Hello Guys I have a 69 Buick GS with a 455 swap and a TH400 column shift automatic and a bench seat. About to order a full kit from SST to swap from Auto to Manual 5-speed TKO-600 with hydraulics. I have to use a third party mechanic to do the swap. Have a few questions 1. The engine is out of a 70 Electra. Will it work for an AUTO to MANUAL swap? Apparently cranks are or could be different in AUTO and MANUAL... and some years are machined for both kinds of transmissions and some years are drilled only for an automatic. In case this is an auto only crank... do I have the option of using a special pilot bearing adaptor?? I guess I wouldnt know for sure till the TH400 is out of the engine. I do not have the budget to do a breakdown and rebuild the engine to rework the crank either. 2. I have LONG TUBE headers. Any issues with this? Any other things I need to worry about?
My 455 is a 1972, when I tried to install the pilot bearing in the crank it was about 1/16 too large and I was able to turn some material off of the bearing itself to make it a slight press fit into the crank. However, I do not know what size the standard automatic crank hole diameter is, compared to the manual. I might have just been lucky. Anybody else know the crank hole size differences? I have a TKO 500 (.62 OD). You are going to love it.
As you stated, crank may or may nor be drilled for a pilot bearing. If not, machinist can easily drill one, just be sure its concentric. I've found that the early 455 cranks were drilled, later were not. Measure your bronze (check for iron content) bushing and drill to fit ( 1 thou press) as many are not made to spec now. Dick miller (Olds) makes a crank snout adapter pilot bearing that fits into A/T convertor snout if you decide not to drill the crank. The crank hole should measure 1.095" ID x .75" deep if it has been machined for a pilot. The block may or may not be drilled and tapped for the z-bar ball. Again, early were, later were not. Easy to correct if needed. Long tube headers should be fine. TKO will require tunnel mods, easy to cut/patch new metal. Edit: Oops just noticed hydraulics. Disregard z-bar ball comment
not sure what is in the sst kit or what it provides but if you are going to be using a hyd throwout bearing consider buying the complete McLeod setup including the pedal assembly. It will have the correct leverage for releasing the big clutch and brakets for the firewall slave cyl etc. Gord
I had to use the Dick Miller bearing since the engine was in the car and the crank couldn't be machined. My engine is out of a '72 so maybe the '70 will accept a standard bearing. I saw a swap on Car Fix where they added a manual to an automatic 1970 GS and the pilot bearing went right in. Who knows if they had to do anything off camera to get it to work. I also used a 1/4" CNC cut spacer between the transmission and the bell housing so the input shaft bearing surface would line up with the new bearing location. I have long tube headers on my '64 and there is no interference issue. Make sure your mechanic is experienced with this swap. There are several critical measurements that must be taken and adjustments made with shims. Do not use a bronze bushing as this will void the transmission warranty.
