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R 154 trans mated to the 4G63 narrow block


Bill Hincher
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I took one of my first casting W-55 series bellhousings and cut it up to build the R-154 option

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/R154pattern2.jpg

I cut up the R-154 trans to use the front plate as a template to keep the lines I wanted in the bellhousing

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/R154pattern3.jpg

then the pattern is put in primer and sent to the casting shop

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/R154secondfinishedpattern.jpg

these are some raw castings ready to machine out

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/r154internaltob.jpg

after machining out each piece they are all tested for correct fit

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/R154perfectlydialedin2.jpg

each housing is completely assembled with the front of the R 154 transmission face plate and dialed in before sale

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/R154perfectlydialedin1.jpg

one of the options I offer is an internal throw out bearing

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/R154intern6.jpg

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/R154bellhousingkit.jpg

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/R154bellhousingkit5.jpg

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/R154bellhousingkit6.jpg

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/r154intbearing.jpg

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/r154intbearing3.jpg

 

you can see how to assemble this at

Edited by Bill Hincher
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  • 1 month later...

those are built by a local circle track supply company

 

http://www.howeracing.com/DriveTrain/Index...w-HydRacing.htm

 

they go for about $130.00 , they just happen to have the same size I.D. as the Toyota collar and the face on the bearing fits the Mits pressure plate. I built a series of selective shims that set behind the bearing and used the bellhuosing to absorb the load of the pressure plate. The bearing itself does not attach to the housing, two studs mount to the bellhousing and set in the enlonged slides, keeping the bearing from spinning, but it is a free 'float' mount. It has a useful throw of 3/8 inch which is exactly the same as the stock Mits clutch fork

 

the only problem is with the complexity of machine work, it takes so much time to complete, I am going to rethink the throw out bearing system to mount to the trans facing in the wide block version and loose the extra wieght out of the housing

 

thanks for asking

Edited by Bill Hincher
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those have been selling for $475. 00 I sold my last one last week and I gotta order some more as soon as I can, they been selling all over the world, like hot cakes ! I may make some improvements on the pattern before I cast again, I want to make it lighter

 

I am getting pretty close on the T 56 narrow block system , its just been hanging over my head too long, plus I have reworked improvements into the power glide, and the I started the wide block version on both the R 154, and the T 56

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Beautiful work Bill.

 

Question though. With the R154, which clutch setup would be needed? Let's assume this is directed towards a Narrowblock swap, and I'd be using the stock Narrowblock flywheel, unless by some fluke chance that the tooth count and diameter is the same with both transmissions.

 

-edit-

 

After digging a bit, it seems I can use the FWD Eclipse flywheel and pressure plate, and I'd simply need to use a Supra friction disc? I noticed the GST's clutch disc is 225mm in diameter, where the Supra Turbo's is 240mm, would this cause issues with the pressure plate or flywheel? Forgive me if you've answered this already.

Edited by Dave-O
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so far I have used a stock 9 inch Toyota disc out of a R 22 engine set up with the stock narrow block FWD flywheel,starter and pressure plate

The R 154 came from the 6 cyl 7me Turbo Supra engine, so no doubt, it had a larger clutch, but the 4G63 pressure plate doesnt care what disc it clamps to the flywheel.

any double disc or custom clutch that fits a FWD Mits engine will fit in my bellhousing

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so far I have used a stock 9 inch Toyota disc out of a R 22 engine set up with the stock narrow block FWD flywheel,starter and pressure plate

The R 154 came from the 6 cyl 7me Turbo Supra engine, so no doubt, it had a larger clutch, but the 4G63 pressure plate doesnt care what disc it clamps to the flywheel.

any double disc or custom clutch that fits a FWD Mits engine will fit in my bellhousing

 

Awesome, thanks Bill. I'm guessing there aren't many aftermarket options for the 22R clutch discs, I'll shop around. I take it the pressure-plate clamping force is more what determines overall power-holding capacity?

 

-edit-

 

I was browsing ACT's website to gather some info on piecing together a clutch setup, and found some good stuff.

 

Their Maxx Xtreme pressure plate for '91 GSTs [part # MB010XX] is $425. Interestingly enough, they make both 4- and 6-puck solid-hub discs for the 22R applications [i looked it up as an '87 22R Pickup in their catalog]; the 4-puck [p# 4224007] rings up at $111.58, and the 6-puck [p# 6224007] only dents the pocketbook at $134.02. That could be a killer high-power setup.

 

Thanks again for all your efforts Bill. I'll be buying a bellhousing from you in the near future.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I am re-designing the R 154bellhousing adaptors that use the 4G63 narrow block engine, I want to build something a little more user freindly and less complex, I still build the internal bearing housings but they are not entry level stuff, they require a lot of detail to attention. my intentions are to bring down the cost by limiting the hours of time it takes to machine the older set up and create something nice for guys who wanna build a hot rod without spending too much money

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/1rethinkingr154.jpg

I machined out one of my W 55/59 series toyota bellhousings

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/2rethinkingr154.jpg

after i had locator pins in it , I added the rear section of the R 154

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/3rethinkingr154.jpg

I hope to build a much lighter yet strong housing

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/4rethinkingr154.jpg

I will join these two plates and machine them further until I get it ready for a fresh casting

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/5rethinkingr154.jpg

this housing will have to be matched by a special throw out bearing collar , which in hindsight, I probably should have offered the first time and I may change to an AWD flywheel because of the selction of clutches

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a local guy had it and was doing a swap but he run out of time/money/room, so I bought it to mock up some swaps and stuff, I really havent had enough time to do anything, I moved into that shop for the last two years , I had to set up my lifts and move in my machinery, wire the shop with three phase and put the plumbing in. Then I had to build a couple other cars before I can get to it.

I figured on building a 4G64 for it and building all the custom systems needed for a cool swap, like an intake and CAS relocater, front coolant exit, oil pan and I figured I would build a dry sump into it while I was screwing around

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  • 1 month later...

this is just an update for the R 154 guys, I have been remodeling to use the convensional throw out bearing

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/2rethinkingr154.jpg

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/13rethinkingr154.jpg

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/14rethinkingr154.jpg

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/18rethinkingr154.jpg

this is nothing fancy, just old fashioned sanding and adding material and developing the shape

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/22rethinkingR154.jpg

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/23rethinkingR154.jpg

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/25rethinkingR154.jpg

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/27rethinkingR154.jpg

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/28rethinkingR154.jpg

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/30rethinkingR154.jpg

I built this with a stacked style starter bolt pattern so i could use either a FWD or an AWD flywheel

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/32rethinkingR154.jpg

Edited by Bill Hincher
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  • 4 weeks later...

I am test proving the new bellhousings for the r 154 narrow block for the drift guys

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/37rethinkingr154.jpg

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/38rethinkingr154.jpg

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/40rethinkingr154.jpg

these are built to accept the AWD as well as the FWD flywheels

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/42rethinkingr154.jpg

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/43rethinkingr154.jpg

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/46rethinkingr154.jpg

this is 30% lighter then my previuos bellhousing and 20% stronger

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serious race guys are asking for the r 154 for the wide block, its agood choice for cost/strength/ fit

the T 56 is just way tooooooooo big! and anyway, Chad has those available and I aint the kinda guy to step on another guys idea

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Will the shifter placemnt be the same as stock??

 

The R154 is perfect for us. Anybody that drags knows how short our 1st feels. Once your really puttin down power it becomes an annoyance. With the R154 we will get a longer 1st and 2nd, pretty similar 3rd and a longer 5th which will help on the highway cruise. They handle 600HP plus on multiple setups. 7GMTE's are torque monsters as well as heavy. I think this is the trans we are looking for. Only issues Ive been told about are the thrust washer and shift fork breaking due to abuse. But upgraded replacements can be had cheap and are nearly bulletproof.

Also for big turbo guys this extra gearing load should be good for bringing our turbo's online quicker! +++

 

Stock Gearing..1st-3.369/2nd-2.035/3rd-1.36/4th-1/5th-.856

R154...............1st-3.251/2nd-1.955/3rd-1.31/4th-1/5th-.753

 

Phil

Edited by phinko
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This sounds like exactly what I am looking for... If we could get this mated up with the g54b, I'd definitely buy! My trans is on borrowed time with the torque I am putting down now, I know this will be my next focus for an upgrade.

 

Tom

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  • 5 weeks later...

this was the last peice of the puzzle for the R 154 project, I needed to extend the throw out bearing because the input shaft on the R 154 was so long

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/51rethinkingr154.jpg

i felt it was important to attach the clutch fork in a way that the body would not rotate and the fork would move freely

 

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/60rethinkingr154.jpg

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/61rethinkingr154.jpg

this is a first gen 4G63 clutch fork and pivot ball

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/57rethinkingr154.jpg

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/56rethinkingr154.jpg

this peice was builtfrom a solid piece of 4330 hot roll, I will probably have them casted in the future because it takes too time to machine each one

http://www.billsautofab.com/images/58trethinkingr154.jpg

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