350-a440 help needed please!

[cody c]

NEED 350-A440 HELP ASAP please.
I am trying to get this damn tranny working, the transmission isnt engaging, not getting any line pressure, i think its because the torque converter isnt engaging with the pump. The reason we are having so much trouble is because there is no inspection hole to get to the torque converter bolts in the advanced adapter bellhousing adapter. So we have to install the engine with the torque converter attached to it. Has anyone dealt with this before or any advice on creating an inspection hole.

Also i qm wondering if the washers that came with the kit that are stepped might have anything to do with this. I dont think they would be a spacer between the flex plate and the torque converter but it seems like the torque converter isnt going in far enough.

The mechanic said he had a look at the transmission and the pump seemed like it wasnt damaged.

I put about 40 hours into this thing, only to not have it working, it is at the mechanics right now and they are a little confused (it was sitting there a month before they had time to get it in there!!) And i worked on it evenings and weekends for about a month before it made I got it to them!

I could really use some help from the forum about now, I am way beyond burnt out on this project and the mechanic bill is adding up. If anyone can give me some perspective or experience with this it would be awesome. Thanks!

--I posted this in the 80 section as well, but it seems there are more people with firsthand 350 conversions in the 60 section and i am trying to find some direction for the mechanic tommorrow so i posted this here as well. Sorry and Thanks.

 

[79fj40moneypit]

You should give AA a call they should be able to help you and lead you in the right direction.

 

[cody c]

i will look up their # and write it down so i can call them tomorrow, i am definately not impressed with the amount of info they send, or their over priced universal motor mount they sell, actually they had quite a few bolts and washers that i couldnt find a place for either, must be for different model block or tranny.
Also i had to get metric bolts the right length to bolt the tranny to the adapter. I tried to use the stock ones and stripped out the aluminum threads. It would have been nice if the ran there threads all the way through the holes.

 

[grant5127]

The only one I've ever been around had the adapter plate between the trans & engine, used a manual (chevy) trans flywheel coupled to a adapter that bolted to the flywheel via a crankshaft adaptor. The adaptor has the Toyota crankshaft bolt pattern and crank diameter on the transmission end with the GM crankshaft bolt pattern and diameter on the engine end.
This allows the Toyota flex plate and torque converter to be bolted to the rear as with the original configuration.......torque converter to flex plate mounting bolts access was through the starter mounting hole......

 

[cody c]

The only one I've ever been around had the adapter plate between the trans & engine, used a manual (chevy) trans flywheel coupled to a adapter that bolted to the flywheel via a crankshaft adaptor. The adaptor has the Toyota crankshaft bolt pattern and crank diameter on the transmission end with the GM crankshaft bolt pattern and diameter on the engine end.
This allows the Toyota flex plate and torque converter to be bolted to the rear as with the original configuration.......torque converter to flex plate mounting bolts access was through the starter mounting hole......

yer right, i just talked to the mechanic and he said they werent able to get at the torque converter bolts through the starter hole though, i cant remember why he said, i think it was the gm flywheel in the way.

 

[79fj40moneypit]

Just looked at the AA site and Marks site and they dont show the adapters or any instructions,but it reads like there are quite a few pcs to put together.

 

[cody c]

I just tried to call them but they didnt give a canadian #
some one please shoot me in the face as it would be easier than sorting this out.

 

[cody c]

AA was no help at all, wait they could give me the website for marks to email them and that is it.

 

[grant5127]

thats really piss poor customer service.........

 

[79fj40moneypit]

Did you buy it from them? Years ago I had a issue with a product they carryed and they bent over backwards to help. Boy things have sure changed! That does not say much about them.Reading the post below it seems there may be some issues with this adapter.

 

[cody c]

thats really piss poor customer service.........

thats how im feeling about advanced adapters as well.
I really like the cruisers but sometimes i get so frustrated with stuff like this, well you know how it is...

As a honorable mention to the 60 section i also posted in the 80 section. If you have a look there at the support i got i think youll see why i posted here as well!

Grant5127 , i just talked to my friend colin the mechanic, he said that he could not get at the flex plate from the starter hole as the gm flywheel does not have access holes. Just for future reference.

By the way, i may be giving a little more updates and info needed in hopes that someone who has done this swap or dealt with this will see the thread and chime in, hopefully im not being too annoying.

 

[Moby]

Might be something useful here: Chevy Conversion Menu

 

[cody c]

Might be something useful here: Chevy Conversion Menu

Thanks, i actually printed this up to help me with the conversion.
The bellhousing adapter i have looks nothing like they one they have:
http://www.geocities.com/~jjjoutside/Mvc-024s.jpg

Also i emailed Marks, they replied but said they would need to find my name and where i got it from before they would help me. I suspect they think i bought it used or made my own, and dont need to help people who arent buying there product. This means more email-tag before i can get close to answer. I love email tag with australia, because there is now way i can respond or reply more than once in a day. Which means it might take a week to sort out a question or suggestion. Anyone gonna take me up on the offer to shoot me in the face yet?

 

[grant5127]

Anyone gonna take me up on the offer to shoot me in the face yet?

Why did you choose the 440 anyway?? That thing carries a bad reputation around my area (discarded daily).....Most folks lean towards one of the more popular GMs....(easy to fix, cheaper than dirt).......

 

[cody c]

the 440's dont really have a reputation up here, as almost nobody has one. I wanted to go with the A440f so i didnt have to mess with the transmission linkages etc. I thought overall it would be a simpler install and a much more reliable unit. Ya, thats what i thought. It might be easier to throw the &$%@ 440 out now and find a gm tranny to bolt to it.

 

[cody c]

Finally got it sorted out, turns out the torque converter was protruding far enough out causing the pump not to engage. I had the mechanic weld spacers onto the flexplate to get the proper spacing. I dont know if the issue is due to the wrong parts from Marks or if i had the wrong flywheel (although i specifically ordered a flywheel for a 94 gm sbc) Anyways, the only thing that helped was a small bit of info in the vague instructions marks sent me which was: the flex plate should protrude past the adapter housing 14.5mm +/- 2mm's. I thought i would write this up in case anyone else is looking for help in a similar situation.
Cheers!

 

[hicruise55]

thats really piss poor customer service.........

Not much help in your situation but I too recieved horrible cutomer service with AA- then called Downey and was on the phone with Jim for an hour! AA pretty much said this is the part # whats your credit card # you ready to order? And you want MY $$

I too went a GM tranny, just the repacement/rebuild cost alone made sence to me-wana but a spare A440F

 

[Elbert]

The instructions from the Mark's kit are lacking details and proper pictures or drawings. It's like you have to know how it works before you get started. On my 5.7 swap, I have some extra parts and I can't tell you where they go. I agree that if you have questions or problems with these things you are pretty much on your own. In the long run you might be better to run the GM auto trans with the SBC.

 

[cody c]

The instructions from the Mark's kit are lacking details and proper pictures or drawings. It's like you have to know how it works before you get started. On my 5.7 swap, I have some extra parts and I can't tell you where they go. I agree that if you have questions or problems with these things you are pretty much on your own. In the long run you might be better to run the GM auto trans with the SBC.

i may switch later, but n the meantime the a440f will have to do. I just drove the cruiser home and ive noticed the pinion hits the starter when going over bumps, sagging stock springs dont help either. Guess ill try and find a decent set of used lift springs.