What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

Wrenchin vacation not off to a good start...

tRustyK5

tRustyK5

Elbows up!
 Premium
GMOTM Winner
Author
Joined
Jul 23, 2000
Posts
41,547
Reaction score
13,349
Location
In my garage
The first vacation I've taken in three years started this afternoon. I took two weeks off to get my truck put back together. I've been making a little progress on weekends and right now am about to hoist the NV4500/203/205 into the truck.

So, my rear main seal and oil pan disaster is taken care of, flywheel resurfaced and installed, Hays clutch installed. This afternoon I got the bell housing into position and for some weird reason I could not get it to slide over the dowels or push up flat to the motor (6.2 diesel)

I grabbed my mag lite and started checking clearances inside the bell to the pressure plate. The Hays clutch is a little larger than stock, so I thought maybe there were some clearance issues. That was not the case...

The gear drive starter for the 6.2 seems to have a larger 'nose' than a sbc or bbc starter. I dropped the starter out and the bell fit properly.

So, I have three options. Clearance grind the bell, clearance grind the starter nose, or hope AA makes a diesel specific bell and can get it to me double quick. :doah: :doah: :doah:

This is a long shot, but if anyone else has bolted up an NV4500 behind a 6.2 using an AA bellhousing what did you do?


Rene
 
I'm leaning towards doing the bell. Went and looked at it again and the thickness of the casting in that area is pretty substantial. I have to take some better measurements and see exactly how much has to come out.

Rene
 
tRustyK5 said:
I'm leaning towards doing the bell. Went and looked at it again and the thickness of the casting in that area is pretty substantial. I have to take some better measurements and see exactly how much has to come out.

Rene
Click to expand...

wouldn't the starter be easier?
 
Are those the iron-nosed starters?

I know those diesel starters have to take a mighty heavy load compared to a gas one, I'd be more worried about that load than what the bell may see, even though you see the bells crack as well...and with a 203/205 combo adding weight, even more concerned. :(

Sounds like a tough decision to me. If adding another crossmember (is that required in the 203/205 setup?) and/or running poly mounts everywhere, I wouldn't be quite so worried about grinding the bell, but if the t-cases are hanging off one pivot point, (and rubber mounts) I would be.
 
Last edited:
call them up at aa and tell them there crap dont fit and its no good. :haha:

i would grind a bit on both my self or if just a little needed the bell.
 
MTMike said:
wouldn't the starter be easier?
Click to expand...

I think of it this way: Grind the bell and if I ever need to replace this starter everything is fine. Grind this starter and I'll have to grind every starter I ever buy to make it fit...as well as possibly having core return problems.

Dorian, The crossmember I'm building will be supporting underneath the output housing of the NV4500, a second support location under the doubler adaptor, and a third support under the rear of the 205. Having had a look and using some digi calipers it looks like I need to remove about .125" max and the casting is at least .375" around this area with some parts almost .750" thick.

I'm about to call NWF where I got the Bellhousing. Jordan was going to call AA before they closed...so maybe they have some input or?? We'll see.

Rene
 
Well after 4 hours of :grind: , then trial fit, :grind:, trial fit (repeat step one and two ad nauseum) the bell and the starter are both bolted up. Man, this was worse than grinding calipers for 15" rims. The thinnest the casting ended up was about 1/8" in one or two places. Fortunately this area of the bell isn't really being relied on for strength...

If it ever cracks or breaks I'll post that up too, and in the meantime I'll be talking to Advance Adaptors about this. It may not be the most popular combination, but an NV4500 behind a 6.2 is a good combo, and their site does advertise "will fit all GM V-8's".

Rene
 
OK, a few pic's of my progress so far. Nothing too exciting...

Did the rear main and oil pan gaskets, blasted a bit of GM corporate blue onto the pan.

aaaa111002.jpg


Resurfaced flywheel (difficult to get a picture of :doah: )

aaaa111005.jpg


New Hays clutch...

aaaa111006.jpg


AA bellhousing installed after much massaging with a die grinder and sanding disc. Starter is in too...finally!!

aaaa111008.jpg


aaaa111007.jpg

Rene
 
tRustyK5 said:
Well after 4 hours of :grind: , then trial fit, :grind:, trial fit (repeat step one and two ad nauseum) the bell and the starter are both bolted up. Man, this was worse than grinding calipers for 15" rims. The thinnest the casting ended up was about 1/8" in one or two places. Fortunately this area of the bell isn't really being relied on for strength...

If it ever cracks or breaks I'll post that up too, and in the meantime I'll be talking to Advance Adaptors about this. It may not be the most popular combination, but an NV4500 behind a 6.2 is a good combo, and their site does advertise "will fit all GM V-8's".

Rene
Click to expand...

Yup, welcome to the quality of AA. For the amount you paid for that, you would like to think that it would bolt itself on and be good. The same problem exists on their NV4500 to 1st gen Cummins bellhousing. Much grinding is necessary on that unit as well. Their quality control leaves a bit to be desired. I was fortunate enough to acquire mine from Dan at Quad 4x4 and he knows they are basically crap right out of the box, so he machines/grinds them before he sends them out so they will work/fit when you receive them (what a grand concept). Glad you got it to fit good. You chose correctly on which part to grind. Never grind the consumable part (starter, alternator, water pump etc). The next time one of those goes, you may not have your grinder with you......
Looking forward to seeing the finished product.
 
I'd never heard of this problem with AA before. It sure makes you appreciate factory parts a whole lot more...

Rene
 
AA stuff

Rene for future help with Advanced Adapter productes, just shoot me a pm. They are located in Paso Robles, and like twenty miles from here. When my brother bought his Atlas-2 Tcase they gave us the plant tour. Smaller operation then i thought, but seemed like good guy's that would work with you.:D
 
Thanks, I do have a couple more things coming from them...hopefully I don't have any probs with them though.

Rene
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom