Bellhousing Question?

I have a 1967 Jeepster that came with a three speed and the Buick 225 V-6, about twenty plus years ago I put a Buick 350 in it that came out of a J-10 pickup (as the bellhousings macthed up). I have had nothing but problems with the transmission as is it just not strong enough to hold up to the 350 V-8. Advance adapters said they sell a bellhousing for the 231 buick but that they don't think the bolt pattern is the same..."is this true or not?" "Would I be better off with the old V-6 if I could find one?" When you replace the 225 with a 231 do you have to replace the bellhousing in the jeep? :?

 

The 225, 231 and 350 all have the same bell pattern, the so-called BOP pattern (Buick-Olds-Pontiac; fits Cadillac too). AFAIK all the modern GM engines are either the BOP pattern or the Chevy pattern.

 

231 and 225 and 350 bellhousing are the same. They all use the BOP bolt pattern. That is if you can find a stock 231 bellhousing buick didn't use many manuals behind the 231 in their cars. I would recomend putting a sm420 out of a pre 67 chevy truck. You usually can find a running one for 100 dollars. With little modification it will bolt up to your current bellhousing. However you will need a adapter for the tcase. The sm420 can take anything your engine can throw at it plus more. Its a 4 spd with a 7:1 first gear.

 

I am definitely not a guru on this subject, but when I was shopping for buick bell housings, I noticed that the newer ones, while the bolt pattern to the block might be the same, the bolt pattern for the transmission is clocked a few degrees.Also the hole for the clutch release lever on some is not directly out of the side, but lower toward the bottom.

JC

 

Thanks for the help! Adavanced adapters said they have the bell housing for the 231 the will get me to the T-90 or a T19. Have a good one!

 

If I have a 350 Buick and I still have the bell housing and say that Jeep put the T-90 or the T-19 behind some of thier motors, why would this bellhousing not work? Is there a cheaper adapter for this bellhousing?:?

 

The T-90 was never stock behind the V6, though the very similar T-86 was. Jeep never sold a T-19; they sold a few close-ratio T-18s with the V6, but only in 1971, maybe 1970. Very scarce now.

The 350 will drop-in in place of the 225 if you make room by moving the radiator forward (by shortening the grille). Everything else fits without modification, except maybe the carb linkage, wiring, etc. No changes to the motor mounts, clutch or bellhousing. The reverse should be just as easy, except that your radiator will now be too far away from the fan.

Another possibility is to go with a TH400 automatic that came stock in Jeepsters. That would be plenty strong behind the 350.