Yep it is a staggered starter 400 SBC, needs the 168 tooth flywheel, I am running a T5 so what bellhousing can I use for this combo.
153 tooth wont work as the starter isn't staggered. a staggered starter is available at $800 not a choice for the challenger
http://www.summitracing.com/search/Part-Type/Starters/Make/CHEVROLET/Flywheel-Flexplate/168-tooth/Starter-Mounting-Pattern/Staggered/?keyword=starter
Very interesting but the question is about a bellhousing...
By the way those are the 168 tooth staggered starters, I have one but it wont fit inside a Camaro T5 bellhousing, hence the question about a suitable bellhousing
odd, all my small blocks have holes for both straight and staggered pattern starters, never run into that issue. i agree with the drill and tap method versus an $800 starter or other hundreds trying to get a bellhousing.
if the motor is still out of the car, take it to a machine shop and get it drilled for the straight across starter pattern. if you are feeling brave, you can attempt it yourself- personally, if i was gonna do it myself, i'd find a block that is drilled for both patterns and make a fixture off that to use as a guide to drill the third hole. pretty much every small and big block that wasn't built in the mid 70's will have the proper holes drilled.
what are you going to do for a flywheel? a 400 is externally balanced and needs a flexplate that has the proper amount of imbalance in it. is there even a commercially available flywheel for that combo?
Here's some info - looks like you might get away with the 168 tooth flywheel and an S10 bellhousing if the ring gear edge is ground for clearance.
Been here before. Easiest thing to do is drill and tap the block for the straight bolt 153 starter. Have thought about making a drill jig for this just because it is so common.
heres a jig:
http://www.goodson.com/technical_support/instructions/Shortblock_Rebuilding/SDJ-1.pdf
Dude, I don't understand. All of the 400 small blocks I checked on rockauto have starters available for like $50. What did this come out of? I know I have bought starter(s) for a 400 before at the local parts store and they weren't $800.
tuna55 wrote: Dude, I don't understand. All of the 400 small blocks I checked on rockauto have starters available for like $50. What did this come out of? I know I have bought starter(s) for a 400 before at the local parts store and they weren't $800.
every stock 400 has the big flywheel- he needs a starter for the small flywheel. the only reason this is complicated at all is because the small flywheels use a starter with a straight across mounting pattern, and the big flywheels use a starter with offset mounting pattern. this is due to where the starter drive gear winds up in relation to the mounting bolts.
most small block and big block V8's and inline 6 cylinder engines from the early 60's to the late 90's are drilled for both patterns, but in the mid 70's- probably as some sort of weird cost cutting measure- GM didn't machine some 350 and 400 blocks for both mounting patterns. it's really just a single missing hole that needs to be drilled and tapped, but it needs to be precisely located and drilled with an unthreaded shank that is the right depth for the knurled part of the starter bolt to engage to keep the starter properly located.
starter for a big (168 tooth) flywheel: http://www.napaonline.com/Search/MultiImagePopup.aspx?ImageIndex=1&A=BSASR515X_0184438969&An=599001+101976+50012+2012040
starter for a small (153 tooth) flywheel: http://www.napaonline.com/Search/MultiImagePopup.aspx?ImageIndex=0&A=RSE2464791_0059364632&An=599001+101976+50012+2012042
novaderrik wrote:tuna55 wrote: Dude, I don't understand. All of the 400 small blocks I checked on rockauto have starters available for like $50. What did this come out of? I know I have bought starter(s) for a 400 before at the local parts store and they weren't $800.every stock 400 has the big flywheel- he needs a starter for the small flywheel. the only reason this is complicated at all is because the small flywheels use a starter with a straight across mounting pattern, and the big flywheels use a starter with offset mounting pattern. this is due to where the starter drive gear winds up in relation to the mounting bolts. most small block and big block V8's and inline 6 cylinder engines from the early 60's to the late 90's are drilled for both patterns, but in the mid 70's- probably as some sort of weird cost cutting measure- GM didn't machine some 350 and 400 blocks for both mounting patterns. it's really just a single missing hole that needs to be drilled and tapped, but it needs to be precisely located and drilled with an unthreaded shank that is the right depth for the knurled part of the starter bolt to engage to keep the starter properly located. starter for a big (168 tooth) flywheel: http://www.napaonline.com/Search/MultiImagePopup.aspx?ImageIndex=1&A=BSASR515X_0184438969&An=599001+101976+50012+2012040 starter for a small (153 tooth) flywheel: http://www.napaonline.com/Search/MultiImagePopup.aspx?ImageIndex=0&A=RSE2464791_0059364632&An=599001+101976+50012+2012042
I understand that, but the fact that the nosecones are interchangeable, and the general ubiquity of the small block, I can't believe that a starter costs much more than $50-$60 even new with said bolt pattern. Hit up a junkyard and steal the nosecone off of the right one onto your reman starter or something...
The center of the motor is the center. Changing cones does not allow a 168 starter to work on his 153 flywheel. He either needs to drill a hole or have a custom staggered bolt 153 cone made. I have never found a staggered 153 starter and I assure you that I have looked. I need one today, and already know not the drop the engine in without drilling and tapping the hole.
Well you guys confirmed what I had found on my own, out it comes again...sigh.
Novaderrik, this engine is now internally balanced in response to the earlier question
at least the jig, drill bit, and tap are tools so they do not count toward your budget if you buy them for the job.
if you would have been slower to the draw(or i was quicker) it would be my problem as i was right on your heels for that free deal of the century camaro project
I recently spent some bucks on increasing the performance of my 400 sbc. although the results were not as good as i would have thought but still they were overall satisfactory.
mattrunner wrote: I recently spent some bucks on increasing the performance of my 400 sbc. although the results were not as good as i would have thought but still they were overall satisfactory.
and i bet you have some killer canoe gear for sale too
I didn't know Baby Girl had that issue. If the trans were a T56 would it be the same problem?
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