I've got an 86 monte carlo sport coupe. Its got a 4.3 liter V6 with an automatic transmission. I'm turning it into a race car, which will have a 350 with a 3 speed manual transmission. I know the bellhousing pattern on the 4.3 liter is supposed to be the same as the 5.7 liter 350. When I went to bolt the 350 bell housing up to the 4.3 liter engine the starter was interfearing. The bellhousing has a provision for the starter, but it didn't match up with the starter on the 4.3 liter. My question is, 1. Does a 4.3 Liter engine use a different style starter than a 350? 2. Does an automatic transmission require a different starter than a manual? I'm trying to figure out where my missing link is.

This is what my current bellhousing looks like.

Stock car racing are we?Don't know what's interfering here,but you can bolt a 350 starter to the 4.3 if need be.

Haven't seen you on the stompers site in a while,have you left us?

So what you're saying is that starters are different for automatics than they are for manuals right?

Yea, I'm switching sports for a while. Couldn't pay for the gas to tow my mud racer 2 hours every time I wanted to race.

I see you're from Springfield, whats your name?

Does Big Red ring a bell?

Not sure.but I do know that if you've got a starter that jives with that bellhousing,it'll bolt to the 4.3 just the same as a 350.

Oh yea, I thought you lived in Brighton.

I've done some research and here is what I've found. My bellhousing is casting number 3899621. Identical to this.

http://cpucarparts.com/welcome.asp?h...rProductID=R76

Now, that says its for an 11 inch clutch. I've got a stock 10.5 inch clutch. Will this bellhousing still work, or do I need a different one?

If it WILL Work, what kind of starter do I need to get for a 350 that will work with the 10.5 inch clutch and this bellhousing?

What size flywheel/flexplate are you using? The problems usually begin when you start playing mix-n-match between 153 tooth flywheel/flexplate applications (pass. car stuff, standard duty parts) and larger 168 tooth ones (typically truck stuff/heavy duty applications).

4.3s could be had with either size flexplate/flywheel just as 5.7s could. To my knowlege the starters will physically interchange between a 5.7 or 4.3 with the same size flexplate/flywheel (although I don't think the 4.3 starters are as heavy duty as the V8 units).