I pulled my turbo 400 out today to have it rebuit (thanks Steve Oldani graemlins/thumbsup.gif ). When I got the tranny and converter out, I noticed there wasn't a locater pin sticking out of the crank, just an empty hole. It has been a long time since I've looked this close at an externally balanced Chevy but I'd swear they always had a dowel in the pst. Am I loosing it or is the pin simply missing? If I'm right and it is missing, is it going to cause problems running without it? Thanks in advance guys!

for all the bbc i have put together i have never had a pin in the crank.....i just dont think one goes there.......i just put the flex plate on with all the holes lined up and torque the plate on

Sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. Also, sometime in the past, someone else could have been in there and it got left out for some reason. Either way, it really DOES NOT matter. BOTH the crank and flexplate (or flywheel) have a hole for the dowel pin. AS LONG AS YOU AT LEAST LINE UP THESE HOLES, YOU WILL BE JUST FINE. This is ONLY important on a SB400 and a 454, because both are EXternally balanced (by the flywheel and harmonic balancer).
All other Chev V-8s have a neutral balance flywheel/flexplate, so it doesn't matter if the holes for the dowel pin are lined up.
Again, line up the crank/flexplate holes for the dowel pin, you'll be fine.

Dana,
I have never seen a 454 from the factory that did not have a dowel pin. A lot of the aftermarket cranks come without them, but we always put one in. Now .. as far as it mattering... the dowel itself is only there to align the flywheel on the 454's so that the balance weight is in the correct position. So as long as you get the flywheel on correctly, it will not matter that the dowel is missing.
Hope this helps,

Thanks for the info guys! graemlins/beers.gif Bill - I believe the crank in this motor is an aftermarket steel crank so that probably explains why it doesn't have one. I have another 454 stashed away in my back shed (GM steel crank) which I checked after dinner and it has the dowel that I've seen on all my past 454's and 400's.