiring harness.

Here is what I break:

I have heard that the die-electric grease is what turns to superglue on the NSBU harness. I don't really believe that due to the fact that i have used it it hotter places under the hood and never had a problem yet. I could be wrong though.

If you wonder why they fail, here are some pictures of what is inside these things:

 

[golfcartguy]

I have to agree on the electrical connectors being hard to break loose, I did that a couple days ago to clean the connections and that took some work to get them apart. That's why last night they just popped out nice as could be and no doubt saved me some time :cornut:

 

[Mike L.]

A heat gun does wonders for this job.

 

[modified]

I don't believe the dielectric grease turns to glue, but whatever stuff GM puts in the connectors does.
As Mike L. said, "heatgun" to unstick the goo.

 

[Ed HD]

WD40 is a good way to get water out of electronic connections, since that's what it was designed for, and it just happened to be a good penetrant/lubricant. Water Displacement perfected on the 40th try, that's what WD40 means.