Running an 11" Clutch/ 454, what kind of flywheel should I use? I met a guy at work today that has a few that came out of small blocks, all in good shape for $40, honest guy - might go check it out tonight. Anything to look for or not buy? Whats the diff. between a SBC and BBC flywheel? I would imagine just size?

Also on another subject Ive heard a few people tell me to run a scatter shield, I know a small bit about these... do they take the place of a bell housing?

Your 454 has a special flyweel it is externaly balanced sb flyweel will not work! Scatter shield is a bell housing made of steel to contain parts in case of catastrophic failure of clutch or flyweel and keep your feet in one piece.

Aukai is right. You need a 454 specific flywheel.

All of the above is good info!
Flywheels are sort of, but not exactly, specific to any engine. There are ONLY 2 sizes of Chevy flywheels: Big, 14in diameter, 168 teeth; and Small, 13in diameter, 153 teeth. ANY 55-85 Chev V8 flywheel will bolt up to ANY 55-85 crankshaft. Period! As already mentioned, the 454 requires a "special" flywheel. The factory 454 flywheel was made with an added weight on one side for the purpose of balancing the engine (not enough room inside a 454 to make the crankshaft counterweights bigger). BUT THE 454 FLYWHEEL IS STILL THE EXACT SAME SIZE AS A BIG 14in FLYWHEEL!
Now, there is more than one way to skin a cat. You CAN use a 168 tooth (or even the smaller 153 tooth) flywheel that does not have that extra weight simply by installing one of the after market balance weights that goes between the rear of the crank and the flywheel (not the most ideal, but can be done that way) or have the engine internally balanced (somewhat more expensive). Also, you can use a small flywheel and do the same thing. And, you can even use a regular flywheel without the added weight, and have your friendly machine shop cut some metal from one side of the flywheel (opposite of where the weight is added on a regular 454 flywheel). I've personally done all of these with no problems.
The 454 (pre-90) and the SB400 are the ONLY Chevy engines that require an UNbalanced flywheel. ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL other Chevy V8s use a neutral balance flywheel.
Identifying a 454 flywheel is SUPER EASY to do. Simply look at the back side (engine side) of the flywheel to see if it has a big weight cast on one side of the flywheel. Most all flywheels will have 3 bumps on the back side, but the 454 flywheel has the 3 bumps, PLUS the big additional weight.
As I said, you CAN use a flywheel with this added weight for a 454, but somehow, someway, you MUST have the additional weight.
Hope this helps.

ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL other Chevy V8s use a neutral balance flywheel.

Uh, sorry Tom but that's not quite the case unless I am reading this wrong.

This is right out of the GMPP catalog.

IMPORTANT! All Chevy small-block and big-block
engines with one-piece crankshaft seal require an
externally balanced flywheel or flexplate.

I just bought the correct externally balanced 3" flange pattern for my ZZ4
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I might consider getting a flywheel from an SBC and adding the weight, do the 454 flywheels come in 153 and 168 tooth? I want a nice new mini starter anyways but there isnt a thing wrong with my stocker so if I can keep it then id like to. Although I sold my welder so Id have to get someone to weld that weight on for me, may be easier to just find a 454 flywheel. I guess I'll keep my eyes pealed. Good info guys, thanks!

Notice in the text I qualified (or attempted to) that. Pre-86 SBs and pre-90BBs have the 2-piece seal, thus, the V8 flywheels all the way back to 55 (as well as 6cyl flywheels starting in 63) will physically interchange on the back of the V8 crankshaft. They all have the same size hole in the flywheel as well as the same exact bolt pattern. Sorry for the confusion.
But, once the switch was made to the one piece seal (86-later for SBs and 90-later for BBs), then the flywheels/bolt patterns also changed.

So a scatter shield takes the place of the bell housing? And it's safer? Damn, sign me up for one! Especially if I dont need to buy a Bell Housing. I tried doing a search for a scatter shield through a few places and barely anything came up, whats the deal on these suckers?

Phil. My advice is, Get the correct flywheel. You wouldn't want a welded on weight comming off at 6000rpm.

Phil,
ALL production 454 flywheels are the bigger, 168 tooth version.
There is an over-the-counter, small 153 tooth UNbalanced flywheel available from Chev parts dept for the 454. BUUUUUUUUUUUUT, you are then limited to an 10 1/2in clutch! Personally, I prefer the big flywheel and 11in clutch for ANYTHING!
DO NOT ATTEMPT to weld a production (or any other) flywheel.
Weight can be welded to an auto tranny flexplate, but don't do it to a manual flywheel.

If you have a production, neutral balance flywheel, and want to use it on a 454, I would really recomment buying one of the balance plates to go between the crank and flywheel. If you have the engine apart, and are in the process of building it, and will be having it balanced, then you could have the machine shop mill out some metal from the back side of the flywheel as needed for balance. One of my cars with a SB400 has a flywheel that has been machined like this and it has been fine for about 6yrs!

Ah, yeah I dont think I would have gone with anything else... just shootin' the options. :) Dont want any micky moused stuff on there. That 153 tooth smaller version sounds cool (I have an 11" clutch though) im not sure what size flexplate is on my setup right now - its a manual conversion for those who dont know. The engine is built already and its just a conversion/ trans swap. What are the chances of needing to change out the starter?

As I wrote in your other post I still have my aluminum bell but you will need to find out about shipping unless someone tells me it`s worth a fortune you can have it to get you going.

Phil,
The small flywheel must use a starter with a straight across bolt pattern (where the starter attaches to the bottom of the block) and the big flywheel must use a staggered bolt pattern starter. If you have a manual tranny/bell housing and the BIG flywheel, you MUST use a staggered bolt starter with a CAST IRON nose (the staggered bolt alum starter nose won't fit into the bell housing bulge)!

Phil,

Why are you making this harder than it needs to be? Every post in this thread has told you what you need. You want an 11" clutch and pressure plate, the larger 14" 168 tooth externally balanced FOR A BIG BLOCK flywheel (I even posted a for sale on the correct flywheel and its P/N), either a chevy 621 (last 3 digits of the number) or aftermarket blow-proof bellhousing and a starter designed to work with both the flywheel and bellhousing. Don't try to shortcut any of this, this is the connection between your engine and trans and needs to be solid if you want it to last and not come apart while your out cruising. If GM had thought that the smaller clutch was going to be enough for bigblock torque, they wouldn't have gone to the additional expense of using the big one.

Yeah I agree, I know I know! But when people start giving options and different possibles things can seem more complex than they should be. Im keeping an eye out for the right flywheel I know what I need now. But the scatter shield im still a little in the dark.

if your going to install a scattersheild make sure you use a dial indicator to center the Crank centerline to the installed scattersheild centerline for the input shaft of the trans .. their are special dole pins for the engine block to make this posible as just bolting it togather may very well put your input shaft into a bind ....

Don't screw around with the bellhousing. Do the right thing and get a 454 flywheel and make sure it's not a 400 sb flywheel because they are externally balanced also. Do not go with any aftermarket weight plates in between the flwheel and crank. These are just band aids. And I would definitely put a scattershield with a block plate, it's just worth the safety.

Thanks guys. Good advice, Im trying to find a scatter shield somewhere and they dont seem to be listed, are they under something else?

Phil,

"Scattershield" is just the generic racers term for a blow-proof bellhousing. If your clutch comes apart on you at speed, you will be glad you have it. It contains all of the shrapnel inside the housing. The stock aluminum housings do not offer that kind of protection. Just browse to Jegs or Summit and you will see what everyone is talking about.

It would be nice insurance to have one, ive gotten about half/ half saying just use a bellhousing and a few saying to use bullet proof. I saw them on summit and jegs, the lakewood is probably the most affordable. Still not sure which way I'll go. Leaning towards Scatter Shield. But dont want anything too confusing to install - Im doing this without pulling the motor as well, or id like to.

Phil,

JEGS has DAIKIN OEM style 454 flywheels for $80. For a scattershield, search on "Lakewood" on the Summit or JEGS websites.

Sweet! Sold. It says 12" Clutch, that just means it will fit up to a 12 correct? I have an 11" setup. Well one more thing down, just a few pieces to go.. Thanks for the PN.

How about this sucker, its cheaper than summit.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/New-Steel-Bellhousing-Big-Block-bb-Chevrolet-396-454_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33730QQihZ008QQitem Z180006512025QQrdZ1


These easy to put in? With the engine in still?

It's a waste of money. It is NOT a scattershield. It's a bellhousing to look like a scattershield. It is not SFI rated which means it doesn't pass any type of test.

I saw that one on there, it is cheaper than summit's by 20 or 30 bucks. I noticed it didnt have an SFI rating also, but it still looks stronger than a normal GM aluminum bell housing? Maybe not, for once its a safety issue not performance!

That bellhousing on ebay is not good for anything. Its not SFI approved. No pass the test, no rating, same as a factory aluminum bellhousing. If you are going to go steel get the real SFI Lakewood. If you don't want to mess with setting up the Lakewood, an 11" stocker would be a good choice.

Phil,

I think that 12 inch listing is an error. Stock clutches were 11. I bought one of these FW's for my 400SB.

If you aren't going with a factory stock BH, go with a Lakewood. Make sure you dial it in. See instructions on the Lakewood site Tech section.

Phil did you get my pm Aukai

You have a 454 that is extenally balanced? You are now looking for an external balanced flywheel????? How was the rotating assembly balanced in the first place?

The machine balanced everyting, all the work was done at the shop and i assembled it all. Its an 89' block, yes externally balanced. Aukai, Im going to write you a PM in a bit :) So I should go with a Lakewood Flywheel? I bet those cost a handful, id rather go GM or something if at all possible.

I thought I sent a reply here but my window closed I hope it doesnt send twice!

So this Dalkin Flywheel 317-FWGM102 (JEGS) should fit an 11" clutch setup? I think I'll give jegs a call and see whats up with it. As for this Lakewood 77-150, it isnt SFI certified, but it is stronger than an aluminum BH, and this thing would probably save my legs if something bad went down which is all im looking for. So what do you guys think of these 2 parts matched together, with my other goods? A safe working setup? (Edit: scratch that, jegs said it would only fit a 12" clutch")

The machine balanced everyting, all the work was done at the shop and i assembled it all. Its an 89' block, yes externally balanced.

I am missing something here. It was externally balanced. That means they used an external balanced flywheel to do it. Where did that flywheel go?

Flexplate. Its a 4 speed conversion...