auto to 4 speed warning

[Orange Bee]

If the factory pilot bushing hole in the back of the crank does not have a pilot bushing already there (i.e., not an original 4 speed crank) it is VERY Important to measure the hole. Even though it is drilled, it may NOT be machined completely. If it is too small to install a standard factory type pilot bushing, there is an aftermarket "conversion" bushing available, HOWEVER, sometimes the depth of the hole is not sufficient to clear the nose of the input shaft - but only by a small amount. This will not be evident until you try to tighten up the four transmission to bellhousing bolts, during which time you will hear the gut wrenching "tink" of your bellhousing cracking in half. I know as this happened to my friend Mike when he got the 383 (auto) out of my 68 Charger and put it into his 68 Super Bee (4 speed). We ran into this with several other 383 and 440 cranks. I don't know about the small blocks (my 360 conversion worked just fine). I don't have a correct measurement for the depth and diameter, but any good crank grinder should have the info. Just one of those things to check when you build an engine.

[pishta]

Ah yes, the "tink" sound. It happened to me when I put my OEM 273 4v intake on my "newer" 318 block, without taking the alignment dowel out of the intake. Broke the intake right in half..Live and learn....

[pishta]

oops

[Doug Wilson]

If you need the dimensions for the hole, let me know, I've got a 440 stick crank, and I'll mike the hole for you.

[dave571]

It get's worse than that.

My dad converted his 360 4spd truck to a 440 4spd truck.

Had the exact same problem, but the bell housing didn't crack.

What did happen, was the engine ran for about 3 minutes before the crank seized to the MAIN thrust bearing.

He wasn't happy to say the least.

I was on holidays, so I didn't have to deal with it. He pulled the engine and had the crank reground, and put in new brgs. The guy who helped him take it apart caught the problem, and corrected it when the crank was ground.

I think pioneer sells that conversion adapter. It's just a big ring that moves the pilot out further. Out to that wide hollow spot in the center of the crank flange. DEFINATELY heed the warnings of orange bee/ make sure the hole is deep enough too.

PS. I've done 3 other 4 spd swaps since, and although I've had to use the conversion kit, all the holes have been deep enough to avoid the forementioned catastrophe.

[69Dodgedart360]

the tink sound.
in shop class, today...well, first a bit of back ground.
my buddy had this old /6 4 speed farm truck in his backyard taking up space. so we decided to spice up it's life a bit. we put a posi in it and a nitrous kit and stuff and had some fun.
so we blew up the engine, and now we're building it in shop class as part of a project. the motor is set up to handle 20 lbs of boost from two turbos from a wrecked nissan 300z.
anyways, it was sagging a little on the engine stand, so my buddy decided that, because he was bored, he would tighten the bolts on the back of the engine.
he moved the first bolt about a quarter turn in, and *tink*. half of the back of the block snapped off and than the whole thing fell off the stand and hit the ground. there was a catch pan under it and it hit the pan at full force and sent oil and antifreeze and other assorted shit everywhere.
needless to say, that sound will forever be imprinted in my mind.

[volare360]

that is one of those sounds that when heard
will live forever in your mind-and come back to haunt you in your dreams
expecially when you hear a "tink"
and cant find anything that made it
makes you wonder-proceed and hope for the best
or pull it out and find the problem
ALWAYS find what made it

[rumblefish360]

69Dodgedart360

[winter]

Try A-1 Clutch company, for "Clutch Pilot Bushing". These bushings come in different outside sizes. These are only $2.00. For example the pilot hole on an automatic 318-3 is too small for stock type so we use #B 286 A. Trans. is 833 four speed. I got it from a brake and clutch rebuilder in Modesto,CA.