Outer Limits 4x4 Board

g'day guys. i've got a 253 in my cruiser and i am looking to put either a 308 or a 350 chev in it. problem is i don't know what block i have on my current motor... trimatic or turbo. is there an easy way of telling i.e. without pulling the gearbox off?

cheers.

not 100% sure but i thought all 253's were trimatic?

ohhh ok. can anyone confirm this? is there someway of doing it with the engine number?

treebruiser wrote:not 100% sure but i thought all 253's were trimatic?

correct

ok then. i'll have to figure something out then. cheers lads

Yep, all 253's were Holden Pattern.

308's vary depending if it was the US tranny or not (red Motors).

VN on are all chev pattern I believe.

253's were trimatic 100% sure

well thats settled that then. i'll have to find a 308 with trimatic. could you redrill the block to suit the dowels? would the input shafts be the same for the 350?

For the first Q yes, but it might be easier/cheaper to get another bellhousing.

Q2: Do you mean TH350? If so then yes, you will have to get the Chev flex plate but the spigot should be tha same in the rear of the crank.

I seem to remember in the darkest beer fogged regions of my mind that there was a sleeve for the auto Spigot but I cannot remember if it was for the TH or the Tri. Its only for locating as it doesnt spin like in a manual.


Discalimer: I could be way off on the sleeve thing as it has been a long time & I know the RB30 definately had one so I may be thinking of that.

sorry when i said 350 i meant chev engine. i would prefer the chev motor i think. but if its going to mean to much dicking around then i will try and get a holden motor.

Why not stroke the 253 to 355?

i don't know. would that not be pretty expensive.

sprungupcruiser wrote:i don't know. would that not be pretty expensive.

I would think no more than buying a good 350.

sprungupcruiser wrote:well thats settled that then. i'll have to find a 308 with trimatic. could you redrill the block to suit the dowels? would the input shafts be the same for the 350?

location and size of dowells are different, vague memory that bolt pattern is different also.

you can have them re drilled

Easy to tell them apart visually.

TH400. smooth bell housing, part of the gearbox (not bolt on )


trimatic. ribs on bellhousing, seperate bolt on bellhousing. thin, long tapered rear housing


For the cost of stroking, you would do better with a Chev IMO

ok so i can get an adapter for the bellhousing to go from trimatic to turbo. so the chev motor should bolt up, i'd have to move the engine mounts. other than that would it work?

i've still got the cruiser box. so i can't tell by looking at it. i think you are right about the chev. i can get a rebuilt chev for 3k. by the time you buy the stroker kit and get it all done it wouldn't be worth it.

Will a 253 go to 355.... that's about a 40% increase in capacity... things must be getting mighty thin by then...

RED60 wrote:Will a 253 go to 355.... that's about a 40% increase in capacity... things must be getting mighty thin by then...

Nope, goes to about 312 i think, prostroke do a kit. 308 with prostrokes 360 kit in it goes really well, bro inlaw has a mild one in his jag, breaks traction in 1st,2nd, and 3rd (3 speed)

6.5 rangie wrote:

RED60 wrote:Will a 253 go to 355.... that's about a 40% increase in capacity... things must be getting mighty thin by then...

Nope, goes to about 312 i think, prostroke do a kit. 308 with prostrokes 360 kit in it goes really well, bro inlaw has a mild one in his jag, breaks traction in 1st,2nd, and 3rd (3 speed)

fark its a long time since I was playing with holden V8s. I think 253 and 308 blocks are essentially the same, it was the crank that was different?

So you should be able to put the same stroker crank in either block?

for the price, go Chev with TH400, more and cheaper performance parts available and stronger better gearbox box

yeah that would be good but i already have the conversion done to the cruiser box. if i did that i'd have to buy a whole new kit to get the transfer to go to the back of the t400.

308 has a 4 inch bore and the 253 has a 3.265 bore

80's_delirious wrote:

6.5 rangie wrote:

RED60 wrote:Will a 253 go to 355.... that's about a 40% increase in capacity... things must be getting mighty thin by then...

Nope, goes to about 312 i think, prostroke do a kit. 308 with prostrokes 360 kit in it goes really well, bro inlaw has a mild one in his jag, breaks traction in 1st,2nd, and 3rd (3 speed)

fark its a long time since I was playing with holden V8s. I think 253 and 308 blocks are essentially the same, it was the crank that was different?

So you should be able to put the same stroker crank in either block?

for the price, go Chev with TH400, more and cheaper performance parts available and stronger better gearbox box

Block is externally the same but differnent bore(202 six cyinder pistons) Crank is different not in stroke but in the counterweights.

Early blocks can't be redrilled but later one can. All injected motors are turbo pattern.

You can also buy and adaptor plate to go from one pattern to the other.

RED60 wrote:Will a 253 go to 355.... that's about a 40% increase in capacity... things must be getting mighty thin by then...

I was thinking of the Come Engines 355 stroker kit (if they are still doing them). Comes with crank, rods & all associated bits to make it larger. Some mods to the block are required from what I understand but it can be done.

3 grand for a recoed Chev with no exchange engine is pretty cheap.

What is your budget for this project???

yes all 253's are trimatic pattern. ive got a ONCE TURBO PATTERN 308 thats been redrilled to trimatic to work with my bellhousing that is trimatic.

u just need to drill out the two holes on the left and right side and put a big plug in them, then redrill the holes into the plug to sute the pattern your after. and the same for the dowels. oh the then the holes up the top also, just need to drill them as they have the casting there for it.


hope that makes sence?

any ways it can be done, or just redrill the bellhousing the same way?

cheers, dan