What to do?

[Greg]

Hi Folks

I have a problem that I am hoping to get a bit of guidance on.
My bedford is currently running a 186 and traumatic. I haven't driven it since bringing home from the country and decided to check oils etc.. before taking for a spin. When I checked the tranny fluid it was a nice pink milkshake colour. Appears the radiator might be stuffed causing water to flow into the tranny, although the water in the radiator looks fine?
Anyway, the tranny really needs to come out and be checked over cause I don't know how long it's had water in it.
I have a 253 that I have almost finished rebuilding as well as a trimatic to suit.
The beddy currently has drum brakes.
So, i could buy a cheap tranny for now out of the paper and keep it going or, take the plunge and fit the V8 although brakes would need converting too

Can anyone give me a rough estimate ($) to convert to HQ discs?

Any other tricks I would need to know other than the brakes to fit the V8

Sorry to ramble on but guidance would be much appreciated.

Greg

[obsession]

mount your motor and box as far back as low as possible ,helps with cooling,shop around for your brake parts the best prices iv found have been from" Perth break parts in welshpool."
Chev power used to do the adapter plates for the disc conversion (not sure if they still do ) there was a set on ebay recently.(bens i think)
you will need to fit a proportioning valve for the rear.
253s in beddys go well but you will cut more out of the floor vs the chev conversion.
last I herd the owner of the suizki wreckers in carousel was selling a complete front end set up for chev mounts for$ 350.00 his name was peter lutter if that helps.Ill try and find his number.
youl need to change the tail shaft as well.
gearbox cross member to be moved back a bit.

Or buy a tranny cooler and install it separately change the oil and if the box is sick you Haven't  really lost anything you can still run the  separate cooler for the V8

[Dano]

Hey greg , all is well ...rambling is what we do best here , as craig said but just in case you want the ol girl on the road now ....... disconnect the tranny from the radiator (yes it is leaking coolant into the trans). seal trans line on radiator.(you might as well get a tranny cooler even for the V8...later) buy a trimatic service kit ( filter & gasket usually) do your self a favour and buy 8 litres of trans fluid (we want to flush out prob 2-4 litres until nice and clean (red)
 jack van up so you can get underneth comfortably,secure with axle stands(we want to start and drive the box/fluid out) drain pan if lucky enough to have a drain plug, drop fluid, change filter, clean and straighten  pan if any dents, notice the metal fragments..(lots = due for a rebuild, minimal=normal) top fluidup.
 you will need an aprentice for this part to flush old fluid with new,find the top line from the tranny and trace it  to the cooler outlet hose (or return line) ,use a bucket to catch dead fluid  ....assistant to place hose  in bucket, fluid will GUSH from hose(after starting engine) and wait for nice red fluid...shut engine off as flush is successful, replace lines , top fluid .

I have just recently done this to Borrrie thinking the tranny was stuffed only to find myself driving around the block, 90% of minor tranny problems are fluid/fliter related. if this doesn't work don't dispair we still have 2 aces up our sleeves, vacuum pressure and modulator.(more for later) Dan any dramas pm me

[obsession]

 jack van up so you can get underneath comfortably,secure with axle stands


lol u been lookin at bens photo hahahha   

[John Abbott]

Hi Greg....Dano's advice is excellent.I always seem to imagine the worst whenever something doesnt look right, but dont panic...You might as well try and get the tranny flushed and at least you will have wheels to get around in whilst you save your pennies.

[Greg]

You blokes are awesome.....

Dano, i'll get onto the tranny today and see how it goes.

Craig, i reckon ditch the 253 and chase up a SBC. will follow up on some of the parts you have spoken of.

Ben, can you post the plans on how to make those awesome jack stands (not)

Thanks Fellas

[ben]

yeh ok im thinking i might attack the jack stands today after martys little chat he had with me today..

they will definatly have rims at the bottom, tubing to a section that probably bolts onto the trans mount, then speed brace from left stand to right stand..


another things greg, i was talking to a 350 turbo700 9inch beddy builder yesterday after i discovered my engine mounts need welding up again cause they have cracked.. photos to come.

and he recons welding of engine mounts dont need to be done by a certifyed welder.. he said there is not a huge amount of strain, and if they are braced well unlike mine are.. then they will pass engineering no worries.. so im gunna weld these up myself, i use a mig.

greg you will be interested to see how my engine mounts are setup on this new van. photos soon,.

cheers
ben

[ben]

here are some photos of the setup this van has. wouldnt be hard to do at all!!

motor sitting back. and low



using orig holden engine mounts turned around and welded on the back of the crossmember:) nice idea



only problem is it puts a lot of strain on the front of it.. as you can see, both cracked both sides



today ill weld a brace in there, that will give it heaps of strength and get me going for a couple of years.. but they will probably break again. so ill have to make up a cradle from the chassis rail in the future..


also when chatting to the 350/turbo700/9inch builder guy he tells me how he did a tailshaft mod himself which i was very impressed about!!

he says how they did it was to cut the tailshaft to the right length and straight ofcourse, put it in the van up on a hoist, tack weld the cut where you think its perfect, then get a dial indicator setup on the tailshaft about an inch behind your weld.. then use a hammer to tap around the tailshaft where it needs it to run exactly true.

fantastic hey!!!

then its a good idea to get it balanced after that, but not necessary:) but its a way you can save dollars:) it cost a friend $300 to get his modifyed!! thats insane.

cheers
ben

[obsession]

dont know if dan can take any photos of his engine mounts we made but they must have been in nearly 20yrs.?

[kimbosound]

Many years ago i put a 400 SBC into a LWB beddie.....i simply used some engine mount adaptors that bolted directly to my red 6 motor engine mounts. Was easy as.
I did it all on gravel driveway!!! with a broken knee cap!!!!! bite the bullet you can do it.