In the process of installing my new 350, another problem has arisen. The starter mounting holes are the staggered pattern and the starter I have from my 305 is a straight mount. I'd use the one that came with the engine, but it won't up with the flywheel, I guess thats the difference between starters for 168 tooth and 153? In any case, I know they make starters for 168 tooth flywheels on a staggered pattern, but did they make them from the factory or will I be going after market? If they made them stock, what vehicle model, year and engine did they come on? The people working at the parts stores here just look at you blankly when you ask for a specific part unless you tell them vehicle make, model, and engine code.

 

why not just use the flywheel from the 305 too? That'll make sure everything is kosher with the T-5 clutch as well.

Unless you have a different balanced block (internal/external) I would think the flywheel from the original would make everything a little smoother.

 

Yes, they made them factory. Pick a random V8 application from the early 70s before the 153 tooth flywheel was introduced.

If you've got a T5, you're going to find out you can't use the 168 tooth flywheel anyway.

 

Maybe I got the tooth count wrong then, because I am trying to use the flywheel and clutch from the 305 and the flywheel is larger than the flexplate that used to be on the 350. The bellhousing mounted up fine because it too was from the 305. If it helps, the 305 I took out was neither an L69 or an LG4. Looking at the castings, it's from between '75 and '79. The transmission, I assume is a T-5.

 

Can someone explain the flywheel tooth thing? Why wouldn't a 168 tooth work with a T-5? Also, were there 168 and 153 tooth flywheels as well as an even smaller flexplate? All this has me more than confused than it probably should.

 

The 168 tooth ring gear is too large to fit inside the T5 bellhousing.

 

Sorry for digging this back up but I still can't find a solution. Based on the above post I'll assume the T-5 has a 153 tooth flywheel. I've looked at just about every starter on jegs and summitracing and I can only find staggered bolt pattern starters for 168 tooth gears. The ones for 153 tooth seem to all be for straight bolt patterns. Does anyone know of a starter i can use with my T5 flywheel and the staggered bolt pattern or am I going to have to swap the flywheel out? There also seems to be a hole in the block where the second bolt for the straight bolt pattern starter would bolt to, could I drill it to the proper depth and tap it for threads and use my 305 starter?

 

I could be wrong but I don't think there is a staggered bolt pattern for 153 tooth.

Is the hole not already threaded? I had both the bolt patterns on my 010 casting block.

About the drilling yourself ,I don't know if that is something that has to be done at a machine shop or not. I know that the holes are not thread all the way, the first little bit is not threaded so the starter bolts can act like dowel pins.

 

I was afraid there wasn't. I think mine is an 010 block as well. The hole is there but is not threaded. I'm not sure it's the proper depth either, I just know theres a hole. Starting to get frustrated, this should've been a weekend swap, not a 2 month debacle. I sure hope it's not something to be done at the machine shop, else it'll have to wait til spring when I pull the engine to swap camshafts. Was hoping to get at least one weekend out of her this year.

 

Any ideas?

 

You can't use a bottoming tap to cut the threads?

 

Tap and die set is like 30 bucks at sears. If the hole is already in the right place might as well just thread it. Should be easy to get to under there with the trans out too.

 

What he said, I had the same problem a few years back when swapping from my th350 to a t-5, just tap the hole and you're good to go. If you don't have a tap and die set go buy a decent one, they sure come in handy doing this kind of stuff. You could of course just say screw it and dont run a starter.. you just need to bring a few friends everywhere with you to push start it.. it gets old very quick but when you dont have any money for a new starter it works in a pinch.. it also helped that I parked on a steep incline.. pop the clutch on the way down and on you go.

 

Might want to invest in the tap and die, imagine how much buying beers for the guys pushing your car would add up to.

 

yeah it kind of embarassing too..

 

Thats what I was thinking, but I wanted to make sure that was the proper thing to do. I've never tapped anything before. What is the size of tap that I need? Thanks guys.