T-15 to T-18 swap

I found a T18/D20 with the bell housing on it from a 1974 CJ5 with an AMC 4 cylinder in it. I have a 304 in my 74 jeep. Will this bolt up or do I have to change the bell housing? Also, what other problems will I come across during the exchange? Will the exisiting tunnel cover work? Drive shafts modified? Any input would be appreciated.
Happy Trails

 

Welcome from Boston.

The '74 CJ never came with an I4, so either the title is wrong or it's been converted. Seems unlikely that it's been converted - check it out again. If converted, the AMC 150 uses the 60 degree Chevy bell (like the S-10) IIRC, so adapting to a T-18 would require some machining at least. Plus the stickout is wrong for an S-10 bell, and it can't be converted to another input shaft - I can't see an obvious way that this was done.

If it were originally a 258 and had the T-18 (the only factory combination with a T-18 that year), it uses the T-15 bell with a plate adapter. The driveshafts are a different length. The tunnel must be redone. The T-18 from a '74 is a close ratio transmission too.

 

What Timgr said. Only "update" I'd make is the input shaft can be changed with one from a Ford T-19 with 4-1 first gear, which can be very hard to find. You would have to lose the adapter plate and that opens up a bunch of bellhousing issues. They can be overcome, but not necessarily easily or cheaply. Are you sure this isn't a retrofitted tranny and motor or have the wrong year Jeep? Like Tim said, '74 never came with a 4 cylinder and I can't really picture anyone putting all the work necessary to put one in as a lot of changes would need to be made. Might try and find out more info about this and maybe post some pics would be very helpful in identifying the actual transmission. Nickmil

 

wasn't the ford pinto motor a really common swap into the jeeps?

 

Yeah, but its appeal is the Pinto/Falcon(?) bellhousing, which is really shallow. The input shaft of a T-90 is longer than some Pinto trans inputs, so you can use a plate adapter without changing the T-90 input shaft. Works for the 144/170 too I think.

Different from the Ford butterfly (big car) pattern. That's the one that's the same as the T-150 and T-176 trans pattern.

 

Again, what Timgr said . Most of the Pinto conversions I've seen were in Flatties or early CJ's replacing an L or F head 'cause they'd live pretty well in front of 5.38 gears. They could handle the RPM's better. Nickmil

 

I didn't get to see the jeep it came out of. Parts were taken out. It is a T-18, 13-01, with what I was told, an AMC bell housing. The previous owner did say it was a 1974 4 cylinder jeep. I asked him twice as I thought that it wasn't available. He insisted it was. He could very well be wrong as they were planning on putting a fuel injected honda in it . SO, if the bell housing will not work, will the '76 bell housing from the T150 work? I am bolting it to a 304.

 

yes. that is what i used.

 

It will work with a Ford T-18 or a Jeep wide ratio T-18 changed to the Ford input shaft, with a new hole drilled in the bell.

 

If you could post some pics of the transmission and all associated parts you have we might be able to better help you out. There is some misinformation present here that I think is clouding the issue. There are so many variants of the T-18 that without seeing what you have it's very difficult to be very helpful. Nickmil

 

I was going to write more in my last post, but I agree with Nick - you need to post pics so the replies can focus in on what will work with that T-18 and your existing drivetrain. Nick is the expert on these swaps - he's done dozens of them (and works with a shop that does this kind of stuff as a business), so you'd be wise to heed his advice.

 

Posted pictures up top, hope this helps.

 

Looking at the pics as near as I can tell that's an intermediate T-18 (intermediate being '72-'75, Timgr or Jpflat2a could tell you the exact years they were used). The bellhousing is standard AMC, depth of bellhousing indicates T-14/T-15 depth, Adapter between transmission case and bellhousing, Jeep factory T-18 bolt pattern case, large pilot on the input shaft all point to that. If you compare the input shaft to your T-15 I think you will find the splines and pilot match. If they do then that is the clincher. That should be a 4.02-1 T-18, although there were some very rare 6.32-1 versions. To find out you can just put it in first, put the transfer case in high range and count the number of turns of the input shaft to turns of the output. Or you can pull the top and count the teeth on the input gear. 17 teeth is the 6.32-1 and 23 teeth is the 4.02-1 version. Should bolt right up to any AMC I-6 or V-8 with proper flywheel and clutch. You will need to move your crossmember and modify drivelines. You may need to trim the tranny tunnel cover plates also, can't remember for sure as the last several years I haven't done any installs, just bench build. Got grunts for the heavy lifting!R) . I also PM'd you with my e-mail if you wish to send more pics. Hope this helps some. Nickmil