Does anyone know the purpose of the thin sheet metal panel that fits between the bell-housing and block on Ford 390 engines? Did they engineer the connection 0.015" too close and needed the spacer for the next 8,562,321 engines they produced?!
All ford engines use that from 4 cylinders to 460s. Its most important job is to properly locate the nose of the starter in relation to the flywheel and bell housing. The starter is a snug fit into that plate without it the starter could be shifted some since there is a little play in the bolt holes. I believe it also helps dampen noise too from what I've read.
Yep---starter locator.
I found out that my 65 Ranchero (with a 6 bolt pattern plate) actually needs a starter for a 64 Fairlane.
Dunno how that happened as the 64 cars all used 5 bolt bell housings.
Apparently, there are three different size noses for the SBF manual trans
starters,
early, 64 (and maybe earlier), and early 65. (small hole in plate)
Late 65 up to about 68------bigger hole in plate
and then 68+ --------------still bigger hole in the plate
My car was first sold in March of 65-----right in the middle of early and late, but it does have the early 2 spd heater blower where the later 65 cars had 3 spd blowers.
That plate is there on other Ford engines, too. No idea as to the 'why' of it all, though. But if you leave it out and have an AT, the converter can bind. Happened to a guy w/a 351 I worked with years ago. At least that was his story. :drunk:
Thanx. This is my first Ford engine build and I haven't started back together with it yet so I haven't see the starter indexing the plate does. Makes sense.
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