I'm working on a 1969 Valiant 225, trying to swap a 904 to an a833OD from a 1978 Aspen RT E58.

I've read a few rumors that the shaft on the a833od is too long and needs to be modified. Does anybody know if this is true, has anybody done this swap successfully?

Here's a picture of the two side by side




Thanks,
-Brian

Everything should bolt right up if you have the whole set up from the aspen (not sure if the Z-bar is the same).

You will need to make sure your crank has a pilot hole in it( in which case you'll need to make sure you get a pilot bearing to install), if it is unfinished(i.e. rough or not 'drilled') you'll need a special pilot bearing to fit that hole.

If your crank wasn't drilled with a hole at all, we have a problem.


Basically the nose of the convertor centers the setup for the auto tranny, and the input shaft fits in the crank to keep is all centered.


let us know how things turn out,

-D.Idiot

hmm, is there any way I can determine if my crank has a pilot hole and bearing in it, other than opening up the engine or mounting the tranny?

Sounds like I may be a victim of Murphys Law in this case.

If it is still a '69 motor it should have the hole in it. The bore may not be finished for a bushing, but you can get around that by getting a pilot bearing for a Dakota truck.

_________________
Official Cookie and Mater Tormentor.

87 Aspen... was this a Canadian or Mexican model... these cars stopped being made in the US after '80. If you get a short tail version of the 833OD (which most Aspens,volares etc had in them) it should be the same length as the 904 that you are replacing. If, on the other hand, you got a long tail version, it is out of a truck/van... same length as a 727.

Shoot, I really meant the tranny was from a 1978 Aspen RT E58. I was mid project when posting and in kind of a hurry, sorry.

From the farthest I could fit a rod into the crankshaft to the outer rim I measured 2.5 inches. When positioning the tranny under the car it seemed that it lined up correctly, the shifter ended up in what seemend like the right place. Do you guys still think I need to find and press in a bearing?

Thanks,
-Brian

You need the bearing to stabilize the nose on the input shaft ( the nose of the torque convertor does this job for the automatic), without it, you will have some nice vibrations, some bad shifts, then you will have a bad transmission. Make sure you have a slant six bellhousing as the E58 if I remember right is the H/P LA motor of that period.

good luck,

-D.Idiot

I did find the bearing from Brewers, looks like it will line up nicely.