Hi guys! Just picked up a 1955 Desoto 291 hemi with factory 4bbl and the powerflite transmission. It is a good runner so plans are to put it in my 1937 Desoto coupe with a 700r4 transmission. I need to get the powerflite off and have read a bunch of posts but still have some questions, I have someone who wants the transmission and I dont want to damage anything taking it off. - can the transmission be unbolted from the bellhousing and slid back by removing the larger bolts that bolt it to the bell? Any hidden bolts or straight forward removal? - I have read that the converter has to come off before the bell in order to get to the two hidden bellhousing bolts. Does this mean if I unbolt the converter from the crank flange the converter drops out of the bottom of the bellhousing? Then bellhousing is the last part removed? Thanks for any help, first time taking one of these apart.
MOTORS Auto Repair Manual 1956 has a section on Powerflite transmissions; scans from page 317, and 318 Although this is to be taken as a general guide, there's no mention of hidden bolts Someone may have more info regarding the Powerflite being mounted to the DeSoto Hemi.
Thank you! Looks like I was on the right track as far as removal. I think the hidden bolts are inside the bellhousing and cannot be accessed until the torque converter is out. At least I think so!
A couple of long bolts to replace a couple of the lower bellhousing bolts are your buddy here as it says in item 16. That works good for going either way with any automatic trans though.
@drptop70ss .......You ‘could’ just unbolt the bell housing perimeter bolts and remove the bell housing and main case while still attached together. That would leave the torque converter still attached to the crankshaft flange. And the 1” thick ‘adapter’ plate between the torque converter and the block. What I would recommend is to remove the four bolts holding the trans case to the bell housing and separate the trans from the bell housing just to have more manageable parts to handle. Then remove the bell housing to block plate bolts and remove the bell. kinda six of one, half a dozen of the other. To remove the torque converter from the crank, you will have to remove the nuts from the torque converter studs that protrude through the crank flange. A long handle open end wrench works best for that. There are eight nuts/studs. That leaves the aluminum ‘adapter plate’. You will see the remaining bolts that hold it to the block. The two so-called ‘hidden’ bolts are to the outside edge about level with the bottom of the block. I can’t recall with certainty, but there may be a bolt on one or both sides that enter through the block flange from the front side and thread into the plate. That is true on manual shift bells but they do not use the ‘adapter plate’. The 291 with the 4 barrel carb are not as common as the 2 bbl version and is a nice find. Ray
Thank you Ray, so I can take off the bell, I wasnt sure about that part. Appreciate the info! Engine has some goodies as well, nice valve covers and sanderson center dump headers that I am hoping to use. Love the yellow wires LOL.
Sounds like a great score! Any markings (manufacturer) on the valve covers? (They have to be a plus.) Those yellow plug wires were big in the seventies; I usually used to see them on Mopar's along with a big yellow Accel coil.
Lol it has the yellow accel coil as well. No markings on the outside of the valve covers, maybe underneath. I have the stock covers as well, may end up running them just because they have desoto stamped on the wire covers.
Looks like a one piece bellhousing, so the printed instructions above must be for a different design, so Hnstray's info will be the way to go.
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