The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts 4 spd transmission

How do i identify the transmission in my bus? I need to get a new clutch setup for it and have found that one of the tabs on the bell housing that the starter bolts to is broken off. So I need to get a new bell housing.

if it's an original it would be the SM420 but the bellhousing is engine-specific, not trans, and you can measure the clutch to get the same from a FLAPS

Bill

So I should look for a bell housing for the motor, in this casde a chevy 454, and it will bolt right to the transmission?

All the Chevy Small/Big Blocks have same bolt pattern, even today's trucks are same. Two things probly needed are the two feet on it to bolt to crossmember there, unless that has been removed and the depth of case. Probly whole rig is from a big truck, there was no 454 back then, but did have small blocks. Some big trucks had really huge flywheels and used an adapter between engine and bellhousing. One of those things you will have to look and see what was used I guess. OR, did they use a "footless" bellhousing and not bolt it to a crossmember?? The housing should have a GM number cast into it somewhere once you clean it up and might help. Is it older cast iron or newer aluminum?? If you hold up trans, you can just unbolt it from housing and take off linkages to pull whole engine and clutch as one piece. Best to remove some front tin or whole front saddle to get good clearance and not have to lif so high. Most times the saddle comes off with rad support bolts and back at the body where tin bolts on. A few wires removed and set aside and whole front lifts off in one piece.

I think I will follow your advice and pull the old one, clean it up and see where I need to go from there. Here is a closeup of it still mounted to the trans in the bus.

[IMG]http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m290/fclaridge/IMG_1763.jpg[/IMG]

You can see where the right and lower tab that the starter mounts to is broken off. Bummer.

That's a standard chevy v8 truck bellhousing. They were available for many years. Try putting an ad in the parts wanted forum.

Looks like the OE bellhousing. So, the bellhouding is probably original to your bus and when the 454 was put in they used the small block bellhousing.

That's an easy fix. Pull the bellhousing and get someone to steam clean it, totally grease-free. Find a 3/8" stud the right length to stick through the starter housing, with coarse threads on one end, fine on the other. Clamp the coarse-threaded end into the threads remaining in the broken-off piece, and have a very good welder braze it into place. I've fixed several of them that way, with no problems whatsoever. The stud replaces the bolt through the starter housing, and a nut and lock washer gets installed from the front side.
Jerry

Now if I lived in Nashville, I'd be knocking on your door. That's a good idea. I'll see about repaing it.

I actually have the piece that broke off the housing. Can this be welded back on? Or another question would be...Is it possible to use a starter that mounts to the underside of the engine block with this housing? Thereby not having to use the threads in the housing, but bolting the starter in place on the engine block?

Someone who is very talented with a torch can braze the piece back on, but something that small is basically cosmetic. I'd still choose to incorporate a brazed-in stud as part of the repair. Actually welding cast iron involves nickel-alloy welding rod, pre-heating the casting, peening for stress relief, and post-heating with a very slow cool-down buried in sand. It's a specialist's job. If you use a block-mounted starter, you'll have to cut away the area of the bellhousing where the 3-bolt nose of the older starter mounts to the bellhousing. I have one modified like that on my engine dyno setup.
Jerry

Or I could just get a later bell that can accomodate the block mount starter. The nice thing is I have both starters already. So I just need to decide on which bell to go with. It may be easier and more cost effective to get a later bell for a block mount starter.

Fred the bell housing that you use will have to have the small pilot hole for the transmission that you have it will also need to have the mounts on the side.

Thanks for keeping me straight Grant. I forgot about the mounts.

Finding a replacement bellhousing shouldn't be hard. I have a couple of them here (Maryland). I bet you can buy a replacement locally cheaper than having yours repaired.

Mike B

Yes, that is what I think is best. Just to find one to buy.

Even if you find a later model one from a seventies truck you can get a spacer ring from Advanced Adaptors their cheap. I think I would just do the stud repair as I replaced the one in my 64 and immediately broke the new one they are not very strong and I would be willing to guess that the repair would be stronger anyway. I do weld cast and have thought about repairing the broken ones that I have here just haven't gotten around to it.

I went to the car parts swap meet today and the first booth I stopped at had a bellhousing I needed. I looked at it and noticed the price was only $15. So i grabbed it up today. I'll put it in the blast cabinet this week and clean it up and should be just fine for the bus. Also found the carb I needed as well, for a great price. Things are moving along.

Good find swapmeats are the best