SBC to T-14

Hello, I'm in need of information about different T-14 specs. I have a 1963 Mark IV Tuxedo Park, I guess this is a CJ-5? It had a T-90 trans, a home-made crappy steel adapter, and a SBC engine. The T-90 had a big hole in the side (surprise), and teeth hangin' out. I aquired a T-14, an adapter for a T-14(TransDapt 0028 ), and started throwin' wrenches at it. The adapter was way too thick for my T-14 input shaft. After many careful measurements, I made a nice Aluminum adapter at the machine shop where I work. Now it works fine for what I use it for, which is a Mud Bogger. It has 40" Gumbo Mudders on 14" wide steel wheels, these were on it when I got it. My rear drive shaft was just long enough, but I'm glad the Jeep dosen't flex much! Now I have a line on a T-14 with a 10" long input shaft, and want to know if my Trans-Dapt adapter will work with this trans. This would set the trans back about 1.5" farther than it is now, making the rear drive shaft fit perfectly. The front drive shaft would be fine with this set-up as well. I know Jeep made a couple of different versions of the T-14, but how many? Any help?:?

 

I don't know how long the T14 is going to hold up under the conditions you describe. From what I know, the T14 is consider a light or medium duty tranny at best. If you want a stout 3 speed, I believe the T15 is much stronger. I am sure someone else will know a little more. I just would hate to see you spend so much time on a project that is doomed from the get-go.

 

The T-14 is probably a little stronger than the T-90, and is pretty strong for its size. Not hugely strong, but it might last a few months in a SBC bogger.

The T-14 was used in at least 3 Jeep applications; behind the 225 V6 in CJs and Jeepsters up to 1971, behind the 232 and 258 inline 6 in 72-75 CJs and 72-73 Commandos, and behind the 232 inline 6 in J-trucks and Wagoneers from 1966 to 1971. AFAIK each of these applications has a different input shaft, but they all use the same output shaft. I would expect the truck/wagon transmissions to have the longest input shafts, since Jeep would typically lengthen the distance between the bell and transmission with a spacer and longer input shaft in these applications. This was done to place the shifter in the proper location in the cabin, since the distance from the cabin to the engine compartment is longer in these vehicles compared to the CJs.

Kinda hard to tell from here which adapter you have. Did you buy it new from AA or 2nd hand? Since the usual T-14 only came behind the V6, and the V6 is already a GM engine, AFAIK you don't need a new adapter for a Chevy in front of a 225 T-14, but you do need a Chevy bell. If you have a T-14 meant to be used with the 232 or 258, it won't work with a stock 225 setup. If your adapter is actually for a T-90, these adapters used a very long input shaft, and thus are much thicker than what you need with a 225 T-14.

Clear as mud? Maybe it would help to post some pictures of what you have.

 

Thinking about this a little more, I'm not sure this is right for all the 225/T-14 combos. They changed for 1971, so that Jeep used a special bell for 1971 and no plate adapter... or maybe pre-71 has the special bell... somebody here will know for sure.

 

Thanks, so far so good. I ran this set-up last summer at local bogs, and had no issues with the drivetrain. The only problem was my distributor kept hitting the firewall. I don't really want to start over with a T-15, but I have heard they are stronger as you said.

 

I made a mistake, the adapter is from Trans-Dapt #0028. I got it on eBay. It is new, never installed with gaskets and pilot bushing. The T.D. website states "for T-86 or T-14 V6 trans. only". I am going to take some pictures, the ones I had got removed from my computer. No back-up disk The way the Jeep is now, it hauls a$$. I ran it last summer at local boggs, and it was wicked. I would like to use the adapter I bought to set the trans back further, and the other trans I'm looking at is cheap. I have a stock cast iron adapter also, same thickness as the T.D. aluminum one. The cast iron one dosen't have a place for the bearing retainer. It was said to have came from a V6 T-14. I guess what I'm asking is how would I be able to identify a V6 trans. by the input shaft?

 

I don't know how to tell unless someone has one of these sitting on their garage floor and can measure it for you. There were a lot of the CJs with the AMC I6 and the T-14, so if the T-14 you have doesn't look right, that may be what you have. You can also compare the diameter of the splined part of the shaft, the number of splines, and the pilot tip diameter, as well as the length of the stickout, to figure out what you have. Again, I don't have these numbers, but somebody here can probably tell you.

 

I have serous reservations about the t14 behind a SBC. Personaly, I don't think it will hold up. A T15 or T150 would be a much better choice. There are a umber of car and truck four speeds that can be adapted as well.

 

The easiest way - there should be a metal tag under one of the top cover bolts with a Jeep PN. If it's there (they are often gone), then you're in. Anybody with a parts manual can then tell you what the application is.

 

I helped a friend put a bone stock chevy 283 with a 2bbl carb in a CJ5 with the T14 in it. It stripped all of the teeth off of the input gear after about 2 months of daily driving. That was with 33/10.50/15's That tranny might not last too long in your jeep.
I have a T14 with the factory V-6 adapter on it in the garage if you need the input shaft measurment i can get it for you.

RSN

 

Any measurments of the input shaft would be great. The length, diameter, #of splines. Also how many bolts hold the input shaft bearing retainer on. The T-14 in the Jeep now only has three and the adapter I want to install has four. The other T-14 is on eBay, it looks like the one I need, but the seller doesn't know what engine it came from. All he can tell me is the input shaft is 10" long. Thanks for any help.

 

According to my Advanced Adapters reference guide, the measurement from the case of T-14 to the end of the input shaft is either 8.5" (I-6) or 9.5" (GM).

I use to have two '71 one-piece bells but must have sold them

 

The T-14 will NOT hold up behind a V8 it's that simple. I tried it behind my then stock Chevy 283, it lasted a month before it ripped the teeth off the input gear. I was only running 31" tires and never beat on it. I was lightly accelerating out of a toll booth on the highway when the tranny went to pieces. I could have understood if I was beating on it, but gimme a break... I replaced it with an SM-465 and now have the engine up over 300 horses and have had zero problems. The best part is that the SM-465 will bolt right up to the smallblock. You'll just need an adapter to bolt the T-case to the tranny, move the t-case crossmember, tweak the shifter handles and have the driveshafts shortened/lengthened. It really isn't all that hard of a swap. I'd just hate to see you make the same mistake and waste a lot of time/money in the process

 

The one i have is 9.5" long 1-1/8" 10 spline. It has 3 bolts on the bearing retainer. Your adapter might need a chevy retainer for the clutch release bearing. I have a Transdapt SBC to T90 adapter in my M38A1 and it uses the stock retainer on the trans and a chevy 3spd retainer on the adapter.

I have a built smallblock in my M38A1 and the T90 has lasted much longer than my friends T14.
I also have a stock 283 in my 5000lb FC170 and it is holding up fine.
I think they put a narrower input gear in the T14 to make room for the synchro's

RSN

 

Thanks for the info. I have a stock aluminum Chevy bellhousing in the Jeep, I really should have used a scatter shield type housing.The engine is a 1985 Camaro Z28 5.0 H.O.(305c.i.) with a RV cam installed. If I drove this thing everyday on the road, I'm sure that the T-14 would take a dump. Being that (1) this Jeep is not roadworthy, and (2) it is only used in fairly deep mud, I'm hoping it'll last another season. I also was thinking of sitting the Jeep body on a full-size Chevy shortbox frame that I have. But then I'd have to shorten the Chevy frame, and it would also be much heavier. The Chevy has a complete drivetrain, 4 speed with granny gear, and 205 transfer case.

 

If you’ve got this stuff sit’n ‘round why are you even mess’n with a Jeep tranny? You’ve got the answer to your problems right there.

 

A 205 probably won't fit between the CJs frame rails. You may be able to bolt a PSD 208 or 231 to the 4-speed, depending on the spline count.

 

If you have personal experience with this I’ll defer to your judgment, but I doubt that’d be a problem. An NP205 transfer case is huge, by comparison to a Jeep t-case, but not that big.

 

Well, I don't know for certain, but width of the 205 has to be less than 1/2 of the distance between the frame rails for it to fit. It was my understanding that the Chevy or Ford pickup drivetrains are unsuitable direct transplant into CJs, for this reason.

Easy to measure it ...