T-14 to SB350

My nephew got his replacement GM bellhousing Friday and it was delivered to my house. We opened the box just to take a look at it.

Just for ****s and giggles I decided to check something.

I had an extra adapter for the T-14 to Buick V6 bellhousing so I test fitted it against the GM V8 bellhousing.

Perfect fit.

Does this mean I could swap to a SB 350 with a GM bellhousing and bolt right up?

I know the T-14 probably wouldn't hold up but would it bolt up?

 

Sure, but it would be better to put a Buick 350 in your Jeep instead of a small block chevy (kinda been overdone and is cliche)!!

 

Yeah, that's right...I remember those. I've seen a 350 in a '71 and saw the grilled mods.

I was just curious about the bolt up of the tranny to the GM bellhousing.

I thought I read somewhere that it's not supposed to work and since I tested mine and see that it does. I thought I'd ask.

Don't worry guys...I'm not converting to a 350. I's just curious.

 

I am no bell expert but AFAIK, old V-8 GM bells mate up and have a common bolt pattern on both ends after a certain year break point. As mruta pointed out to me, GM patterns on the trans side were common for a couple decades (and may still remain the same).

BTW, not to hijack this thread, but what is the weakness of the T-14 and can it be fixed with newer parts?

 

Hmmm, I am really concerned about the torque of the in front of the T-14. I don't have a T-90 for the V-6 --only a T-86 & T-14.

 

Good Question about the weakness?

Don't have an answer...all I've ever heard is that they are very weak tranny's.

I broke mine with the Dauntless trying to spin in loose gravel.

Tore up the input shaft and the cluster gear.

 

I have never understood why guys worry about a t14 and v6 but will take a t90 that came in front of a 4 cylinder and stick it in front of a v8. There is nothing wrong with the t14 and a 6 cylinder that fitting the gaskets to prevent oil starvation to the front bearings won't fix.

 

John to give you an idea about there strength versus weakness mine has been rebuilt but it actually has about 160,000+ miles on it and I have done way more than a dozen burnouts on the hard pavement and if done right can pop the clutch and pop the front wheels over a coke can, and I have never damaged any internal parts, my rebuild was do to front bearing failure from the poorly fitting front bearing gasket from the factory, I fixed that by fitting the gasket and cutting it right when I rebuilt it.

 

seen many a T-90 survive behind a SB350. I would think a T-14 would be OK too as long as driven judiciously....

 

Well then what's all the hype about?

I mean almost every article you read says the T-14 was notoriously weak.

On a similar note my nephew has a SB 350 pushing an SR4 which is also supposed to be very very weak. They put them in Pinto's (I think) and his lasted him about 15 years before it finally puked.

I guess it's all in your definition of "weak". Prolly depends on your driving style. An occasional burn out vs. trying to pull the wheels @ every stop light.

 

Part of it John is the use and the tire size along with gearing, the t5 is a very weak transmission in a Jeep but it holds up just fine in a v8 Mustang and Camaro, but they have drive shafts that flex and absorb alot of the shock and they don't run tires taller than say 24-26"s versus 31-35" if installed in a Jeep or Bronco, plus they are usually in a car the will not be subjected to extreme torque usage like creaping over a rock in compound low gear or hauling alot of weight.