F-Bobby

hey guys. im puttin a block from the mid 70's and the t-5 from the 87 donor car together. im being told that i am going to need to get custom throw - out bearing to make it work. any idea if i need to and if so where i can get one?? thanx.

TexasLT1

Who is telling you that? as long as you are using the bellhousing and flywheel for the T-5, you won't need a custom anything.

RB83L69

You don't need a custom throwout bearing. That's ridiculous. I believe I would ignore any further "advice" from wherever that came from, except perhaps as entertainment.

You need a flywheel for 83-85 F-body V8. No other flywheel will work. Your 87 bell housing, clutch, throwout bearing, and hydraulics will all work. Incidentally the clutch and throwout are the same for both mechanical and hydraulic systems in these cars, 83-92.

The one and only "custom" thing you need to do is to have the inner bolt hole (the one closer to the crank) added to your block, since it probably doesn't have the right one. Without that hole, it is not possible for any starter of any kind to work with the smaller flywheel, because the inner bolt would have to go RIGHT THROUGH THE MIDDLE of the starter drive. Do not believe anyone who tells you that this, that, or the other starter "ought to" work, because it won't. You have to have the right bolt hole, period.

Once you have the right bolt hole, your stock starter (or an aftermarket mini-starter or a GM LT1 starter) will work.

I don't usually fool around with little motors like 350s unless I can't help it; but I can tell you, when I run a motor I have built out of a 73 400 block in my 83 car, that what's listed above is exactly what I had to do, and exactly what I use. I swapped the hydraulics from a 84 car into mine some time before I put the 400 in; and I put a 91 T-5 into it some time after. So that should give you some idea of what interchanges and what doesn't.

F-Bobby

ah ha.. why will only that flywheel work. cause i was told by other peopel (not the same ones who told me about the throwout bearing) that a flywheel that would fit that block would work. so if not i just ordered a fly wheel that wont work. Crap.........


thanx for the help guys.

RB83L69

Because that's the only flywheel that's got the right crank flange, and also the right diameter.

Who are you going to take advice from, anyway; comedians, or people who have already been there and done that and are willing to give you the straight story?

You should have come here and got the truth before you started ordering stuff.

So, what flywheel did you order? Considering that since the flywheel I told you about does fit that block, they just never came in the same car.

F-Bobby

i ordered a 153 tooth flywheel that fits a 2 pce. rear main seal engine. the engine serial number identifies it as one that was made from 67 - 79 and i think the crank was from 72 - 81 i think. so i ordered one that would fit those specs.

RB83L69

Those are the right dimensions; but I know of no such flywheel existing, because they were all 14" / 168-tooth back then.

But, if it's the right thing, it's the right thing. Hopefully it is. If not, return it, and get the one I described, because it's definitely the right thing.

vernw

iTrader: (2)

I just swapped out my 305 TPI T-5 for a 383 with a late 70's 010 hi nickel content 350 block and 400 2 piece rear main seal crank. So I have some first hand experience here.

I got the right flywheel from Summit to fit this setup. Starter, too.

You HAVE to get a the lower numbered flywheel (153) or it will not fit inside the T-5's bellhousing. I know, I ordered the wrong one to start with. When I explained the situation to the guy at Summit, he sent me a McCleod flywheel and it fit perfectly. Works fine. I got the RAM kevlar clutch on his recommendation as well and have not regrets yet (but I only have 100 miles on the motor and am baby-ing it for now).

As for the starter, I went thru 3 of them from the local parts houses before I realized part of my problem. I was told to use the '95 Z28 mini starter for a 350, that it would work fine. It didn't.

I suspect part of the problem again is the smaller flywheel and the tooth spacing for it on the starter drive. Look at your standard T-5 starter like was in my 305, and it has fewer teeth spaced out farther apart than the 95 starters I tore up 3 of in 20 minutes.

For a starter, I order a Summit high torque starter (I have 10.5 compression) that specifically stated was for a 153 tooth flywheel. Low and behold, it has the same tooth spacing as my old worn out 305 starter did, and it works fine. Had two sets of mounting holes in it and could be mounted in 18 or some odd number of configurations on its attachment block. Works great.

The flywheel part number I used is: MCL-460300-2C
I can get you the starter part number later if you need it.

Good Luck!


- Vern

F-Bobby

well i only got two thing to say.
1. from what you guys are telling me its sounding like i did order the right one. its a 153 tooth.


2. *** DAMN THAT IS ONE SICK LOOKING MOTOR!!!!!!! i wish i could put something that looked that cool into my car. my motor is pretty plain, cept for a chrome valve covers, chrome timgin cover and chrome oil pan. all of which are going as soon as i have the money. i dont like chrome that much. i'd rather have it in black.

vernw

iTrader: (2)

Thanks, and to each his own. Make your car look you like it to look, the H--L with everyone else's opinion. Just remember, opinions are usually worth what you pay for them, and they're a lot like belly-buttons (everyone has one and no 2 are the same or have the same contents).

I really didn't intentionally do chrome, the valve covers I did, but the rest is just the way the ceramic coating comes out. I did powder coat the SuperRam plenum lid and polish the black back off the fins. The headers are just the standard ACS ceramic coating, though they do polish them a bit I guess. Same with the plenum box and runners for the SuperRam. Now if I can just get the valves adjusted this weekend and start on the custom prom tuning to get the potential out of it, I'll be in 7th Heaven!!!!!

Have a Great Weekend!!!


- Vern