The bell housing off my 87 Z28 305 tpi will not fit around the 400 fly wheel on the 383 stroker I have finished building. The starter will also not fit into the bell housing opening. What bell housing should I use that will still accept the hydro clutch (slave cylinder) on my 87?

 

using a 700R4? strange if you are and having a problem, I had no problem when I ran a 406/400 Flywheel.

 

Why change bellhousings? The McLeod Modular is sure to work, but compared to that, it would be cheaper to change flywheels instead. The Lakewood scattershield might work, but I'm not sure. That also costs more than swapping the flywheel. If you found a '70s bell that'd clear, it wouldn't like the hydraulics. An '80s truck bell would be too deep.

 

Well my problem is that I switched motors and I am using a gen 1 block with a 4 bolt main and the bell housing I have is off of the 305. It does not fit the 400 fly wheel and it does not fit around the starter either. The starter mount was broke off and I had to use an adapter for a 1950s style that goes between the bellhousing and the engine and uses the starter that has three through bolts instead of two that bolt up into the block. Bell housings that will fit will not mate up to the TKO 600 transmission I have and obviously do not have the outside fitting for the slave cylinder on the hydrolic clutch that my 87 iroc has. I am feeling very frustrated.

 

here are the pics

 

I think you'll have to call McLeod, or you can sell the TKO for enough to cover a BTO level 2 700R-4. That's the cheaper option by far. Also saves you from having to get a custom driveshaft.
Please don't hate me for saying this, but the fact is you caused your own frustration by your failing to do adequate researching and planning before trying to use that block with that bellhousing.

 

well this is the first car I have ever built so I am learning the hard way on a lot of things. However I did have people tell me it would work who sold me the parts. However they obviously wanted to sell parts. I am calling them as well tomorrow to see what bell housing they use. I bought it from weeden street performance.

 

also they sold me an adapter that bolts to the tko 600 to make it fit a chevy bell housing and it was specific to 3rd gen camaros (or was supposed to be). do all third gens that were manual have the same bell housing?

 

I stand corrected, part of your frustration was caused by the greed of others. I have to wonder if they knew it wouldn't work? You may never be able to prove it either way.
No, not all third gen bells were the same. In '82, and some early '83s, GM was still using mechanical clutch release with the Super T-10, and most '83-'92 had a hydraulic release T5, so there's 2 different SBC bells right there. But all the hyd. SBC T5 bells are functionally identical, all used 153-tooth, 12.75" flywheels.

 

What do you think of a hydrolic throwout bearing as a work around such as a McLeod Industries 1364 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/MCL-1364/

 

Explain to me how that can work around the problem of too large a flywheel diameter. You're just not getting the right idea here.
If you were to cut the starter pocket from your stock bellhousing, you might be able to make it work without any McLeod stuff. But I wouldn't suggest it.

 

You can get a 153-tooth, 2-piece rear main seal, external balance flywheel.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/MCL-460300-2C/

That doesn't solve the starter mount issue. I would look into getting that repaired (which may involve tearing the engine down - but that's small potatoes compared to having a weird, cobbled-up set-up).

 

well I may not get how to communicate effectively on this site but I think I am getting how the hyd. throw out bearing will help. I do not need the slave then and I can use a McLeod Industries 8630 - McLeod SFI Bellhousings which will both bolt directly to my block, mate up with the tko 600, and has a punch out for a bigger starter hole. Am I still off or does that sound on the money. Because if that solves the issue I am ready to drop the cash on these two parts to move forward.

 

I was trying to avoid suggesting that. It means another block, new machining, all new gaskets, new cam bearings, probably $1000. Cheaper to do the modular bellhousing instead.

 

Okay, I think You're on to something that's feasible. Before you charge ahead, first find out how to connect that slave to your hydraulics, and if it's volume is compatible with your clutch master cylinder.

 

roger that I have the number to the tech department for them, summit wanted me to call them first. They are closed today but will be open in the morning. I will give them a call early in the morning from alaska here so I can beat the time difference. If this works I'll be thrilled. Then I just have to get a different drive shaft, possibly upgrade the rear end, figure out if the in the tank fuel pump will get enough fuel to the fuel rails on the Holley stealth ram, stiffen the chasis, redo the interior, figure out how to get the alternator to mount, basically everything. I am learning a lot, but basically I am just learning enough to find out that I don't know anything.

 

You've kept a good attitude in this thread, and that's the best thing you could do.

 

Thanks. I appreciate everyone who commented and helped. It really helps. I'll post what the tech department says and post what I decided to do. I'm sure I will be asking more questions when I get past this part.

 

Hey I just talked to the guy from Mcleod tech and he is a great guy. His application will totally work with the factory master. Also you need to buy a custom hose if you want to do that. It is part number 139100-24 (the 24 represents the length) and the plug fitting for the master is 139026. Also you can measure with a straight exge from the back of the bellhousing to the end of the forks on your cutch to get a custom spaced piston from Mcleod exact to your application. I am going to drop the cash and buy this guys parts to finish my job. His customer service is great and its cool this option is out there when gusy like me hodge podge and screw things up. Their number is 714-630-2764 if anyone else is interested in these parts. Summit has them all listed as well.

 

I remembered reading about a new aluminum bellhousing on the market, for those of you not going to the dragstrip. In my hasty search I didn't find everything I remember reading about it, but it might be cheaper than the McLeod or Lakewood scattershields. You can get it, or more info on it, from Classic Motorsports Group in Carlsbad, California. They're calling it a reproduction of GM's 621 bellhousing, though I recall reading elsewhere that is was about 5/8" different in depth.
Anyway, if you're not going to the dragstrip, call and check on this, because you might find it worthwhile to send the McLeod scattershield back and just use the McLeod slave. This bell does work for attaching a TKO to any SBC.

 

I'm going to go with the Mcleod because he owns a camaro, has it done in his so I know it works, and I am planning on hitting the drag strip. A couple times a year the car club here loads up the cars on a Alaska Ferry boat and we go over to metlakatla island where there is an old airpot runway.

 

The bell housing works but now the passenger side header butts up against the starter adapter, and maybe the bell housing. Just shave metal off? lots of angle grinder or a cutter torch?

 

Here is the gap the headers have to connect to the block. Not including the gasket of course but it does not fit.

 

welcome to the wonderful world of hotrodding.. where sometimes parts that should work and bolt-on require minor tweaking to make them "work". From those pics thats not too bad that you cant make a simple notch in order for the headers to mate to the heads.Trace the amount of clearance you need and cut it out as nicely as you can.or nothing a big hammer cant fix and bend it out of the way lol :P

I know it sucks to get parts and still have to modify them to fit your setup.It happens ..but make sure before you modify anything that this is indeed the part you need to move the project along..once its modified there is no more return policy so triple check that its going to still be what you need after its been modified.

Good luck

 

Hey I have a HSR on the motor as well. Was it hard to set up as far as the wiring harness and programing/tuning it?

 

me either

 

For the hsr there was no wiring to be changed,Im using the stock ecm and all the stock sensors work with the hsr.Tuning is no different than tuning a tpi that had aftermarket heads and cam.The ecm doesnt know what intake is bolted onto the motor..all it knows are what the sensors are doing and programmed to work within the parameters you tell it to depending on your engine combo basically.Its more complicated than that but this is as general as I can explain it for now lol.but I ordered a tune for my setup so i dont have to spend alot of time tinkering with it.

 

Finally. A major milestone. I am pumped. I worked from 8-12 last night and then woke up at 5 in the morning and had it in at 8:40am. Couldn't sleep thinking about what I had to do. Had to notch the starter adapter, notch the bellhousing, notch the header connector ring, stuff just kept going wrong but with that bolt went through that motor mount the neighbors heard me I guarantee it! Even the ignorant like me can Keep making progress if you stay after it.

 

My wall paper is now the last one. Man I am pumped. Long way to go but I have come a long way. For many of you this is no big deal. But I have never done anything but repairs on family cars by the book using stock parts. I have rebuilt an engine and swapped factory stuff out. I am feeling good. Usually this means I am about to run into a big problem but I will be able to sleep tonight at least .

 

Did you build the bottom end yourself?

Honestly, I'm really interested on seeing this maro fire up heh..


1986 WS6 TransAm - L69 H/O 5.0L 305
World S/R 2.02/1.6 Heads, Summit .488 Lift cam, 1.6 Ratio rockers, Edelbrock Performer - 750 4BBL, MSD 6AL/Dizzy/Coil,
T5 Trans, Sachs Stage II Clutch, Summit 3.73's/Stock 10 bolt,
Summit Shorty's, Dynomax True Dual kit, Single 2x2 Flowmaster 44

...maybe its the 'H/O' or maybe its the driver.. but i make 350's cry at night

 

I had a machine shop hone the cylinders, magna flux the head, as well as hot tank the block and heads. Everything else I did, with advice of course. I had someone walk me through the putting in the pistons, bearings, springs ect, so that I would not make a first timmer mistake and blow it all. I had a guy down the road that builds a lot of different GM cars come and check my work every once and a while as well. I did not use my own brain all the time but I turned every wrench so far myself. I'm hoping this thing gets fired up soon as well. I might have to have that guy come down the road and help me put the holley wiring harness on and the non tpi wiring harness that is left on the car back in place.

I can tell I am also going to need some help on where to put the coil and how to get the distributor I robbed off the old 87 tpi motor to hook up to the holley ecm. The old coil bolted to the manifold on the 305 as you all know but the holley manifold that comes with the HSR it will not fit on.

To answer an original question I missed above I did not have a auto transmission I had a T5.