Starter Help Needed
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,248
Likes: 4
From: Lancaster PA
Starter Help Needed
I'm helping a friend with an engine swap. He put a 1973 350 in a 1964 4 speed Corvette. Used the 64 bell housing. Now we cant find a starter that the bolt holes will line up. Engine and trans already in car. Why wont the 350 starter go in ? Been told to count the teeth on flywheel But we already tried every 350 starter NAPA has listed for a 73 or 64. None fit
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 1,319
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From: Dalton, Ma
I thought there was only two starters...one with straight across bolt pattern and one with diagonal bolt pattern..angled was for big flywheel and straight smaller flywheel..bellhousing shouldn't matter either way...right? [As correctly stated by DZAUTO below]
Last edited by karkrafter; May 20, 2016 at 09:02 PM.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,248
Likes: 4
From: Lancaster PA
We thought the same thing. Thats why we didnt try the starter befoe putting engine in the car. NAPA lists different starters fo auto and stick
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 1,319
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From: Dalton, Ma
I took a staggered pattern out of my 1980-ish 350 and put a gear reduction in. At first I used the wrong set of holes and the starter drive missed the flywheel...moved it ove to the second set of holes and worked perfect...
Team Owner
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From: Greenville, Indiana
Did you try the automatic starter? I think it would work if you're using the '64 flywheel and bellhousing or just use the '64 starter.
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I'm helping a friend with an engine swap. He put a 1973 350 in a 1964 4 speed Corvette. Used the 64 bell housing. Now we cant find a starter that the bolt holes will line up. Engine and trans already in car. Why wont the 350 starter go in ? Been told to count the teeth on flywheel But we already tried every 350 starter NAPA has listed for a 73 or 64. None fit
OK, if you had all the original parts for the 64, then it had the smaller 153 teeth flywheel and the small, 403 style bell housing-------------WHICH WOULD HAVE USED A STARTER WITH A STRAIGHT ACROSS BOLT PATTERN.
Next, if you used the flywheel which was on the 350, THEN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE LARGER 168 TEETH FLYWHEEL. Soooooooooooooo, if that is what was used, how did you get a 64 bell housing to fit over the larger 168 teeth flywheel??????????
Last, for Chevy V8 engines, there are ONLY 2 SIZES OF FLYWHEELS: THE 153 TEETH VERSION AND THE 168 TEETH VERSION. PERIOD!!!
A starter with a straight across bolt pattern ONLY mates with 153 teeth flywheel. A starter with a staggered bolt pattern only mates with a 168 teeth flywheel. PERIOD!
Now, with all of that said, and without seeing the parts you have, I can't give you any better information.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,248
Likes: 4
From: Lancaster PA
GOOD GRIEF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OK, if you had all the original parts for the 64, then it had the smaller 153 teeth flywheel and the small, 403 style bell housing-------------WHICH WOULD HAVE USED A STARTER WITH A STRAIGHT ACROSS BOLT PATTERN.
Next, if you used the flywheel which was on the 350, THEN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE LARGER 168 TEETH FLYWHEEL. Soooooooooooooo, if that is what was used, how did you get a 64 bell housing to fit over the larger 168 teeth flywheel??????????
Last, for Chevy V8 engines, there are ONLY 2 SIZES OF FLYWHEELS: THE 153 TEETH VERSION AND THE 168 TEETH VERSION. PERIOD!!!
A starter with a straight across bolt pattern ONLY mates with 153 teeth flywheel. A starter with a staggered bolt pattern only mates with a 168 teeth flywheel. PERIOD!
Now, with all of that said, and without seeing the parts you have, I can't give you any better information.
OK, if you had all the original parts for the 64, then it had the smaller 153 teeth flywheel and the small, 403 style bell housing-------------WHICH WOULD HAVE USED A STARTER WITH A STRAIGHT ACROSS BOLT PATTERN.
Next, if you used the flywheel which was on the 350, THEN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE LARGER 168 TEETH FLYWHEEL. Soooooooooooooo, if that is what was used, how did you get a 64 bell housing to fit over the larger 168 teeth flywheel??????????
Last, for Chevy V8 engines, there are ONLY 2 SIZES OF FLYWHEELS: THE 153 TEETH VERSION AND THE 168 TEETH VERSION. PERIOD!!!
A starter with a straight across bolt pattern ONLY mates with 153 teeth flywheel. A starter with a staggered bolt pattern only mates with a 168 teeth flywheel. PERIOD!
Now, with all of that said, and without seeing the parts you have, I can't give you any better information.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,977
Likes: 194
From: Putnam Valley, New York. Amateur Radio Operator K2NS
Starter
Tom (DZ Auto),
If I remember correctly, the mid 70's 350 blocks only had a diagonal starter bolt pattern---I don't think they had a third threaded hole on the starter pad. If that is so, then the OP will have to install a 168 tooth flywheel and the larger bell housing. There's no other way around it. The diagonal pattern starter will not fit into a 403 bell housing.
RON
If I remember correctly, the mid 70's 350 blocks only had a diagonal starter bolt pattern---I don't think they had a third threaded hole on the starter pad. If that is so, then the OP will have to install a 168 tooth flywheel and the larger bell housing. There's no other way around it. The diagonal pattern starter will not fit into a 403 bell housing.
RON
Last edited by rongold; May 21, 2016 at 12:37 AM.
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Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,248
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From: Lancaster PA
Tom (DZ Auto),
If I remember correctly, the mid 70's 350 blocks only had a diagonal starter bolt pattern---I don't think they had a third threaded hole on the starter pad. If that is so, then the OP will have to install a 168 tooth flywheel and the larger bell housing. There's no other way around it. The diagonal pattern starter will not fit into a 403 bell housing.
RON
If I remember correctly, the mid 70's 350 blocks only had a diagonal starter bolt pattern---I don't think they had a third threaded hole on the starter pad. If that is so, then the OP will have to install a 168 tooth flywheel and the larger bell housing. There's no other way around it. The diagonal pattern starter will not fit into a 403 bell housing.
RON
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