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T18 To 304 Help.

Discussion in 'Intermediate CJ-5/6/7/8' started by NeedsRusteze74, Jan 10, 2021.

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  1. Jan 10, 2021
    NeedsRusteze74

    NeedsRusteze74 New Member

    Sacramento
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    OK, so I've seen a few threads about adapting a T18 transmission to an AMC 304 engine but from all the treads that I read through, it looked like everyone was saying that it was a direct bolt on. I have a ford T18 and when I bolted it all up to measure for the new cross member location I found a big problem....

    [​IMG]

    As you can hopefully see from this photo, the input shaft of the trans does not even touch the pilot bushing. ( Don't mind the grease on the end of the shaft... wanted to test how far the input shaft was going into the bushing not knowing that I was going to be able to see it. ) Anyways... I'm not quite sure why mine isn't a straight bolt up like most people say. I was hoping someone on here might know what I'm missing or what I can do to make it work. Thanks in advance!
     
  2. Jan 10, 2021
    52M38-73CJ5

    52M38-73CJ5 Member

    Wenatchee WA
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  3. Jan 10, 2021
    NeedsRusteze74

    NeedsRusteze74 New Member

    Sacramento
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    I'm not quite sure what it came out of. I got it from a guy who was probably at least the second owner of it since it had been removed from the original vehicle.

    What exactly do you mean by CJ5 bell housing? Because the one that I have bolts up just fine and its actually 2 inches shorter than the bell housing that is on my t15 that I took out.

    The only thing that I noticed before I bolted up the T18 was that on my original T15 that came out of the jeep the input shaft stuck out about a half inch from the edge of the bell housing. That is not the case with the T18, even with the T18's bell housing being 2 inches shorter than the T15. I was wondering if maybe someone changed the input shaft at some point?

    [​IMG]
     
  4. Jan 10, 2021
    NeedsRusteze74

    NeedsRusteze74 New Member

    Sacramento
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    Stick out length from the base of the trans.


    [​IMG]
     
  5. Jan 10, 2021
    73 cj5

    73 cj5 Not ready for the junkyard yet

    Clinton, Mississippi
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  6. Jan 10, 2021
    AKjeff

    AKjeff Member

    Carson Valley, NV
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  7. Jan 10, 2021
    52M38-73CJ5

    52M38-73CJ5 Member

    Wenatchee WA
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    What did your T18 come out of. My old T15 has a 8" stick out. My brother put a Ford T19 in his 3A he had to replace the input shaft.
    Hope this helped.
     

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  8. Jan 10, 2021
    nickmil

    nickmil In mothballs.

    Happy Valley, OR
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    As said above you need the different pilot bushing. It will have a larger OD and fit in the outer/ larger step in the crankshaft with the correct ID for the Ford pilot.
     
  9. Jan 10, 2021
    NeedsRusteze74

    NeedsRusteze74 New Member

    Sacramento
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    Gotcha. Yeah I figured I needed either a longer shaft or a different pilot bushing but just want sure what was the best way. So thank you guys very much!
     
  10. Jan 11, 2021
    DrDanteIII

    DrDanteIII Master Procrastinator

    Milford NJ 08848
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    I believe you need to change the mainshaft. No pilot bushing is going to make up that gap.

    read here:

    The Novak Guide to the Borg-Warner T18 & T19 Transmissions

     
  11. Jan 11, 2021
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
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    Looks to me like the larger OD pilot bushing will work. I recall this problem discussed previously with regard to the Ford transmissions.

    If this bell bolts up now to the Ford T-18 case without modification, it's the T-150/T-176 bell. This should be the right depth for the Ford T-18 main drive gear, with the right combo of parts.
     
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  12. Jan 11, 2021
    nickmil

    nickmil In mothballs.

    Happy Valley, OR
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    No new input shaft needed. His current pilot bushing is in the deepest step in the crankshaft. The correct one for the Ford input moves it out to outermost larger opening in the crankshaft. Works perfect. Been doing it for pushing 26 years with zero issues. We were having them made before Novak, Partsmike, etc. were selling them.

    Mainshaft is the rear output shaft.
     
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  13. Jan 11, 2021
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

    Medford Mass USA
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    Are there any AMC applications that need that outer step? Maybe the convertor for an automatic. Seems awfully forward-thinking of the AMC engineers to provide for Ford transmissions. :ninja:
     
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  14. Jan 11, 2021
    NeedsRusteze74

    NeedsRusteze74 New Member

    Sacramento
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  15. Jan 11, 2021
    fesser

    fesser Napa, CA 2024 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Napa, CA
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  16. Jan 11, 2021
    nickmil

    nickmil In mothballs.

    Happy Valley, OR
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    The outer step was indeed for the torque converter and other applications. I’m guessing a happy coincidence for the Ford T-18/T-19. We had to take a Ford application pilot busing and machine the outside to make it work.
     
  17. Jan 11, 2021
    nickmil

    nickmil In mothballs.

    Happy Valley, OR
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