Bellhousing dowels?

Bob,

I get my hardened dowel pins from the local hardware store. A lot of hardware stores have a bank of small drawers, each about 2" high x 12", that have all kinds of small do-dads like bolts, pins, dowel pins, etc. Try an 'independant-type' hardware store, or an Ace hardware. They have different diameters and lengths of dowel pins. Make sure you get the hardened kind. If they are too long, they can be cut with a cutoff wheel. By the way, they really aren't tapered, but the ends will have chamfers to allow you to more easily start them in the hole.

You really can't do this with just a drill. To properly size the hole, you need to use a hand reamer. They come in different sizes, get the size that matches the dowel. Also get a drill bit that is 0.010" or so less in diameter than the dowel. You drill the hole, and then use the hand reamer to size the hole for the dowel pin.

I get my reamers from McMaster Carr, Grainger, Enco, KBC Tools, etc. All of these places do telephone orders and ship by mail. Make sure you get the hand reamer, which will have a square end so you can use a tap handle.

Go here:

have two pics, one of the drill, pin, and reamer; the other is a picof actually reaming out the drilled hole when I assembled theengine/tranny on my '63 Champ truck. Click the thumbnails to bring upthe larger pic, and if you want the really big pic, click again. Hope this helps!! Paul

Thanks, Paul, those are terrific pictures! Two questions: 1) It looks like you are enlarging the existing pin hole--what are the sizes of the drill bit, reamer, and dowel pin? 2) When you pull the bellhousing off, does the pin stay with the housing, and what holds it there?

Bob Porter

Oddly enough I just tried to pick up a dial indicator last night for this very job... Harbor Freight closes at 7 PM, I hit heavy traffic and got there at 7:10... this real job thing sucks...

nate

Bob,

The dowel pin was 3/8". The reamer was a 3/8" spiral flute high speed hand reamer, and the drill bit was a "U" size, which is 0.3680" dia. This gave me around 0.007" or so to ream out to 3/8". The cast iron is easy to drill, but go slow and try to stay as straight as you can. The cast iron is VERY easy to ream out.

I got these from KBC Tools. Quick shipping, good quality tools.

If everything is done correctly, the pin should be either a tight push fit or what I call a 'tap' fit into the hole, due the close tolerances. When you pull the bellhousing off, the pin will either stay in the block or come out with the bellhousing.....it really does not matter. If you want, you could use some blue loctite on one end of the pin, but I don't find it necessary.

Hope this helps, and let me know if you have more questions.

Paul

Thanks again, Paul. This clears up the mysteries.

Bob