TH400 Amateur Build

[TXChevy]

Lol BIG FUN !

Well today I got the side brackets made. Not really much to look at unless you figure in all the added work!

Here's one side test fit, you can also see the engine support. Both sides fit well, I'm satisfied with the engine location.


The support setup worked well, allowed for small changes to dial in the mounts.

Original mounts on top, new mounts on the bottom. You can see the difference - a lot of extra work and aggravation - but it needed to be done right.


I'll get them painted and installed, then back to our regularly scheduled program of finishing the transmission!

 

[TXChevy]

Drivetrain Installation Completed ......

Truly a trip down the rabbit hole, but I"m glad it's done and everything looks good.

Headers are still off, waiting on new gaskets. I'm using Remflex 2036 round port graphite gaskets - I really like them. They are extra thick and seal very well. Unfortunately, they are a bit brittle so removing the headers caused some breaking of the gaskets. Not cheap, but hopefully this time the headers will be on for a long time.

Here's the money shot - everything is bolted up, crossmember back in place.
I also made sure that the engine mounts are positioned so that there's some weight on the transmission mount, but not too much, meaning that there's not too much weight bearing down on the transmission bellhousing, nor too little so that the transmission tailshaft is pulled down at the rear mount. Sort of a balancing act.


I was playing around with the phone camera, sort of a fisheye view.


Driveshaft is positioned correctly now, plenty of clearance for rear axle movement, as well as clearance to handbrake assembly/cables.
I'll now go back and look at driveline angles.


Shows about a degree lean on the engine, but I realized the car is also slightly leaning by that amount.
Needs a bit of air in the tires after sitting for so long.


I wanted to give a bit more detail on my temporary engine support setup in case anybody else deals with a midmount plate or similar setup. This lets me support and adjust the engine without having to use a hoist. Figuring the loads, this is well able to support the engine - I didn't even see any deflection.

This is the wooden base support. It rests on a scissor jack.


Here's the support bolted onto the vertical brackets, engine mounts in place and scissor jack removed. It's just hanging there.


This is the driver side vertical bracket that will remain in place, doesn't interfere with exhaust.
Looking at the engine mount and vertical support bracket from the front of the car.
That's the tube for the relocated oil pressure sender.


This is the passenger side vertical bracket that will remain in place.
Looking at the engine mount and vertical support bracket from the front of the car.
That's the starter cable going through the bracket.


There's a little bit of trimming that will be needed on the dust shield that attaches below the bellhousing, very easy.

I suppose that (I don't plan to!) the engine mount plate and the vertical support bracket could be made from a single piece of plate.
Incidentally, I used .25 plate for these plates/brackets and engine mounts - very strong.

So now it's on to the transmission cooler and cooler lines, the vacuum line for the modulator and installation of the shifter cable.
If you look on the other thread, the console area gauges, wiring, and shifter are all done.

 

[Indycars]

I also made sure that the engine mounts are positioned so that there's some weight on the transmission moun

How would you adjust the load on the trans when you only have two points of support? One mount at the bell housing can't be moved and neither can the trans mount.

 

[TXChevy]

Shims if needed. The crossmember and axle worked fine before in their positions, the engine can be adjusted by add or remove shims of different thicknesses at the front or rear mounts.


This is the engine mount setup. You've seen a ton of info on the rear mounts. The front mounts each have three 1.5" diameter x .25" thick pads cut from square vibration isolation pad, one 1"x .25" 90A durometer, 500 psi rating from McMaster Carr. These were chosen for minimal deflection. They work great. If needed they can be changed for different thickness, but right now it all sits right.


The engine is very secure but not hard bolted to the frame.

 

[TXChevy]

Transmission Cooler....

Here's the comparison between the old and new coolers, should be able to keep the unit at a nominal operating temp.


Started fitting up the new cooler, this is the back side. I don't like those tabs, I'll make some nicer triangular versions. Even though they're mostly hidden, they'll get re-done, because I'll know lol.


I also spent a lot of time figuring out cooler line materials and routing. I think I've got it sorted out.

Taking a week off, needed a break before this car turns into a job!

 

[TXChevy]

Transmission Cooler .............

Got back to it today, did a bunch of miscellaneous but needed things along with moving ahead with the cooler.
Got the shift cable installed, now the shifter actually works.
Connected the downshift solenoid and installed the temperature sender in the pan, so now I've got a functional transmission fluid temperature gauge.

I made some nicer brackets for the cooler, installed using my favorite method - rivet nuts.


Installed on the car now, you can see a big difference in this cooler vs the old one (besides the cardboard).


Old cooler


Now that the cooler is in place I can start on the cooler lines.
There will be a hard line portion at the cooler, going under the radiator support.
Then braided lines all the way to the transmission, all AN fittings.

I always start with nicely straightened and clean tubing, just makes for a better looking installation.
I used my homemade tubing straightener that works great - these were cut from a coil.


I stuck an extension in it just to show where the tubing goes.

 

[Indycars]

Looks like it screws into the side tanks on the radiator, but those must be threaded bosses???

 

[TXChevy]

Looks like it screws into the side tanks on the radiator, but those must be threaded bosses???

When I ordered the radiator I included sketch of where I needed mounting brackets for radiator and for the transmission cooler bracket.
Its just 4 aluminum angle brackets, 2 each side for the cooler assembly, welded to radiator. Holes in each for 5/16 button head bolts. I opted no rivet nuts here so I could have a slight adjustment if needed to level out the cooler.

 

[Indycars]

Now that's thinking ahead!