Castlemain Rod shop bellhousing

[bru21]

Just had mine delivered. First impressions are its bloody good. Should be strong enough to hold a clutch explosion and top quality casting.

So far gets top marks over the others I have used in the past.

and at $488 half the cost.

that is all

Bru

[CWBYUP]

For the unaware, What are you building ?

Nick

[Guy]

Bru is building ..

THE LITTLE TRUCK WITH THE BIGGEST HEART

[chunderlicious]

actually hes building an offroad buggy now with provision for a winch

[pcman]

now with all rodshop things ive seen do the bolt holes actually line up properly ??

[Gwagensteve]

Bru is building ..

THE LITTLE TRUCK WITH THE BIGGEST HEART

Not any more he isn't...

Steve.

[bru21]

actually hes building an offroad buggy now with provision for a winch

On the money!


Full marks for keeping tabs. Half the time I don't know what I'm Building!

So far

Ls2 front mid engine, powertorque mafless 450hp
1HZ 5 speed / transfer
Castle main Bellhousing
80 series Diffs, steering etc, 1:1.5 quickner
4130 Tube chassis
Warn highmount 6hp Mild Modded, plasma etc
(potentially PTO aka spirit winch)
4x 2.5 Fox bypass
4x 2.5" Fox coil
4x 2" fox bump
1x Fox steer damper
CNC pedals with adj bias, no booster, CNC clutch
momo wheel with kartek quick release
Mastercraft pro seats

[Gwagensteve]

This thread is useless without pics

Steve.

[tt6_lux]

now with all rodshop things ive seen do the bolt holes actually line up properly ??

And did it come with all the bolts? The correct bolts?

Still, it could be worse... it could have come from Dellow Automotive.

[taspatrol]

now with all rodshop things ive seen do the bolt holes actually line up properly ??

And did it come with all the bolts? The correct bolts?

Still, it could be worse... it could have come from Dellow Automotive.

could some one please expand on these issue as i am about to purchace a bellhousing from one of these companies pm is fine

[bru21]

I'll get back to you after this weekend. bolting it up on saturday.

[AcTioN13]

hopefully you dont have to test the clutch exploding, as i know of one that went through the case and out the quarter panel

but good luck with the build, its got my interest

[tt6_lux]

now with all rodshop things ive seen do the bolt holes actually line up properly ??

And did it come with all the bolts? The correct bolts?
Still, it could be worse... it could have come from Dellow Automotive.

could some one please expand on these issue as i am about to purchace a bellhousing from one of these companies pm is fine

I purchased a Dellow Auto bellhousing/clutch kit to fit a 1JZ-GTE to a Toyota R150F gearbox.

First I had to mill the adaptor to make it fit over bolts on the gearbox, then mill the pivot bolt to fit around the same bolt.

Second the clutch slave was mismatched to the clutch master and oversized thrust bearing, causing the clutch to overstroke. This applied pressure on the crank, flogged out the front thrust races and dropped them into the sump: result = new engine.

Castlemaine Rod Shop (CRS) kit to fit Supra gearbox to 1UZ-FE V8: took four attempts to receive all required parts, that then wouldn't assemble. Required purchasing three different (CRS recommended) thrust bearings and numerous trial assemblies to make work.

Marks 4wd Adaptors, whilst more expensive, seem to have complete and correct kits.

[taspatrol]

sadly from what i have heard marks dont do any mq-mk converions
i guess i will just make sure they know what i expect as the purchaser! and hope like hell it works

[Struth]

Marks bellhousings are brilliant, well cast and generally well toleranced but they do not understand the subtle differences between a V6 and a 4 banger, for example the throw fork pivot from the V6 will not fit their bellhousing, you need to get a 4 cyl one.

Also their thrust bearing had no chance of fitting an R150F to a GMH clutch.

Worst though the bolts supplied for bolting the bellhousing to the trans were too long, a silly bugger might have kept wrenching them up until the trans case cracked.

The lesson is to talk to someone who has used the brand you are buying because I think all of them have little issues.

cheers

[zuffen]

I was talking with someone from CRS on a different topic and they advised they had spent a lot of money in the last 12 months sorting out problems like incomplete kits.

They believe their quality has improved a lot.

[gouldy]

I used a Dellow ls1 to gq 5spd bell housing, it was a perfect fit.
I did not go with a CRS bell housing as it was made for the early chev and not the ls1,so it needed some modidications to the bellhousing and the right hand side of the block had to be drilled and tapped. it also had no provision for the 2 holes in the sump. But maybe they have changed the design to suit the ls1 in the past 6 months.
Marks kit, ask some comp guys what they think of the ls1 adaptor and you will get an idea of what they are like. I spoke with a couple and chose a Dellow.

[V8Patrol]

now with all rodshop things ive seen do the bolt holes actually line up properly ??

I've used their bellhousings for many years, never come across one that had a bad set of holes yet ...... always lined up perfectly !


Kingy

[tt6_lux]

I was talking with someone from CRS on a different topic and they advised they had spent a lot of money in the last 12 months sorting out problems like incomplete kits.

They believe their quality has improved a lot.

Both kits I refer to were purchased 1.5 and 2 years ago, so there is hope that time may have improved things. Having said what I have I will still purchase items from CRS.

[bru21]

bolted up so sweet, light tp and she was on.

only thing i didn't like was the 4 bolt holes on the motor side are about 14mm for a 10mm bolt. The kit came with 4 4mm thick laser cut washers so they cannot pull in.

I will have to skim the spacer plate between the gearbox and bellhousing by about 4mm (according to the mendeloa site there is 4mm odd difference between SBC and Ls1 bellhousings.)

I'll post some pics soon

[chunderlicious]

now with all rodshop things ive seen do the bolt holes actually line up properly ??

And did it come with all the bolts? The correct bolts?
Still, it could be worse... it could have come from Dellow Automotive.

could some one please expand on these issue as i am about to purchace a bellhousing from one of these companies pm is fine

I purchased a Dellow Auto bellhousing/clutch kit to fit a 1JZ-GTE to a Toyota R150F gearbox.

First I had to mill the adaptor to make it fit over bolts on the gearbox, then mill the pivot bolt to fit around the same bolt.

Second the clutch slave was mismatched to the clutch master and oversized thrust bearing, causing the clutch to overstroke. This applied pressure on the crank, flogged out the front thrust races and dropped them into the sump: result = new engine.

same exactly as what im going through. with my ford v8 to patrol adaptor. didnt space out enough so the clutch is always engaged, slave cylinder had to be moved back, and i had to go to a bearing place with masurements as the thrust bearing just plain wouldnt fit in so i could do up the bolts.

[bad_religion_au]

just finished fitting up a rodshop xflow - cruiser gearbox kit...

2 of the threaded holes for the cruiser bellhousing bolts didn't line up (out by 10mm or so).

sent me the wrong starter for the kit too.

i've heard of similar problems associated with their brake conversions for cortina's as well

beefy? yep. life changingly wrong? nope... still a tad annoying.

[gouldy]

Dellow GQ/GU to LS1/ LS2

[patrol_uterus]

So what kit does everyone think is the best to put a ls2 in a GQ, Marks, Dellow or CRS. Also what does each kit come with and price?

[gouldy]

marks disign is to complicated. Keep It Simple Stupid as they say, and ya can't go wrong.
Check with CRS and see if their kit is for a small block chev or LS1/LS2 as there is a difference. Thats why I went with Dellow, because their bellhousing is specific to th LS1/LS2.
Cheers
Gouldy

[ronno88]

ive had a marks kit and after lots of heated arguments on why things dont go together on my next adaption i used the crs conversion the only thing i found was the flywheel just scraped on the inside of the bell housing, but eberything else was good. At half the cost and only 1 minor problem i can say from my expiereinces crs was better than marks

[PJ.zook]

ive had a marks kit and after lots of heated arguments on why things dont go together on my next adaption i used the crs conversion the only thing i found was the flywheel just scraped on the inside of the bell housing, but eberything else was good. At half the cost and only 1 minor problem i can say from my expiereinces crs was better than marks

Yeh a mate had a heap of troubles with his bellhousing adapting a 304 onto GQ cogbox. Marks werent too helpful with the problem from memory. But that could just be a one off, theyre other stuff may work fine.

[matto]

IMO marks are crap their quality is not up to standard and they do not have the experience that they claim they have. for example they put a ls1 in a gq and thats enough experience for every model and gearbox combination. If you dont believe me buy an overpriced kit and cry later, i did.

[RN]

So far gets top marks over the others I have used in the past.


Bru

Subtle dig

[krakatinny]

If CRS have improved and now their kits fit does that mean i can get my $1500 back plus solicitors fees for my kit that did not fit, i sent it back because the whole kit was wrong completely and they decided to pocket my money and the kit, even through letters of demand and Dept Of Fair Trade they were uncontactable, do not trust these thieves, Oh and please feel free to comment CRS i would love to hear another concocted lie, i miss them so much now that you are unavaliable to comment or even contact me.