ezrizer

Is Eikert/Hardin/CP the only source for a new bell housing? Meaning are they the only ones that make the product? I think there may be a few other sources but it's the same product.

MILD THUNDER

Also, the lines. Rubber oil lines will get metal particles embedded in them if an engine fails.

getrdunn

I'm curious how plate compares to tube in reference to cooling. I had new 8's and 12's for another project but they never saw the water. Intent was to run 8's on the trans and 13's on the engines.

Anotherwords would a 13 plate be similar to a 2 1/2" x 18"? Or what would be a comparison for reference? I would think the volume of water in each would also somewhat dictate one vs other also.

ezrizer

Good question. I see 2 items right off the bat that need to be considered. The surface area and the material of construction. Copper has better thermal conductivity than stainless so the tube has one thing going for it.

offshorexcursion

Good question really

Each of my engines are rigged different due to space restrictions on the rear of the FWD engine against the front of the rear engine.

STB rear has both 8 or 13 plate flywheel housing cooling the engine oil

Port front has a Mr. Cool MRC CPH555 3" X 24" tube cooler rated for 1000HP cooling the engine oil.

I think they are both more than needed but the oil thermostats regulates the temps about the same while the port engine seems to warm up faster. I have not swapped the gauges to double check though.

Remember both also have finned Oberg return line filters, and dry sump tanks helping cool.

getrdunn

Guess it would be relatively easy to measure capacity of each. Both oil and water capacity. Ya the oil stats without question. I ran my 32 with 454/330's wot over to Wisconsin with no oil stats, no coolers, nothing other than block filters. No issues what so ever other than it was boring at 66 mph.

ezrizer

Gents,

Thanks again for everyone's input. I believe I have sourced 2 bell housings with coolers, should be here this week. I think the last item I need help with is the spacing. I am running a 1/4" rear engine plate and I it appears that the bell housing(s) I'm getting are the same dimensions as my current ones however I'm not 100% confident the current bell housings were trimmed down to accommodate the rear plate. Does anyone know the correct dimensions from the surface that faces the engine to the surface that faces the transmission. I'm currently at ~4-1/16" (best I can measure with tape measure on a flat surface. I'd like to know if the factory measurement w/ and w/o plate is ~4" and 4-1/4" or 4" and 3-3/4". Anyone know?

PS My engines are apart and away from home so mock up is not a practical option at the moment and I need to get the in coming bell housings cleaned up and prepared while I'm waiting for the engines to return. While cleaning my flywheels and flex plates this weekend I notice that the splines on the flex plates were filled with crud in the last 1/4" as if the splines were not completely occupied by the input shaft of the transmission making me think the original bell housings were never trimmed....

MILD THUNDER

I'll look and measure, I think i have both styles around here somewhere, that have been trimmed, vs not trimmed.

Something else that rarely gets mentioned, is that when you use a rear engine plate, you NEED to get longer bellhousing dowels. The standard dowels, are not long enough, to properly located the bellhousing to the block/flywheel/damper plate. You do not want to use the bellhousing mounting bolts as your "centering" method. If you want to go 1 step further, you can check the runout as well, for perfect alignment. I have seen several engines now, running rear plates, that have standard dowels in them.

Besides transmission spline engagement, you also have starter tooth engagement . If the bellhousing is not milled to compensate, your starter engagement to the flywheel, will be minimal

ezrizer

thanks Mild, I saw a post you made a few years ago on a similar subject and it mentioned the longer dowels. The same thread included a post the seemed to suggest that the trans doesn't actually fully engage the flex plate, anyone know if this is the case?

Yes, the starter is a concern of mine and I'm holding off on buying new ones until I get the bellhousings worked out...

ezrizer

I called BAM and got some questions answered. Stock bellhousings are approximately 4-1/2" engine to transmission and the with a rear engine plate (1/4" typical) a 1/4" is trimmed off for a final dimension of approximately 4". Mine measures about 4-1/16". BAM also said that the transmission doesn't typically fully engage the flex plate.