i have a 86 camaro with a 305 1 piese rear main,and i already bought a 350 out of a nova and need to bolt t5 trans to it what all is diffrent, . Is it just the flyweel? really need to know.

 

I am pretty sure you are correct. The flywheel should be the only thing you need to change. Good luck.

 

That's it; except maybe the 350 won't have the bolt pattern in it to accommodate the starter that you'll have to use.

You'll read all the time on here about how if you don't have the right innermost starter bolt hole, then this or that other one "ought to" work; in every instance, the people who post that, are people who haven't actually done it, and are merely running off at the mouth. In fact, you'll most likely get at least one or 2 such replies, even after being warned about it. The reality is, that the bolt pattern that the T-5 starter uses wasn't used on 350 blocks AT ALL, basically didn't exist, until very late in the 70s; so a motor from about 77 or earlier is guaranteed not to have it. And if you don't have the right inner bolt hole, you can't use the one that is there, because the starter shaft has to go RIGHT THROUGH THE MIDDLE of the place that the inner bolt goes, that the older blocks did have.

You need the flywheel from a 83-85 T-5 Camaro/Firebird. Either a stock one (there are 2 to choose from), or an aftermarket one for that application. Don't try to over-complicate things by worrying about tooth count and all that; it's too much like work. Just go get a flywheel for a 83-85 T-5 Camaro-Firebird. The 2 stock ones are a heavy one, about 25 lbs or so, for the grocery-cart cars (LG4); or a lighter one (about 16 lbs) for the performance ones, with L69. Either will work fine. You'll probably like the lighter one better, especially if your 350 has decent low-end torque.

You can use the starter you already have.

I'd STRONGLY urge you to get the flywheel and install it, and then install the starter and check the tooth mesh, BEFORE you put the motor in the car. It's a helluvalot easier to take an engine to a machine shop and have the hole that might not be there added, than it is to tow a whole car that doesn't work to a shop, and try to get them to do it laying on the ground under the car.

 

thanks, the motor is a 78 so the stater might work just fine.

 

Maybe so. You might get lucky. But, CHECK BEFORE YOU PUT THE MOTOR IN, to avoid expensive or labor-intensive solutions to the issue.

 

If your block has two starter holes directly left and right of each other you'll be able to use the thirdgen starter. This is for a 153 tooth flywheel.

On a 78, the block will probably also have the forward bolt hole which is used along with the outer bolt hole (of the other 2 mentioned) to bolt a starter up appropriate for a 168 tooth flywheel.

I believe I'll be taking a picture of my 87 350 block today for this.

 

There's a 4 speed, '78 Camaro 4-bolt main 350 in my barn. If I could figure out how to attach fotos here I'd take a picture of the starter mount and put it up for you. I'd like to see the answer to this.

 

Here's a pic of a block that I drilled.

The hole circled in magenta is the new hole. You can't mount the T-5 starter without it.

This particular one is a 73 400 block. It came with only the other 2 holes (besides the circled one).

60s and 70s blocks that have the 2 holes along the rear of the block, don't have the hole circled in magenta. Instead, they sometimes have a hole exactly where the 2 cyan lines intersect. This is the hole that WILL NOT WORK for the T-5 starter.

Like I said, check carefully. With this pic, you might be able to tell if your block has all the holes that it needs, in the right places.

Notice that the bolt holes aren't just yerbasic standard bolt holes. They have an entry to them that's larger, which MUST BE a particular size. Starter bolts are special, not just yerbasic standard parts store bolts; they have short threads, and a raised area right under the threads that acts as a "dowel pin" to positivily locate the starter at the precise correct distance from the crank. If you lack the facilities to drill such a setup with precision, have a machine shop do it; it's cheaper than ruining a block.

 

Outstanding foto--thanks.

 

why can't i use a starter for that year?

 

Because the nose of the starter won't fit into the T-5 bellhousing.