I have an 1986 or newer chevy 383,one piece main seal, it uses a externally balancer flywheel which is 14.150 outside diameter (this may be measured to include the ringwheel for the starter); but I can I use any chevy truck bellhousing with a 5 1/8 bore hole to fit my sm465? Or is thier a small flywheel to cover my needs. I've been up digging info for the last several days and hoping someone has done the same type project? I can only pay in beer. Bigmoose
86 or newer chevy motors (1 Viewer)
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I have installed an '89 350 into one of my 40's using an old skool iron bell housing from an SM465. All the old stuff still bolts to the newer,non-LS series motors IIRC. I used a large flywheel from an '89 Chevy pickup and a 12" parts store "heavy duty" clutch for the same.
Nick
Nick
inkpot
SILVER Star
Howdy! I have had one of the old cast iron bell housings sitting around for years. It has the 5.25 opening and the angled mounting tabs on the bottom corners. Is that for the SM420, or does it fit the SM465? John
I am currently doing exactly what you are talking about. Rebuilt a post 86' 350 with one piece rear main, SM465 to 3 sp tranny. I found one of the aluminum bell housing with 5 1/8 opening to fit the 465, and used a 11 1/2 " low profile clutch kit and fly wheel purchased from O'Reily's. I guess technically you would call that a 12 " clutch disk. Everything is mounted and seems to fit, but have not yet fired up new engine to try it out.
I had some stuff a while back that came out of an FJ55 that had been v-8ified. It had a chevy bellhousing and flywheel that interfered with the starter on my '89 350. My motor had the starter mounted to the block... bellhousing had mount for a starter on it... correct starter for the bellhousing made everything golden.
Someone told me the bellhousing may have been behind a 283 origionaly(it was cast iron). It mated an SM465 to a one piece rear main seal block nicely once the starter deal was fixed. I want to say the flywheel was 11.5 inch, but it's been a while and I can't really remember (ended up with a different drivetrain anyways)
Someone told me the bellhousing may have been behind a 283 origionaly(it was cast iron). It mated an SM465 to a one piece rear main seal block nicely once the starter deal was fixed. I want to say the flywheel was 11.5 inch, but it's been a while and I can't really remember (ended up with a different drivetrain anyways)
If you wanna buy new then Jegs or Summit can hook you up with a scatter shield. Otherwise look in the salvage yards near you. The SM465 was used in trucks from 1/2 ton all the way up to medium duty trucks (grain trucks and box trucks) from it's introduction in the mid-60's IIRC to about '85-86. The bell housings have been made in both iron and aluminum for small and large flywheels. Me? I like the old skool iron bell housings. Others use the aluminum jobs. Guess it depends on what you find.
Nick
Nick
inkpot
SILVER Star
Howdy! Very common problem to have clearance issues between different Chevy engines/bellhousings. Easy and cheap solution is starter shims for under $5 at any parts house. They are about the shape of a butter knife blade, with a couple of holes in them for the starter mounting bolts. Add one shim, if the problem is still there then add another. Most rebuilt Chevy starters come with them in the box. John
Inkpot,
You're describing shims for starters that mount to the engine block itself. And you're right that sometimes they need shims to work right. But what the post you're quoting describes is a where the starter bolts to the bell housing itself. The old iron bell housings used in trucks for the SM420 and SM465 both had these. Instead of two long bolts up into the block they used 3 bolts through an iron starter nose into the bell. Two different animals.
Nick
You're describing shims for starters that mount to the engine block itself. And you're right that sometimes they need shims to work right. But what the post you're quoting describes is a where the starter bolts to the bell housing itself. The old iron bell housings used in trucks for the SM420 and SM465 both had these. Instead of two long bolts up into the block they used 3 bolts through an iron starter nose into the bell. Two different animals.
Nick
inkpot
SILVER Star
Howdy! As I read post #7 from Scouthead, he had starter interference on his 89 350 (which should mount the starter with two bolts vertically) when it was mounted up to an older bellhousing that was originally designed to have a starter with three bolts horizontally. I had the very same problem when I planted a 77 350 in my 72 FJ40 and I used an old cast iron truck bellhousing that had the three holes to mount the starter. I just used two shims under the new style starter, still mounted vertically to the block, and that resolved the interferrance problems between starter gear and flywheel. Either mounting system can be made to work just fine. JohnInkpot,
You're describing shims for starters that mount to the engine block itself. And you're right that sometimes they need shims to work right. But what the post you're quoting describes is a where the starter bolts to the bell housing itself. The old iron bell housings used in trucks for the SM420 and SM465 both had these. Instead of two long bolts up into the block they used 3 bolts through an iron starter nose into the bell. Two different animals.
Nick
Now I see what you're saying Inkpot. 
Nick
Nick
