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331 hemi

2K views 6 replies 4 participants last post by  willys36@aol.com 
#1 ·
I have a 331 hemi out of a 51 New Yorker, and I just pulled the motor this weekend. It has the extended housing on the motor, which is bad enough, but when I pulled it, the torque converter stayed in the housing. I can't figure out how to get this out, so I can put it on a stand. Any help is greatly appreciated.
 
#2 ·
Don't go bad-mouthing my '51-'53 extended bellhousing 331 hemis now! the bellhousing back plate shoudl unbolt from the block giving you acess to the torque converter. Also, the bottom half of the extended bellhousing unbolts giving more access to the flywheel. I run one of these in my Willys and love it.
 
#4 ·
When I got my engine the flywheel was missing and I went back in with a Dual Range Hydro adapter and Hydro fluid coupling which has a case that bolts to the flywheel with 20 or so bolts so I have never seen how the stock Chrysler was installed. Every torque converter I have ever seen is bolted to the flywheel, usually with 3 or 4 bolts on the engine side of the flywheel. You will need to rotate the flywheel as you remove the bolts to expose all of them.
 
#5 ·
You may need to bind the converter or the fly wheel somehow to break the nuts loose. The converter is HEAVY so have someone hold it while you take the last bolt out. You don't want to pinch OFF a finger or loose a toe while removing the converter. Like willies36 said the nuts are on the engine side of the flywheel. Take out the plugs, gently turn the flywheel and torque converter till you see a bolt and nut then loosen the nut and remove that bolt. I have pried off of the engine block one or two teeth on the flywheel at a time on a sbc but be careful. Remember have someone else hold that torque converter for you it is HEAVY.


Todd
 
#6 ·
It's not really a torque converter in the sense that you normally think of one. It's really a fluid coupling and is operated by using a clutch. That's why it's bolted to the flywheel. Between it and the flywheel I believe you'll find a clutch disk.

I disassembled two of those motors a couple years ago and couldn't get the fluid coupling off so I just used a long wrench and removed the flywheel and fluid coupling as an assembly. Then I promptly carried them out to the junk pile and gave them a proper burial.

If you are going to hook anything other than a stock 51 trans to it the flywheel and fluid coupling system won't work anyway. (Trust me you wouldn't want it to even if it did work.) With the extended block it’s much easier to hook up a 4 speed than an automatic anyway. Bob at Powerplayhemi.com has adaptors for the 51-53 extended block to the Chevy 4 speed for $325. They used to be in real short supply but are being manufactured again so the earlier blocks are rapidly becoming more and more valuable. :cool:


Good luck.

Centerline
<a href="http://www.hotrodsandhemis.com" target="_blank">http://www.hotrodsandhemis.com</A>
 
#7 ·
One more note adding to what I said in my answer to your PM, you can bore the engine 1/8" over (from the current 3 13/16" to 3 15/16") and it will be a 354 and you can use pistons made for 354s. That is exactly what Chrysler did at the factory and what I did to the engine in my Willys. Would be wise to balance the crank after doing that but that is wise after making power train mods anyway.
 
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