The Experiment

If you finish this before I can get the 3b done I quit.

 

It was touch-and-go there for a bit, but I got it done and back together. There are two clutch baskets on the back of the oil pump that came out a lot easier than they went back in.

The bellhousing removed from the transmission...
The oil pump on the right needed to come out to access the differential.



I’d never seen a two-piece case before. It made disassembly a breeze. Everything got disassembled, cleaned, and reassembled.



You can see the gear ratios in the above pic.

I’ve “Lincoln Locked” probably seven differentials in my life and never had one fail (knock on wood). I’m convinced that clean metal and pre/post heat are the key. I heated the whole unit to straw yellow, welded it, then post heated it lightly for about ten minutes before covering it with a metal bucket. Three hours later, it was still too hot to handle. I removed all the spatter and burrs that I could, blew it out with compressed air, and pressed the bearings back on.



Viola! A 4.77:1 first gear ratio’d five-speed automatic transmission with a built-in 2.44:1 transfer case!

 

He still needs to finish the Varg!

 

I could leave that on the curb here and watch it disappear.
Scrapyard is a few blocks away.

 

I had a VW Jetta TDI w. 5 speed a number of years ago. It would have been fun to do something like this with it, though the little diesel might have been a little under powered in a Jeep.

 

Did someone say this was going in a Jeep?

 

Don’t tell Seth...
CJ3A Volkswagon TDI

 

Depends what direction I go. Still weighing my options. I’m tempted to get a truckload of cheap ERW tubing and just slap together a crazy single-seat buggy that can also plow snow. I have plenty of time to figure it out.

 

You could use a Smart car body for a heated enclosed cab.

 

Yeah, as fun as it sounds to cram everything required into a body even smaller than a CJ3A, north Idaho isn’t exactly a hotbed of smart car inventory. I’m not sure I’ve ever even seen one in person. Don’t forget, my budget is ~$50 or less on this. I search the “please come haul it away before I call the scrap guy” section of the classifieds.

 

One last pic before I put this thread to bed for a while. It’s all back together and stashed in a corner.

This is how much room is given to remove/install the 6 flex plate bolts on this engine

 

I believe I sent you a photo of a Keys version of what you're about to attempt, only it had a Japanese micro-pickup cab on it. It was built on an early CJ5 chassis too! Just insert your Volvo for the Dodge Voyager V6 that one has.
-Donny

 

Yup, still have that pic, but those micro trucks are a fortune out here. There’s a Subaru version for sale with no title or drivetrain for $2500!

 

Your love for Volvo's cracks me up. Carry on

 

I’m starting to change direction on this idea. I’m going to ditch the transaxle plan. I’m looking at using this engine in the 3b with a truck 4-speed, and get this thread back out of the Quitters Club.

Volvo used 3 basic variations of their “white block” engines: a 4-cyl, a 5-cyl, and a 6-cyl. All had the same bellhousing bolt pattern, but only the 6-cyl (and only when in the 960 model) came in a traditionally-mounted RWD configuration, where all the rest were transversely mounted FWD or AWD. The auto that came behind the 6 in the 960 had a detachable bellhousing. This bell can be used to adapt other transmissions to. Here is one that somebody adapted to a BMW trans.



So with this bell, I’ll be able to run the normally-transversely-mounted 5-cyl in the traditional engine location. These engines are so compact, it’s the same length as the 4-cyl I put in the 3a, but with 160 HP. If my wife ever wrecks her car beyond repair, I’ll be able to bolt in that powerhouse for 280hp.

I pulled the transaxle off this morning



And dug the flywheel/pressure plate/clutch out of storage that I’ve had stashed away for a time like this.



I’ve located a killer trans/t-case option for this a few hours away, but we’ll have to see if it’s still available after the new year when I have a better chance at affording it. Once I have a drivetrain in my possession, it’ll be easier to commit to finding/funding a bellhousing.

 

On the plus side......Your Joiner make's a fantastic holding / bench area .

 

Or....

I could cannibalize this 5-spd transaxle that I’ve been hanging onto for whatever reason. Cut the front half (and side) off of this and cut the back half off a Chevy bell and weld them together... This already has the clutch arm and hydraulic cylinder built in. Hmmmm...

 

Your Good.....But isn't that cast Aluminum ?