4x4 Shifter

[Irish_Alley]

Ill take some picks of the shifter on a 203 in a little bit

[Yamaha74]

I was told that the tranny is a 700R4.  I guess I need to double check that tonight.

[Grim 82]

It's hard to tell from that pic. A 700r4 has a square pan on it. Do you have OD?

[Yamaha74]

The steering column shows that I have overdrive.  When I drove it home last week it was dark and the dash lights don't work so when I first left the guys house I was on a road with a 55mph speed limit and the truck sounded like it was screaming at high RMP's so I shifted the shifter lever down and the truck shifted one more gear higher although it still seemed like it was pretty high RPM's.  So I am assuming that I was in drive when I first took off and then shifted it into overdrive.  But I just looked at a website that shows pictures of the pans and I do believe my looks like the TH350 because I seem to remember the cut out in one of the corners.  I will check again tonight.  Also this would probably make sense on why the RPM's were so high and it sounded like the truck only shifted two times after first gear.  The TH350's are 3 speeds, right?  I wonder though why it seemed like it shifted into a higher gear when I dropped the shifter one notch.

[Irish_Alley]

Transfer case might have been in low that's why it was screaming. Lol ill have those pics up in a minute. And yes the th350 is only 3 speed

[Irish_Alley]

[Yamaha74]

Thanks for the pics.  It looks like I am missing the L bracket that the shifter bolts to.  I bet it is what broke inside of the box.  Mine also does not have that silver cover that the bracket comes through.  Is there somewhere to order these type of parts or do I need to go to a junk yard?

Also, I bet your right about the transfer case being in low.  I hope that is what it was.

[Irish_Alley]

Yard or find someone that has one laying out in their backyard

[Yamaha74]

I have confirmed that I do have a TH350.  I was told it was a 700R4 by the PO.

Now I need to get the 4x4 shifter parts so I can find out if it is locked into low gear.

[Irish_Alley]

You can manipulate it by hand just pull it all the out towards the front of the truck. If you look at the pics I think its in “4x4 high lock”

[Yamaha74]

Do I do this from underneath the truck?  Looking at your pictures there looks like there is two bars.  Does only one actually move?  You are saying pull it towards the front of the truck which would move it from 4x4 high to 2x4 high, correct? That's if it is currently in 4x4 high.

[Yamaha74]

What year trucks were the NP203's used in?  I know that my cab is a 1984 but I am trying to figure out what year the frame and drive train is.  Also, what oil should I use in the 203?  I have seen some people saying 10w-40 and othe saying 10w-30.

[Irish_Alley]

203 were on 71-79 with a th350. Yes from under the truck you can change. One bar controls hi-low while the other I think is for lock unlock the 203 is a full time unit meaning if you unlocked you still turn front and rear wheels which ever has less resistance lock means both axles get the same power. Yours still should all be connected underneath so try pulling at those bars

[Yamaha74]

I am pretty sure my 203 has the conversion kit on it because I have the manual locking hubs on the front.  Do you know what oil I am supposed to use in the 203?  Also, is there a way to tell what year my frame is?

[Irish_Alley]

10-40. The fame you can tell by the cross members and the vin well part of it anyway it would be somewhere on the top drivers side from the engine cross member to the fuel tank location.