Re: 352 Engine/Transmission rebuild questions

Posted by HH56 On 2017/11/8 22:42:23

I don't believe there is anything holding the camshaft in the engine except the thrust plate. As long as that and all the lifters are removed it should slide out.

It needs to come out very straight so maybe the camshaft has cleared a bearing and dropped slightly at the far end so it is hanging up on the edge of another bearing as it is pulled out. You might try a length of threaded rod or a long bolt that will thread into the bolt hole on the front end of the camshaft to use as a sort of a lever. You can use that to raise or control the camshaft height to help guide it thru the bearings. I believe the eccentric bolt threads are a standard 3/8-16 size but you might want to verify that..

Can't help on the converter but from where ever you get it make sure you and the seller verifies it is a 56. The 56 input shaft splines are different. About twice as many of a much finer pitch than used in the 54GS and 55. Not that it makes much difference and they will interchange but in 56 there were also two different stall speeds. Hardtops had a converter that was supposed to be a bit sportier than that used on the sedans.

All the 54GS to 56 converters look the same but because of the splines 54-55 will not work on a 56. Unfortunately I don't know of an easy visual way to tell the year on an assembled converter unless you can possibly shine a light down inside the shaft end and see enough of the splines to make a judgement. If someone else knows a way I'd be interested in learning too.