Some of you may remember that I came to a grinding halt on this project when I figured out that the flexplate I ordered was for an SAE 1 bellhousing, and the MCI bellhousing is unique - it is SAE 1 on the mounting flange and the starter motor is in a SAE 2 ring gear position. So you need a different ring gear and flex-plate. I found one, but it was $1700 and non-returnable. I already had a non-returnable SAE 1 flexplate, so I looked for other options. Digging through various Allison diagrams, we found one that had a bolt-on ring gear that sandwiched a separate flexplate, intended for a Cummins application. I found that ring gear on Ebay, NOS, for $350 and ordered it. I plan to cut the SAE 1 ring gear off the flex plate and trim it to fit, bolt the SAE 2 flex plate to the torque converter over it, and make a crank adaptor to space it all out right so it engages the starter motor correctly. One little hiccup so far - the new ring gear is 1/16" larger in radius than the ring gear on my old flywheel. I won't know if that makes a difference until I get to a point where I can bolt it up and measure the pinion to gear clearance on the starter motor. But at least I have a way forward now.... BTW, this ring gear is no longer available new and MSRP is $2700, if it was available. This project is not for the faint of heart, it turns out...
Yep. It's make it up as you go.
Anytime you're doing something that never came from the factory that way it's challenging. Well, kind of like converting a bus!!
The only guy I found who had done lots of SPicer to Allison conversions had a stroke and couldn't speak or write.
Only took me 2 of those conversion to figure out the easiest way was to find a SAE 2 bell housing from a 6v71 with the MCI arrangement I bet those are hard to find now too,I would buy the bell housing and the flex plate from Sam for 300 bucks back then
Brian where did you put the shifter left or right of Driver?
Dave
At this point I am making a mechanical shifter using the original shift lever. Only time will tell if it works or not, but a shifter and cable is pretty expensive.
Brian
Clifford, does the V730 use the same flywheel as the 740? I have a flywheel with ring gear off a V6-71.
Quote from: bevans6 on December 15, 2016, 04:04:35 AM
At this point I am making a mechanical shifter using the original shift lever. Only time will tell if it works or not, but a shifter and cable is pretty expensive.
Brian
from what I have read so far...the cable might be the least expensive item on the list. You will enjoy the result I am sure :)
this 40 ft cable is on ebay for under $70
http://www.ebay.com/itm/MERCURY-40-FOOT-QUICKSILVER-GEN-I-BOAT-SHIFT-THROTTLE-CONTROL-CABLE-/141036127504?hash=item20d6688510:g:wTQAAOxyTMhSCRaJ&vxp=mtr (http://www.ebay.com/itm/MERCURY-40-FOOT-QUICKSILVER-GEN-I-BOAT-SHIFT-THROTTLE-CONTROL-CABLE-/141036127504?hash=item20d6688510:g:wTQAAOxyTMhSCRaJ&vxp=mtr)
Just search for 40 foot (or whatever size you want) shift cable.
If you buy a shift tower, make sure it is for a 640 series transmission. A 740 shift tower has different throw. Although it was several years ago, I got a new one cheap from Direct Machinery Outlet, 410 799-9530
I'll probably end up doing that after the mechanical shifter doesn't work... ::)
I got a cable and a shift tower. Then I drilled and tapped the clutch rod; screwed the cable into it and pulled the cable into place by pulling the clutch Rod out the back through the engine compartment. Easiest part of the entire project.
Fred
Great tip. When I installed a new throttle cable I used the old cable to pull the new cable through. Do you recall the length of the shifter cable you used?
Brian