Dumb question about the V8 T18 bellhousing

[derf]

I'm mulling over an idea and I have a dumb question.

I know about the spacer and long input shaft on the V8 version of the T18 compared to the 6 cylinder version of the same transmission.

My question has to do with the actual bellhousing itself. Was it the same between the two? i.e. could you take the V8 bellhousing off of the spacer and bolt it between a 258 and a short shaft T18? i.e. if I had an adapter bellhousing for a T18 to a non AMC engine, would it bolt to the spacer and would the input shaft line up correctly?

[tgreese]

What year? Was it the same between the two? From ca '71 to '79, yes.

The Borg-Warner transmissions used by Jeep in the 70s - T-14, T-15, T-18 - all used the same bell, regardless of long or short input shaft. Call it the T-15 bell. Realize that the Jeep T-18 case and the Jeep T-18 short input used with the 258 and T-15 bell were unique to Jeep. The short shaft kit for the T-18 (that you'd get from Parts Mike) is from a FORD, and is even shorter than the Jeep 258 T-18 input and too short for the T-15 bell.

Your adapter bell housing is going to be about 6" deep (same as Ford and GM) and the Jeep Borg-Warner era bell is about 7" deep.

There are Jeep bell housings with this shorter depth. The T-150 and T-176 bell housings are different from the Borg-Warner era bell ... Ford depth, shallower by about 1" than the T-15 bell. The Jeep SR-4, T-4 and T-5 bell are the same casting, just drilled differently. They can be re-drilled to connect a Ford transmission to an AMC engine

What exactly do you want to do? There are a few ways to skin this cat using junkyard parts.

[derf]

Turns out my idea isn't going to work. Not with a T18 anyway. I'm going to have to think about other alternatives. Right now the NV4500 is coming up as a better option, if I can find one that's not stupid expensive. Of course, I may just punt and go with an automatic.

[Stuka]

The only other engine that an AMC T18 will bolt to is a Ford, as they also used the same bell-trans bolt pattern. Which is why its easy to put a Ford NP435 into an AMC.

[tgreese]

The only other engine that an AMC T18 will bolt to is a Ford, as they also used the same bell-trans bolt pattern. Which is why its easy to put a Ford NP435 into an AMC.

Not entirely correct. Tell us what you want to do.

Derf, you are right, NV4500 can be wildly expensive as swap material.

[Stuka]

The only other engine that an AMC T18 will bolt to is a Ford, as they also used the same bell-trans bolt pattern. Which is why its easy to put a Ford NP435 into an AMC.

Not entirely correct. Tell us what you want to do.

You are right, NV4500 can be wildly expensive as swap material.

Well yeah, there should be some asterisk after my statement. Adapters can be used for anything. The T18 can be bolted to a buick V8 without adapters (using a bell from a manual Jeep that came with a buick 350). Which also lets you bolt up to some other BOPC engines as I recall. And I think Dodge used the NV435, so there should be some cross over there.

[HeavyMetalThunder_81]

Sounds like someone is after a Ranger Overdrive. I looked into every angle of this option as well. Between the cost of the unit and all the adapters it sounded easier to just go with an NV4500. Plus the Ranger is a loud SOB.

Now if I can just find a 92-95 4wd GM NV4500

[tgreese]

The only other engine that an AMC T18 will bolt to is a Ford, as they also used the same bell-trans bolt pattern. Which is why its easy to put a Ford NP435 into an AMC.

Not entirely correct. Tell us what you want to do.

You are right, NV4500 can be wildly expensive as swap material.

Well yeah, there should be some asterisk after my statement. Adapters can be used for anything. The T18 can be bolted to a buick V8 without adapters (using a bell from a manual Jeep that came with a buick 350). Which also lets you bolt up to some other BOPC engines as I recall. And I think Dodge used the NV435, so there should be some cross over there.

I suspect you are thinking of the T-150 or T-176 bell housing, which is has the Ford transmission pattern and depth, connecting a Ford T-18 or T-19 or NP435 to AMC engines. But you can bolt up GM bell housings to the Ford transmissions too, and bolt up Ford or GM engines to the Jeep T-18 with minor machining and some parts swapping. Lots of ways to mix and match here. Much of this is on the Novak web site, if you read their pages. And there are other approaches. Too extensive a topic to cover from the bottom up - if you search the early CJ-5 site, all these combinations have been discussed backwards and forwards.

[Fast Eddie]

The PO converted my J20 to a NV4500. Advance Adapters had all the stuff to make it work, and stock AMC bell housing. I found a used Dodge factory shifter boot to finish it off and not have any leaks in the tunnel. Very nice package and drives like a dream. I can do 75 mph and motor is at 2000 rpm....
Now the NV4500 is not cheap, but they are out there for sure!! Really a nice smooth trans to drive. IMO

[derf]

Sounds like someone is after a Ranger Overdrive. I looked into every angle of this option as well. Between the cost of the unit and all the adapters it sounded easier to just go with an NV4500. Plus the Ranger is a loud SOB.

Now if I can just find a 92-95 4wd GM NV4500

Not after a ranger overdrive. I was considering a different engine but there isn't a bellhousing option for that particular engine with any T18 so it's a moot discussion.

In reality, if I do go with that engine, I'm going to end up with either an AX15 or NV4500 backed by a Dana 300.

[tgreese]

Which engine?

[derf]

Which engine?

In the interest of avoiding the inevitable "that's a bad choice" and "just do an LS swap" discussions, I'm not going to say.

Besides, it's just a hypothetical research project right now and I don't even yet have the Jeep to put it in. So until I do, it's just a theoretical exercise anyway.

[Stuka]

Which engine?

In the interest of avoiding the inevitable "that's a bad choice" and "just do an LS swap" discussions, I'm not going to say.

Besides, it's just a hypothetical research project right now and I don't even yet have the Jeep to put it in. So until I do, it's just a theoretical exercise anyway.

Just Coyote swap it

[Stuka]

I suspect you are thinking of the T-150 or T-176 bell housing, which is has the Ford transmission pattern and depth, connecting a Ford T-18 or T-19 or NP435 to AMC engines. But you can bolt up GM bell housings to the Ford transmissions too, and bolt up Ford or GM engines to the Jeep T-18 with minor machining and some parts swapping. Lots of ways to mix and match here. Much of this is on the Novak web site, if you read their pages. And there are other approaches. Too extensive a topic to cover from the bottom up - if you search the early CJ-5 site, all these combinations have been discussed backwards and forwards.

Yeah, I was just wrong I was thinking of the T-17x bell. And these days, you can almost swap anything to everything it seems.

[tgreese]

...

In reality, if I do go with that engine, I'm going to end up with either an AX15 or NV4500 backed by a Dana 300.

Thre's also the NV3550 https://www.novak-adapt.com/knowledge/t ... al/nv3550/

[derf]

...

In reality, if I do go with that engine, I'm going to end up with either an AX15 or NV4500 backed by a Dana 300.

Thre's also the NV3550 https://www.novak-adapt.com/knowledge/t ... al/nv3550/

It's an option as well. But I find that the AX15 is easier to find on craigslist so that's the more likely scenario. I don't really need the NV4500's strength as th engine doesn't lay down big torque numbers so I probably won't go that route.