Bell housing help!!

[Victor62]

I have a NV4500 manual 5 sp. My bell housing is toast and I'm not finding a new or used one, my question, is there a swap to a more common housing that I can do, hope some one knows this. Oh yea, it's out of a 93 Chevy k/1500, 350 motor.

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by Victor62

I have a NV4500 manual 5 sp. My bell housing is toast and I'm not finding a new or used one, my question, is there a swap to a more common housing that I can do, hope some one knows this. Oh yea, it's out of a 93 Chevy k/1500, 350 motor.

call scrap yards in highly populated areas .. then rent a vehicle to pick it up 500 miles away.

[Victor62]

Yea been looking all day, one guy called me back and wanted me to pay 280 before he would send me pics of it, yea right don't think so, found out these bell housings only ran from 93-95 so they are pretty hard to find, was hoping there is some kind of swap I could do that wasn't to extensive. But I will keep searching, thanks.

[aleekat]

Try this site. If no luck, you can submit a parts request.

http://www.car-part.com/

[Victor62]

Originally Posted by aleekat

Try this site. If no luck, you can submit a parts request.

http://www.car-part.com/

I will check it out, thanks for the info.

[j cAT]

Originally Posted by Victor62

Yea been looking all day, one guy called me back and wanted me to pay 280 before he would send me pics of it, yea right don't think so, found out these bell housings only ran from 93-95 so they are pretty hard to find, was hoping there is some kind of swap I could do that wasn't to extensive. But I will keep searching, thanks.

it will take time ..keep looking for large scrap yards in like in texas cities of large populations .call them up for part availability..

then drive down to pick it up so you can inspect its condition . try to find others in the same area so you have a few selections.

[Blue Bowtie]

What exactly is worn or damaged on the original housing? Perhaps some thread repair or welding/machining or other work can make is usable.

And I know that some of the cases were magnesium so welding may not be an option, but IIRC most of those were the NPG transfer cases, and I'm not sure if bell housings were included. I believe they are 356 T6 aluminum, which can be welded and re-machined easily if that is the solution.

[Victor62]

Originally Posted by Blue Bowtie

What exactly is worn or damaged on the original housing? Perhaps some thread repair or welding/machining or other work can make is usable.

And I know that some of the cases were magnesium so welding may not be an option, but IIRC most of those were the NPG transfer cases, and I'm not sure if bell housings were included. I believe they are 356 T6 aluminum, which can be welded and re-machined easily if that is the solution.

I live in a small town and I have asked several welders about it and they say they are not set up to do the job, whatever that means, wishing now that I would of learned to weld, they suggested that I take it to Albuquerque, the nearest big city, so I will do that but its a bit of a drive so I don't get up there often, It has one big ass crack that has caused it to separate a good inch or so, and it has 4 or 5 spider cracks running from the big crack, if I can get it welded that would be ideal but I won't know if can be until I take it to someone who really knows welding, I did find one used bell on e-bay but the guy wants 375, and I just can't swing that much, got to get something done though, cold weather is rapidly approaching and I don't want to be laying in my dirt driveway freezing my ass off reinstalling it.

[j cAT]

like I said call up texas scrap yards for a replacement.

[j cAT]

like I said call up texas scrap yards.

welding steel ya that is do able / the case you have no hackerama is going to be able to weld braze that metal case.

[Blue Bowtie]

A quick search reveals several businesses in Albuquerque advertising aluminum/non-ferrous welding.

If you get it welded it might be prudent to drill stress relief holes at the ends of the cracks before welding, bolt or clamp the bell to a surface plate while welding, and possibly stress-relieve it after welding by either oven or Wheelabrator/shot peining.

[Victor62]

Originally Posted by j cAT

like I said call up texas scrap yards.

welding steel ya that is do able / the case you have no hackerama is going to be able to weld braze that metal case.

I spent a day last week contacting salvage yards all over this country, Dallas, Houston, Denver, Phoenix, Oklahoma City, Los Angeles, and other places, everyone said " no we don't have one", I have filled out countless part locator forms. I don't have an unlimited budget so I was hoping to find one for a reasonable price, the only one I did find is 375 plus shipping, that's not gonna happen, used bell housings are relatively inexpensive, the one Chevy was using before and after the one I have, I can get all day long for a hundred or less.

[Victor62]

Originally Posted by Blue Bowtie

A quick search reveals several businesses in Albuquerque advertising aluminum/non-ferrous welding.

If you get it welded it might be prudent to drill stress relief holes at the ends of the cracks before welding, bolt or clamp the bell to a surface plate while welding, and possibly stress-relieve it after welding by either oven or Wheelabrator/shot peining.

As soon as I can get to Alb. I will find a welder who knows his stuff and see if it can be saved, thanks.

[Schurkey]

What's so special about this bellhousing? No such thing as an aftermarket replacement? I'd be looking at aftermarket scattershields to see if there's something suitable.

[Victor62]

The slave cylinder is on the passenger side, the front drive shaft is occupying the space on the driver side, every aftermarket bell I have looked at, and I have looked at alot, the slave is on the driver side.