5.3 with a muncie 4spd?
Staging Lane
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 56
Likes: 0
I'm gonna let you guys in on a little new info. You do not need a big block housing, A lot of people are over looking chevy trucks! early models 71-85 ALL use the big bell housing and 12 inch clutch! after 1983 or 84 they used a 12 inch clutch and a hydralic throw-out system external slave cylinder I used a 1985 bellhousing in my 350 volvo with a 1983 1/2 ton g.m.c. 2-wd built a-833 4-spd overdrive trans to get good milage and keep my stick as a bounus the volvo and the truck parts bolted right together a bouns is the truck parts are cheap and plentifull in yard and most have provisions for a ball stud on the housing and a 168 tooth flywheel like i needed in my 65 impala a swap meet (big block) bellhousing was 300 bucks! for that much i found a 1978 gmc 4-wd with a 454 4-spd and a dana 60 in the weeds and drove it home flat cam,rats and all! hope this helps when searching for parts 3/4 tons are more likley to have a std,but plenty of 1/2tons do too
I might be doing the same setup. It is going to be a 5.3 w/ an M20 transmission. It is going in a Chevrolet C-20 Longhorn, 3/4 ton, 2wd truck, RCLB. Just as a work truck, pulling a trailer. No drag racing or slicks. Will it work? If not a 5.3 w/ a 4l80e, but that will be down the road.
Be aware the the truck bellhousings, at least the earlier ones, will have a larger ID for the bore that located the transmissions front bearing retainer. You would either need to purchase/fabricate a locating ring to take up the clearance, or swap to a truck bearing retainer. The BBC passenger car bellhousings will have the correct ID, negating the need for a ring or retainer change.
I'm gonna let you guys in on a little new info. You do not need a big block housing, A lot of people are over looking chevy trucks! early models 71-85 ALL use the big bell housing and 12 inch clutch! after 1983 or 84 they used a 12 inch clutch and a hydralic throw-out system external slave cylinder I used a 1985 bellhousing in my 350 volvo with a 1983 1/2 ton g.m.c. 2-wd built a-833 4-spd overdrive trans to get good milage and keep my stick as a bounus the volvo and the truck parts bolted right together a bouns is the truck parts are cheap and plentifull in yard and most have provisions for a ball stud on the housing and a 168 tooth flywheel like i needed in my 65 impala a swap meet (big block) bellhousing was 300 bucks! for that much i found a 1978 gmc 4-wd with a 454 4-spd and a dana 60 in the weeds and drove it home flat cam,rats and all! hope this helps when searching for parts 3/4 tons are more likley to have a std,but plenty of 1/2tons do too
if i ever run a m22 or 4 or 3speed saginaw behind an ls it will have a v-drive twin disc clutch. might as well imo
Teching In
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
From: Jax fl
all is better thanks to GatTagO followed GatTagO advice got a keisler ls 621 bell housing that is made for this application. fits perfect holds the big fly wheel & 2010 camaro clutch.
also went with a hydraulic throw out bearing & richmond 4 speed. just as GATtagO suggested. keisler also sold me the pilot brg. for this set up.
as for the starter problems I was trying to use the camaro 5 speed bell housing with no starter mount for the 168 tooth flywheel. would not fit.
alls well now just waiting for warmer weather to install the engine in my
roadster then get it all angled properly.
also went with a hydraulic throw out bearing & richmond 4 speed. just as GATtagO suggested. keisler also sold me the pilot brg. for this set up.
as for the starter problems I was trying to use the camaro 5 speed bell housing with no starter mount for the 168 tooth flywheel. would not fit.
alls well now just waiting for warmer weather to install the engine in my
roadster then get it all angled properly.
Make sure you check the run out on the Kiesler bell. Mine was off quite a bit. It was simple to add offset dowel pins, but it was far enough off that I probably would have had problems had I not corrected the run out.
Also make sure they gave you metric bell to engine bolts and not SAE like they did me. Finally be sure to check the TOB depth. I destroyed my first HTOB because of that. They did send instructions and the proper spacers when I ordered my replacement TOB.
If you bought your trans from them I would tell you to check the front seals. I just spent the last week fixing that leak. That was the only other F up I had with the Kiesler parts.
Also make sure they gave you metric bell to engine bolts and not SAE like they did me. Finally be sure to check the TOB depth. I destroyed my first HTOB because of that. They did send instructions and the proper spacers when I ordered my replacement TOB.
If you bought your trans from them I would tell you to check the front seals. I just spent the last week fixing that leak. That was the only other F up I had with the Kiesler parts.
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May I hijack for a moment? I'm putting a 5.3 in my 65 Vette and mating an M20 to it. There was a 396 in the bay prior to the 5.3 so I have a bellhousing that fits. The throwout is the issue. Will the long throwout work for me? The local parts house said we need a long TOB with a diaphram PP. I was mating the package today and the short stock throwout obviously isn't going to cut it. I have an LS1 flywheel that I drilled and tapped for the centerforce diaphram pressure plate. I used the pilot bearing for an LS7 from Rock Auto.
Some of the posts mentioned starter problems. I have the starter from the 5.3 on there and it looks like it will work fine with the LS1 flywheel. IIRC when I got the wheel I compared it to the flex plat that came on the engine and they were a match. Is there an offset problem?
Thanks for the time guys.
Bob
Some of the posts mentioned starter problems. I have the starter from the 5.3 on there and it looks like it will work fine with the LS1 flywheel. IIRC when I got the wheel I compared it to the flex plat that came on the engine and they were a match. Is there an offset problem?
Thanks for the time guys.
Bob
I've got a 68 vette, 621 BBC bell housing, adjustable throwout bearing arm stud, LS7 pilot bushing, and an LS1 flywheel/pressure plate/disk mated to a 26 spline richmond trans.
You are correct about the short throwout bearing. Even with the adjustable stud, the geometry with the LS1 flywheel/pressure plate barely allowed for cluth engagement.
I used throwout bearing PN, Oreily Auto PT614037. Works great and geometry is perfect.
The truck starter works fine with the BBC bell housing and LS1 flywheel.
You are correct about the short throwout bearing. Even with the adjustable stud, the geometry with the LS1 flywheel/pressure plate barely allowed for cluth engagement.
I used throwout bearing PN, Oreily Auto PT614037. Works great and geometry is perfect.
The truck starter works fine with the BBC bell housing and LS1 flywheel.
With the long TOB the geometry looks good. we went ahead and put the body on the new chassis Sat. Now I just need to change my accessory drdive to the C5 style to get the alternator under the hood. If it isn't one thing its another.
Bob
Bob
I had the starter out to get to the CPSwhile rerworking the harness. When I went to reinstall the starter it wouln't seat properly in the bell housing. I had to clearance the housing a little to clear what looks like a raised ring on the nose of the starter body.
Bob
Bob
Bringing this back for a question: How are ya'll using an LS-7 pilot bearing? The info I have shows the bearing to have the proper OD, but the ID is listed as 0.668" and all the non T-56 trannies all have a 0.590" pilot shaft. Are you leaving this much slop or is my info wrong?
You're info is wrong, 0.668 is a ford input shaft dimension. LS7 is 0.59 ID.
Specs: Width=.511"; Outside diameter=1.7040"; Inside diameter=.5905IN
The LS7 pilot bearing rides in the outer flange of the crank. It's used for the torque tube/transaxle setup on new vettes. It also happens to fit the spacing for an old school trans with a 621 bell.
A T56 will use a 98-02 f body pilot bearing that rides on the inner flange of the crank. Cant use the LS7 pilot bearing with a T56.
Specs: Width=.511"; Outside diameter=1.7040"; Inside diameter=.5905IN
The LS7 pilot bearing rides in the outer flange of the crank. It's used for the torque tube/transaxle setup on new vettes. It also happens to fit the spacing for an old school trans with a 621 bell.
A T56 will use a 98-02 f body pilot bearing that rides on the inner flange of the crank. Cant use the LS7 pilot bearing with a T56.
Bringing this back for a question: How are ya'll using an LS-7 pilot bearing? The info I have shows the bearing to have the proper OD, but the ID is listed as 0.668" and all the non T-56 trannies all have a 0.590" pilot shaft. Are you leaving this much slop or is my info wrong?
Last edited by garys 68; Mar 1, 2013 at 08:10 AM.
You're info is wrong, 0.668 is a ford input shaft dimension. LS7 is 0.59 ID.
Specs: Width=.511"; Outside diameter=1.7040"; Inside diameter=.5905IN
The LS7 pilot bearing rides in the outer flange of the crank. It's used for the torque tube/transaxle setup on new vettes. It also happens to fit the spacing for an old school trans with a 621 bell.
A T56 will use a 98-02 f body pilot bearing that rides on the inner flange of the crank. Cant use the LS7 pilot bearing with a T56.
Specs: Width=.511"; Outside diameter=1.7040"; Inside diameter=.5905IN
The LS7 pilot bearing rides in the outer flange of the crank. It's used for the torque tube/transaxle setup on new vettes. It also happens to fit the spacing for an old school trans with a 621 bell.
A T56 will use a 98-02 f body pilot bearing that rides on the inner flange of the crank. Cant use the LS7 pilot bearing with a T56.
Be aware the the truck bellhousings, at least the earlier ones, will have a larger ID for the bore that located the transmissions front bearing retainer. You would either need to purchase/fabricate a locating ring to take up the clearance, or swap to a truck bearing retainer. The BBC passenger car bellhousings will have the correct ID, negating the need for a ring or retainer change.
I have used a truck bellhousing with a car 4 speed before even though there was a huge gap all the way around the bearing retainer with no ill effects that I could tell.....but I would not take that chance again.
This is 100% correct. The transmission will bolt right up, but the center hole is much larger on the truck bellhousings.
I have used a truck bellhousing with a car 4 speed before even though there was a huge gap all the way around the bearing retainer with no ill effects that I could tell.....but I would not take that chance again.
I have used a truck bellhousing with a car 4 speed before even though there was a huge gap all the way around the bearing retainer with no ill effects that I could tell.....but I would not take that chance again.
Is the Jerico going in the Maverick...???
I've been running a "Nash crash box" in my 65' Belair since 1982...you'll love the Jerico...