I have an 8ba that I swapped the side loader trans for a toploader, in doing so I had to get the bell housing adapter from a flathead powered truck of corresponding years 49-53. Question is: since all this bolts right up like it should, can I use the same starter that I pulled off of it when it was a sideloader. When I wired it and bumped it over it kinda sounds like shit. I know it's in there right....do flathead starters just sound kinda bad or should I be getting a different starter. BTW the starter worked when I got the whole motor....I heard the motor run, but it's been to long (3 years) to remember what it sounded like when it started. Newbie with the flathead help please. Thanks.
some bellhousing starter plates mount the starter at a slight angle.not sure what the correct combo of parts is, but you should compare your old and new plates to make sure there is no difference in the starter mounting
Yeah I've got the right starter plate...how can I make sure it's not rubbing? Do these things just sound like the gears aren't disengaging?
BTW, I thought I had to use the bellhousing starter plate for the toploader combo. I don't have my sideloader and starter plate anymore. Are the starter plates different? Do I need to use a sideloader starter plate instead?
there are at least 3 different bellhousings i know of. stamped car,cast truck and cast with large tin bottom and holes for mounting trans with 4 ears. mixing parts will cause starter trouble. also , trans mounts the same on 1st 2, side or top shift dont matter.
Read the Tech Archives - there was an outstanding picture & point done up by moefuzz a short time ago. It's here: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=195957 Bottom line - you need the starter plate for the bellhousing you're using.
And all '32-53 221-239-255 starters fit except '51-53 automatic, which has a mounting ear or two to ID it.
Bruce, I guess what I'm trying to ask is: I have the truck bellhousing and what I thought was a truck starter plate, but I just discovered that I was sold a 49-51 passenger car starter plate with the truck bellhousing. Do I need to find a truck starter plate so it does not have the slight angle were the starter mounts? Could I be getting grinding from the angled passenger car plate? Could I pie cut the passenger plate so I get a flat level mounting surface? Are truck plates hard to come by? And to throw this in to the mix, will a 49-51 Merc starter plate work better than a truck plate...I noticed that the merc one is flat and has the same exact shape as the passenger car as appossed to also needing the dust cover with the truck plate? Is everyone thoroughly confused yet?
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