I have looked through the pages about the 406 swap. It seem i have an issue i do not know the answer to. The starter does not fit at all. It has the diagonal bolt patten instead of the straight across bolt pattern. Does any one have any idea of what starter to use?

 

Sorry i think i have attached the picture now

 

One of these should work. You just need a staggerd bolt pattern starter. I'm assuming you have a 168 tooth flexplate.

http://www.summitracing.com/search/D...?Ns=Rank%7cAsc

 

I have a brand new one off of a 77 chevy pickup that the motor came out of. it just doesnt seem like the nose of the starter doesnt go all the way into the tranny.

 

You mean the starter gear doesnt extend far enough to fully engage the flexplate? Have you tried shimming the starter?

 

No i have not actually attempted to turn over the motor yet in fear of it knocking a tooth off of the flywheel. it seems like the nose of the starter itself does not go up into the T5 as far as i anticipated.

 

Ahh. Are you using a 153 or 168 tooth flywheel? If its a 153 tooth flywheel then that is your problem. Is there about a 1/2" gap between the flywheel and the starter or am misunderstanding what you mean? Do you have a pic of the starter installed on the motor?

 

I do not... I will take one with it installed. I believe it to be 168 tooth. it is the flywheel that was used on the 350 that was in the car with the counter balance to use on a 400

 

What year was the car? I thought that the early and late model cranks had different bolt patterns but I could be wrong.

 

the car is 84 the motor is a 77.

 

Huh, the 77 would have a 168 tooth flywheel. I'm not sure then. Probably have to wait for a pic so I know exactly how it doesnt line up. On Summits site putting in 350 or 400 for the motor makes no difference. Could the piece between the flywheel and the crank be enought to make this happen?

 

Well its not hitting on anything. it really just seems like the nose of the starter is not long enough.

 

I've read on these boards that there is not room inside the t5 bellhousing for a 168 tooth 14" flywheel. So, your flywheel must be a 153 tooth 12.75". Many blocks from the 70s that were installed with a 168 tooth flywheel were only drilled with the pattern for that starter. This is common on 400 blocks. You have two options. Get an auto trans with a 168 tooth flexplate, or have a very competent machinist drill a hole in your block to accept the straight pattern 153.

"The starter does not fit at all. It has the diagonal bolt patten instead of the straight across bolt pattern. Does any one have any idea of what starter to use? "

No one makes a starter for the 153 tooth flywheel with the diagonal pattern.

 

That makes sense. I was up way too late last night and didnt even think about a 168 not fitting in a T5. I did find one starter that fits the diagonal pattern and a 153 tooth flexplate. However, due to the price and how long it would take to get it due to being backordered, I would buy a SFI bellhousing that would let me run a 168 tooth flexplate first. Here is the starter. I would get under the car and actually count the teeth on it to be sure.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CSI-100PSBP/?rtype=10

 

I stand corrected. that's new to me. I always thought that it was possible with these mini starters. I just figured there wasn't enough of a market for it or someone would have made one. There's a few dozen guys around here with 70s 350/400 swaps that would have liked to know about that.

 

The mini starters don't have a staggered pattern for the 168 tooth, they simply use the straight config but move it outboard moreso. I have a summit mini 153/168 tooth starter and it just has 4 holes instead of two.

 

did you look at the link posted by built91z28? CSR has an adapter to mate up their mini starter with the staggered pattern block. They sell the adapter separately but I don't know if it can work with other brand starters.

 

Ahhh. I was a bit confused by your post. That CSR starter looks exactly like my mini summit starter. I can't see it not working.

 

I am going to drill and tap it to use the straight across bolt pattern

 

Ok well we drilled and tapped it and tomorrow i will put the starter back on it and go from there. it looks as there should be no issues with the starter.

 

Did you ream the edge of the hole for the knurled shank of the starter bolt?

How did you locate the hole when drilling it?

 

no we did not ream the edge (not too worried about using a regular 3/8 bolt) to do the alignment we bolted the one hole down that it did have and made sure to align the started correctly then used the starter itself as the jig. then dropped the starter down and tapped the hole.

 

Just cranked it over. Works great not overly noisy at all.

 

Ok, Motor has officially fired. no issues with the starter at all. just have to find the right size belt since i have eliminated the AC.