Newbee needs help, trans and gauge info

[kellysguy]

I'm new to AMC/FSJ and can't find the info I'm looking for.

1.} On my 87 GW both the oil and fuel gauges are pegged even if unplugged, both go to 0 w/ the key off. Oil pressure use to work. I bought a cluster from a junkyard with the same results. I've also seen another 87 GW do the same thing. Any hope of getting my gauges to be reliable again or are they junk like pre-86?

2.} What's with the Buick 350 and th350/400 deal? I know about the early v6 but I've never heard of factory Buick v8s. If so, from when to when and in what. I also see AMC engines with the same set up. Who has who's bell housing pattern? What spline output do I have on my np229 and does anyone know if a 4x4 th700r4 will hook up or a later lock up 727 or 999 :confused: ? Thanks for your help.

Billy in M.S

87 GW stock {mild truck cam, headers and flowmaster real soon}

86 GW {paintball tank}

81 J10 stock

[steven79]

on your gauges it is probly a ground missing or the sender is bad, on the trans ? the three rigs you got listed all have the chry torque flite trannys in them with an amc bolt patern.
Tad will chime in on the buick part of this thred as he has the older rig with the buick motors

[Rande]

Kaiser used the Buick 350 engine back in the early 70s and maybe a year or two earlier (not sure exactly when they began using it). Back then, they were using the GM Turbo400 tranny. They never used a T350. That particular T400 had the old Buick "Nailhead" bellhousing and bolt pattern. The name refers to the old Buick Nailhead engine which was completely different from the later Buick small block or big block engines. That old Nailhead engine had an extension on the back of the block where the tranny bolted on. This meant the bellhousing was shorter than any other T400 GM made. That short bellhousing allowed Kaiser to fit an adapter to fit that tranny to the old 327 (not a Chevy) engine. When Kaiser began using the more modern Buick 350 engine, they simply made a new adapter and kept on using the old Nailhead tranny. Leave it to Jeep to need an adapter to bolt a Buick tranny to a Buick engine!

When AMC bought Jeep from Kaiser, they used up the remaining Buick engines that had been contracted for and the remaining Nailhead trannies that had been contracted for. They ran out of enigines before running out of trannies so they made yet another adapter to fit their own engine to that Nailhead tranny. When those Nailhead trannies finally ran out, they had GM produce a T400 with the AMC bellhousing and bolt pattern.

So, 2 different GM T400 trannies (nailhead pattern and AMC pattern), neither of which would bolt to a current GM engine, and 3 different adapters fit that old Nailhead tranny. 1 Adaptor for the old 327 engine, 1 adapter for the Buick 350 engine, and finally an adaptor for the AMC engines.

The adaptor for the Buick engine has the BOPC pattern to fit the Buick engine so you can also use that same adaptor to bolt up a Pontiac, Oldsmobile or Cadillac engine.

[ January 11, 2004, 06:44 AM: Message edited by: Rande ]

[Merc69]

On the gauges I would suggest getting a mechanical oil pressure gauge and forget about the factory gauge. Gas gauge keep a record of when you fillup and how far you go...refere to it often and fill up often. Really check for bad grounds on the fuel gauge. Still recommend getting the oil pressure gauge

[chrisfa1]

My temp gauge is bad, i think (it's always on cold) Do they make aftermaket temp gauges? How does it hook up? (I'm another newbie)

[ January 11, 2004, 04:20 PM: Message edited by: chrisfa1 ]

[illegalFSJ]

Chrisfa1, try installing a new temp gauge sender. They're really cheap and readily availible. Try that before condemning your gauge.

[marcd]

Re: oil pressure gauge
The problem is likely not in the gauge, but in the sender or wiring. The gauge is pegged because it is sensing a high resistance (i.e. broken wire/bad sender). I would focus there.

Of course, as Merc69 said, it's never a bad idea to have a mechanical gauge, but if you can get the stock one working why not stick with it.

[kellysguy]

Wait, you mean AMC is different from Mopar in bolt pattern? I always thought they were the same. Anyone know if a non 4x4 BOPC th400 output shaft will work in a np229 or will I have to get a 4x4 Chevy th400 guts and stuff 'em in the BOP case? Same with Mopar 727? I wondered why no one was going 383-440, now I know. Is an overdrive tranny swap possible? This is the craziest cross bred contraption I've ever heard of. I knew AMC was bad, but not this bad. I love these things though. God I miss Volkswagens, Porche and Subaru bolt right in. With this much adaptation, I'm suprised there isn't a VW adapter. Don't get me wrong, I'm not bashing or giving up, just a little suprised. Is the early nail head 400 the variable stall type {Super turbine 400} or just the regular garden variety th400? Know what sucks, I was into Buicks at one time and had ALL this stuff! I got the gauges figured out. Thanks for all your help. Now I need overdrive for the 87. I gotta have it. I don't want to drive my wife's Explorer anymore and this thing is way too thirsty for the amount I drive. I'm getting 8 mpg. I'm going injection soon, maybe I should do an entire late-model engine/o.d tranny swap. As cross bred as they are, I still would hate to put in a different motor on my street set up. But what the hell, might as well try to go ABS as well. I WILL NOT GO PSEDO SUV. I need the real deal, all steel, v8, by God four wheel drive!
Thanks again!

[chrisfa1]

Originally posted by illegalFSJ:
Chrisfa1, try installing a new temp gauge sender. They're really cheap and readily availible. Try that before condemning your gauge.where is the sender?

also, it actually came alive today, but still stayed cool. I'm almost thinking maybe my engine IS actually running too cold? like, bad themostat?

[710 Burner]

Marcd is correct. The gauge pegs when disconnected (bad or burned through wire which is right next to the exhaust manifold) or a bad sending unit.