I am changing the bellhousing on my 396 from a steel truck bellhousing to the aluminum car bellhousing, but it is not clearing the starter. Do I have a SB housing? Are they different? Do I just have the wrong starter? Any help is GREATLY appreciated.

Greg

ANY help?!?!?!?!?! It is GREATLY appreciated.

Greg

hello You may have to change the nose on starter. I think with a stock alum. bellhousing you need the small iron nose for your starter. s/b & b/b use the same bellhousing. Dave

Originally posted by dsr:
hello You may have to change the nose on starter. I think with a stock alum. bellhousing you need the small iron nose for your starter. s/b & b/b use the same bellhousing. Dave This is correct, sb or bb use the same bellhousings and starter noses. The only difference is manual trans bellhousings use an iron nose on the starter and automatic trans bellhousings use an aluminum nose. It's not just the material thats different its the shape, all iron noses are smaller, all aluminum noses are bigger.

dsr is correct, need an iron nose for the starter, as well as shorter bolts that hold the starter to the block. You will see the difference once you get the iron nose and compare it to the aluminum.

Thank you guys very much. Are the iron nose starters available at the "corner parts store" or are they some kind of special order from a resto catalog. I have had the 4 speed in for a while now, and have an aluminum nosed starter. I dont remember them ever asking about it either.

Thanks again, now hopefully I can get it back together.

Greg

I got one from autozone, it's new not reman. They had it in stock. Under $50 if I remember and it turns my 11.5:1 427 over no problem.

Ditto, I got mine " Platinum" from a now defunct store, " Forest City". I sprung for the high dollar $55 new unit. It has worked flawlessly through two motors now, first 195 cranking compression, and 205 psi, so decent compression. ;)

I took my starter to a starter rebuild shop and they changed the nose to the iron type and tested the starter for $25. Dave

Thanks for all the replies. Turns out I have the right starter from the beginning. The bellhousing is wrong. I now have the right one in the mail and I will be reassembling my car this next weekend. Thanks for all the help. I really appreciate it.

Greg