46RH (A518) Conversion project

[Rickf1985]

So refresh my memory, why didn't you go with a 47RH? I am thinking incompatible bolt pattern? I can't believe that Advance or Novak doesn't have an adapter plate for that setup since it is a really strong overdrive tranny. I would be wary of an adapter that bolts to the pump bolts. Seems like that is kind of sketchy. The pump bolts are only designed to hold the pump in with no rotational force on them to speak of and the bell housing has massive rotational torque on it. I guess if they race them it is a proven design......................... I don't know though.

[Froggy1936]

Yep really hate redoing anything, I had that with the slow fluid leak right after overhaul and installation with mine , And also not cheap. I questioned you on the mounting of the new bell housing , Looking at things . Using the Frt pump bolts seemed suspect ? Did you Pull the pump and renew the O Ring ? Or just install the bell housing ? Do they use the original bolts Or are the longer ? How about some picture,s this time so we can get a better idea of what you are doing . We want to offer any expertise we have so you do not have to do it a third time   Frank

[Sasquatch]

I did not go with the 47RH because I felt that with the gearing a lockup TC would drop the engine speed too far.  Second was the additional circuitry to make OD and Lockup work.


Using the pump bolts is just fine.  They have longer bolts and O-rings to seal them.  Many drag racers with tons more power have been using these bellhousings for years. 


I found my problem.  I missed one small area getting the transmission case ground down enough holding the bellhousing off the pump just enough to leak like a sieve. 


So I will do some more clean up tomorrow, install new o-rings and try again.

[tmsnyder]

You have a lot of admirers on here Sasquatch!  I'm pretty amazed by the conversion personally.

[Froggy1936]

Pictures of the problem would help us understand the situation better, Good Luck, with we hope final repair , Yes We admire anyone who has the guts to reengineer anything To get the results they want ,Even though there is a lot of redo,s for fitment It is extremely satisfying when you succeed ! Frank

[Sasquatch]

The problem was that there was a collision between the new bellhousing and a bit of the existing case that I had not shaved down enough.  Some mill work cured that.  Did some test fits with some putty on the contact points and got it to mate properly.  Added some new o-rings, sealant, teflon washers and got it bolted back up.  Just got the transmission mated to the engine and some bolts started.  Taking a break before diving back under the coach to get it all bolted up.


Here is a comparison shot of the new high torque mini starter vs. the boat anchor OEM one.





Back to the salt mines.  I am getting too old for this crap.

[Sasquatch]

She is finally back together, driving fine, and keeping all her fluids to herself.  She is fine on the test drive.

[Rickf1985]

Here's hoping!

[Berlin-Tioga]

Fingers crossed!

[Sasquatch]

The only concern I still have is that when I drained the pan, there was a small amount of debris in it (had about 1200 miles on it since the last rebuild).  Some of the black sludge stuff and a few aluminum flakes.  I am trying hard to convince myself that this is just leftovers from the multiple transmission burn downs that hid in various parts of the transmission (like the Torque Converter) and did not get fully cleaned out.  The transmission had completely ate itself 4-5 times for pete's sake.  I would also like to believe that there will be some "wear in" of all the new clutch plates as well.  The fluid was bright red and clear, and still smelled new though.  Time will tell.  Logic dictates that with the cool running temps of the transmission now that there is very little internal friction, so there should be no problems.

[Froggy1936]

The amount you mention is pretty much normal , It,s not a hospital surgery room , There will be dirt and metal . Everytime you look . I think it,s time to forget about it and enjoy !  Best Wishes on a trouble free ride for years  to come ! Frank

[Sasquatch]

I ended up building a bracket to bolt the transmission to the moved crossmember.  It was not hard to do.  Pretty simple, actually.  My only issue remaining is a proper parking brake.  I plan on buying one that bolts on to the differential flange with a cable operated caliper.  I will build a custom cable to attach to the factory cable.  But this will probably be a project for next year.  With Covid, school and work, I have not even used the coach this year.

[Oz]

Thanks for the update!

[Sasquatch]

It has been almost 3 years now and I have successfully been back and forth from Boise to Arizona a few times and can close down this thread with results. 

Transmission is working perfectly.  I do have to manually switch in and out of OD with a small button on the turn signal stalk.  I do not even think about it now, it is all muscle memory.  But, in mountains I pay attention to the rpm drop and my vacuum gauge to switch out of OD before I really start loading it on hills.  The OD section of these transmissions are not the strongest.

Transmission is staying nice and cool as long as I do not try to pull too steep of a hill in OD.  Again, I just pay attention to it.  I have 2 massive transmission coolers on the front of the radiator.

Speaking of temps, I have the temp probe in the hot side supply line at the spin on filter before the coolers.  After a ton of research I am finding that the proper place to have it is in the sump.  So that is a project I will do this year. 

Driving:  At 65 it lowers the cruise RPMs from 3100 to 2200.  Much quieter and pleasant to drive.  But, I do not think the stock 440 in my heavy Executive would have had enough power to really pull those lower rpms.  Mine has every mod possible without rebuilding the motor (cam, intake, ignition, fuel injection, headers, exhaust, etc., etc.)

Fuel economy:  Here is the sucky part.  No real change over the long haul.  I am usually carrying some weight on a trailer (SXS + Motorcycle), a tow vehicle (5000#), etc., plus, the Executive is much heavier than the Winnebagos.  My 26' is about 16k ready to run.  On legs of the trip where the stars align right I can see 8.5mpg (I pretty constantly run 65mph on cruise control).  In the mountains I only switch to OD going down hills unless I need engine braking, so the MPG is about the same as before.  At the end of the day I am still averaging about 6.5 mpg.  But, and it is a big BUT, it is much more pleasant to drive and I have a ton more power than when it was all stock 30 years ago.  So that is a win.

Would I do it again today?  No.  In fact, I have so much money in my coach from the full interior remodel, to all the suspension, engine and transmission mods I could have EASILY purchased a used, early 2000s diesel pusher and had a better coach all the way around.  I am planning on getting a used pusher to celebrate my graduation from college next year.  I am watching pricing and for the price of a new pickup you can get one heck of a high end diesel from the early 2000s that is pre-emissions, electronic diesel with over 400 hp.  That way I can tow my F250 diesel pickup with the SxS in a "Toy up" bed rack and not have to drive the SxS from the camp ground all while driving faster and get the same fuel mileage.  My father has a 2004 Monaco Executive, 43' with tag axles, 500 HP Cummins ISX and Allison transmission and he gets 6.5 mpg running 75+ mph.  And they drive sooooo nice.  (We drag raced though, and my old Exec beat his up to 65.  Not by much, but it did pull him.)  His was over half a million dollars when he bought it new and if he sold it today it would probably be in the 80-90k range.  Quite a bargain for what it is.

[Mlw]

yeah well, maybe you really are driving too fast. Rv's are driving bricks after all.   

In America you are experiencing fuelprices like they were in Europe back then, So maybe next thread will change you mind 


https://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/index.php?topic=16581.msg101597#msg101597

Just as a tip of course, but with fuelprices as they are nowadays,,,,,