TH400 Cracked Bellhousing

[Florida9]

Well today my friend called me and wanted me to pull him out he was stuck in the mud so i go over and try to pull him out it wasn't working so i snatched him and finally got him out later once i started driving down the road i heard a rattling noise pulled over to take a look and my transmission bell housing is cracked all the way around anyone know where i can get another one and why it cracked it normally shouldn't crack just from pulling someone

 

[466Navastar]

forklift damage that wasnt visible from GL forklift?

can you get it welded up - depending on how its cracked a good tig welder or spool gun mig welder might fix it if crack is not on the fluid section of the tranny itself - just the bellhousing

junkyards should have t400 - check around

 

[Florida9]

no i didn't buy it from GL and i didn't see any fluid it looks like it is just the bellhousing

 

[466Navastar]

junkyard is easiest - if they give you some kind of warranty thats its good

if you like your tranny - take it out and bring it to a good weld shop....a good welder should be able to give you an honest answer on if it can be repaired

on the bellhousing - if its welded in stages and not really heat soaked......Id say it can be fixed - I tig weld and if the crack is forward of the front pump - Id probably give it a try.....since there is no pic its a little hard to be too definite in my opinion

 

[tm america]

They ussually crack because of a bad front u joint in the rear drive shaft.If the u joint is frooze up the vibration will break the case.

 

[cornrichard]

I saw a program on TV about a month ago. They took an oldsmoblile 400 and cut the bell off. Then they bought a aftermarket chevy bell and bolted it on the front. Did not look like a big job. It was the same guy who built the bobbed deuce. I can't remember the name of the program. Someone here will.

 

[doghead]

It is critical to have the centerline of the crankshaft inline with the centerline of the transmission input shaft.

 

[camogriz]

The program that Cornrichard is referring to is Extreme 4x4 on Spike TV, that usually runs on Saturday and Sunday mornings. I think the aftermarket bellhousing was from Summit Racing or Jegs and was a very interesting product.

 

[n1bnc]

I happened upon that program quite by chance and he really glossed over the cutting/aligning and so forth. It would have been helpful to see more precisely what was happening on the bell housing switch. OTOH, Turbo 400's are all over the place and it should be easy to swap another one in.

 

[Florida9]

here some pictures

 

[466Navastar]

looks like its cracked where the front pump seal is - if its welded you need to take out the front pump so the seal doesnt melt-----grind it out and drill a small hole at the end of each crack to prevent crack from continuing-weld- put back together

this is all speculation - most straight forward is get another tranny... the welder isnt gonna work for free

 

[Florida9]

can i just get another bellhousing and not another tranny?

 

[466Navastar]

bell housing is part of the transmission - the fancy procedure mentioned in previous posts as shown on tv - costs hundreds of dollars for the new bell housing and whatever a machine shop charges for machining off your cracked one...

this is nothing new - at least 40 years ago drag racers did this with all brands of trannys - esp chrysler torqueflites......even fitted automatics with manual style clutches eliminating the torque converter ....this allowed the racer to launch like a stick and shift like an automatic......look up "clutchflight" transmission if interested

 

[Florida9]

Okay well i can get another transmission out of a junkyard for about $130 im thinking about putting maybe a 5 speed auto in it i got 40 inch ground hawgs running 5.13 gears

 

[466Navastar]

a 5 speed auto is probably computer controlled - if its even possible it make it work - you will be spending some $$$$$$$$$ for control module interface...check with someone like Sun Coast Transmissions

my guess is youre gonna find its big money

 

[R Racing]

Its a common problem with race cars. Most cut off the old and bolt on a aftermarket 1 that attaches to the body with longer pump bolts.