Hey guys new to the board, just wanted to say hey. I have a 1952 Pontiac chieftain that I am in the midst of redoing. I have come to the rebuild of the motor and have hit a snag. I have the manual and it only seems to cover the manual transmission, my question is how does the motor and tranny separate? I see the drain plug on the converter and the 50 or so bolts on the flex plate. Is this where they separate? Hope this is the right section to post! I did not see a intro thread.

Welcome
IF I remember right there is 30 some bolts that hold the convertor to the flywheel and when you take them out you will have just opened up the convertor as the flywheel serves as the front of it so drain all of the fluid before un bolting, there is a small drain plug in the convertor. Also the hydro is a very heavy transmission use a good jack on a solid surface to prevent accidents like a crushed body part.
have fun but be careful.

Poncho, I have a Caddy tranny in my shop and the 331 I separated it from it from. If it would help you I could take some pictures so you could see how the look when they are apart. It seems to me the though part would be getting it back together with out scratching the mating surface and causing leaks. There was a thin gasket between the parts.

Nice car!

Yes it has a paper gasket, scratching the surfaces is not a major problem. When I was a lot younger two of us used to change a B&M Hydro in the pits without a jack, but I would not recomend it to anyone. We also could pick up a 327 engine and load it in the truck. Now I couldn't lift either one. As I said above becareful ths is a heavy transmission.

big bill- Thanks for the info! i was pretty sure thats how it came apart i just wanted to be 100% there is not a whole lot of parts around for them. I did find the drain plug. And i have already pulled the engine and trans so they are on the ground, only busted knuckles!

Beater- That would be great. Thanks for the compliment on the car! I also have a 60 ford falcon tudor i am building with a 170 six. My wife and i kinda have a thing for the inlines.

I'll take the pictures in the morning and get them posted for you. It is great that you are not talking 350-350. My uncle had a '52 light green Pontiac convertible with a dark green top and interior. It was lowered and had skirts white walls and duel exhaust. That was a pretty car! He traded it in on a red '56 convertible with a black top. Nice but less class! How big is that engine?
Those little Falcons are cool too!

Man, now we have an Idea of how big BIg Bill is!

Beater the engine is just under 8ft from the front pulley to the tip of the tranny! I had to buy a special engine stand 2000lbs capacity.

Beater
I am just a runt 6'6" 320lb. used to be muscle now that I am older (on Social Security) a lot of it has turned to fat. But still not bad for a fat old man.:)

Big Bill remember when we meet I'm on your side. Especially when you start throwing those small blocks around!

Poncho. Here are some pics. Hope they help.

Hydro

I have been in Bill's Garage. Nice garage with lot's of cool stuff. Last Summer my buddy Ron and I came to see Bill and do a local car cruise near him. I believe Bill could still haul a couple Inline six's under each arm if he had too. At the least, the little Nissan 4 Banger in one hand!
A great guy, cool Plymouth and Roadster and knows all the tricks of the trade.

RapRap
1940 ChoppedChevyCoupe

Bill do be of good size, make no mistake about it. Yet, in my observation, he is a gentle man, kind to the foolish and patient with the erring. It would be foolish to challenge him, even in his dotage, and an error indeed.

God's Peace to you.

d
Inliner #1450

Nice lookin' project you have there.

Intros generally go in the 'bench racing' section (since you mentioned you didn't see a place for them).

Beater- Thanks for the pics that was exactly what i needed to see! I now understand the way it works.

Nexxussian- Thanks for the compliments.

Glad to help! Keep us posted on how things are going.

Well thanks to you guys i got her apart!



Damn that's a lot of bolts! I'll keep the pics going as i tear into her. If anyone cares.

I care. No really! I just like to see someone get something done.

I know you do beater! Might just be me and you on this thread. Those pics really helped made me less nervous!

I always wanted to make a finned billet aluminum head for one of them, and other stuff! Keep the pics coming, I like'em too!

Evrybody likes pictures.

Glad you're making progress.

Yes!...keep them coming.. Fun to see someone working on something I haven't seen before. I wonder what they were thinking with all those bolts?

Paul...aka Xerxes

Paul
There is no front on the convertor, it seals against the flywheel so it needs the bolts to make the high pressure seal.

I have searched and searched for any old hop up parts to no avail! That would be cool in both senses not only looks but heat dissipation. Probably expensive!! The sixes seem to get all the hop up parts and they leave us eight guys out in the dark.

Thanks guys it's kind of giving some drive to make progress! If you talk to my wife i lack that element when comes to rebuilding. This is her pride and joy that i tore apart a little over two years ago needless to say shes not to happy with me. Its nice to have people who understand why i am rebuilding it! Mostly i get why don't you just put a small block in it

Ah HA!... thanks big bill

Paul...aka Xerxes

Here's my wife's pride and joy. Try 25+ years. I can't figure out how to get a 302 in it and do that Baja thing! P&J
You see, You stumbled on to the best bunch of guys on the internet. Even when we disagree we're nice to each other. Well sorta! I bet Scott could CNC you a two piece head for your 8 by dinner time! I wonder if Edumunds made stuff for that?

I've looked beater and i cant find anything! He may be able to but i doubt id be able to afford it.

HEY PONCHO!!! Keep posting imfo. and pictures! Great, your not doing 350"- 350 thing. I am a motivator,SLOW doer but great motivator! 1OL REDNECK I.I.#113

We need to keep watching ebay for {or with} you. Not to long ago there was a 2-2 barrel EDMUNDS for a 8 poncho. If I remember owner thiught it was very valuable & was probally correct, but I don't think it got any bids. What are you doing reading this, GET IN the garage and keep the little lady happy! 1 OL REDNECK I.I. #113

That would have been awesome! OK OK I am on my to the garage!! More pics latter.

I was just on ebay rat rod, theres a engine on there that has a high compression head on it. Does yours? Was you aware GM made one. EBAY item #270302653421. 1OL REDNECK I.I.#113

Yes mine has the high compression head.

Are you going to split your exaust manifold? 1 OL REDNECK I.I.#113

I want to build my own header. And intake manifold.

OK update. I got it all apart finally, required a very rubber mallet! It will go on the stand Sunday. My goal for this motor is a reliable daily driver, I don't want to get to radical. I want to be able to jump in it and drive to Vegas or nor cal if i want. I wouldn't even do the manifolds except for the fact that i am tired of vapor lock!

Hey beater do you mean 302 ford v8? I saw a guy put a mazada rotary turbo in a Porsche! It was crazy fast !!!

Naw, I was thinking of a big ol' Jimmy hanging out the back! My wife would object, probably with a .45!

Nahh, you just need a 914 / 916 and tell her the new 'armrest' is a safety partition.

We'll i got a lot done today! Tore the whole thing down except the oil pan and timing cover, didn't have the right puller for the balancer. Only two broken bolts guess they didn't have anti seize 56 years ago!




Oh and the license plate is not mine. We bought it from my wife's sister and have not changed them yet. Just beating you guys to it!

I should of known better being on a inliners site!

Poncho, When you have your engine apart will you measure a rod for me?

Sure will. May i ask why or is that top secret

I'm trying to find rods that might be longer than the stock GMC rods so I can find a shorter/lighter piston in my 302. I'm having a hard time finding a source of piston and rod specs.

According to the book the rods are 7.565 center to center.

I'll look in my bearing book when I get home tonight Beater and see if that shows anything. And at the same time Poncho can double check on his end.

Don't understand but it says lower end bearing,inside diameter and length.
1.9998x 1-1/16
2.0008

If you have a set of dial calipers, you can get a pretty close measurement on the center-to-center length of the rod. Just measure the distance between the B/E and S/E of the rod. And then add 1/2 the diameter of the B/E and 1/2 the diameter of the S/E to it. And that will be fairly accurate within a couple of thousandths.

7.565" is a length of interest and a 2" rod bearing ID is good but I'm not sure if that means that the big end width is 1 1/16. If so I think that is too narrow.

Sorry Beater, my TRW bearing book doesn't have any specs for the straight eight.

Here are GMC rod specs that Scott posted earlier.

Small end diameter: .990(same as BBC)
Small end width: N/A(235 is 1.025/30")
B/E housing bore: 2.4563/2.4458(235/261 is the same)
Standard rod crank journal: 2.3110/2.3120
B/E rod width: 1.238/40(235 is same)
Bolt size: 3/8"
Center-to-Center length: 7.000"(235 is 6.800")
Compression Hgt.of 302 piston: 2.375"
The Pontiac looks good except for width. And we don't know about the small end. I just looked in an old Chilton's manual. Not much except that the 8 stroke is 3 3/4 and the 6 is 4". If the 8 rod is 1/2 longer than the GMC what's the 6" It may also be wider and the rod journal is 2 1/8!
Man here we go again hijacking another thread with our GMC crap. Sorry Poncho.

No worries beater i enjoy this kinda stuff! Anything to help!

Poncho,Wouldn't it be great to have an archive on this board that had a complete set of specs for all of our inlines? And, while I'm dreaming interchange with new and old parts and all the sources we can find? It would be a massive undertaking! Beater

That would be awesome beater! Or a resource for how stuff comes apart. I am now trying to figure out how to remove the valves!!

One at a time. 1 OL REDNECK I.I.#113

One at a time. 1 OL REDNECK I.I.#113

Well i found a machine shop 300 and all the machine work is done! Now i just got to find the 1300 for the parts!

Hey your moving right along. Great! Its cold here and I didn't get my heat in my shop this fall soooo. I'm temporially laid myself off till I get the heat installed or the good LORD wants me to get back to my projects and warms things up a little. Keep up the good work. 1 OL REDNECK I.I.#113

Beater: You would be surprised to know how much side play you can run with a GMC or any engine. The key is oil flow, and correct grinding of the crank when using a smaller diameter big end rod.(radius) It "appears" the Pontiac has quite a lot less diameter. If the GMC is done by a guy knowing what your plans are and he has the rod and bearing; the ginding can be done to use the narrower rod and maybe stroking it a bit too. This will also make for a shorter/lighter piston. The piston companies I have delt with will make them any way you wish, ie: pin height, pin diameter, ring width, clips/buttons, gas ported, etc. Good luck

Jimmy Six, Thanks. I'm looking for options in order to get that shorter/lighter and stronger piston. I'm trying to see what is already there. Thanks again!

Hey- PONCHO, WE haven't heard from you lately. If your saving for parts thats understandable. Are you going to clean up the valve pockets or ports before putting the engine together? Are you got any other ideas on improvements you'll make? 1 OL REDNECK

Im curious also, he is supposed to be sending me things to make for him. I'll be making him some header flanges and a pair of billet finned side covers, and possibly some intake flanges....

HEY PONCHO- DON'T YOU LIKE US NO MORE? 1 OL REDNECK

Sorry guys my internet got shut down because i exceeded my bandwidth!! Things got tight waiting for money for parts. And to get the machining done.

Cnc dude sorry i have not mailed them yet! Actually totally forgot when the web got shut down.

Hope you guys can forgive me!!!!! I have gotten some work done on my Chevy pick up though!

No problem, just when ever your ready! Thanks....

OH my golly gosh are you being such a valuable person to Hughes Net too? They suck but I can't afford 4 miles of wire! I hope things are going well. We'll be waiting when you have news!

Me too!! We have a lot in common. I always have more expenses than $enses. I think a lot of us are interested in your project because it a different inline. Hoping to hear more when you can. 1 OL REDNECK

Actually beater i'm with wildblue butt probably the same stuff!!

Well finally moving forward! Works come around and the car club got a shop! Send the block off to machine shop in a few weeks hopefully get the parts in a few weeks!

CNC dude we still on ?

Absolutely, whenever you are ready.

Cool, that really cool!!!! Should send the parts out on the 10th. I still heft to make the templates for the exahust but i should be able to get that done!