Aside from scattering your clutch, what are the most common reasons/causes for a bellhousing to crack? The reason I ask is this...
I recently bought a cracked 621 bellhouse for a little bit of nothing. Crack was around the starter bulge. Paid to have a professional weld it for me. Is there any reason for me to be concerned about the thing cracking again, under normal driving conditions? Or should I just start over and find one that has never been broken?
Thanks in advance...
Patrick

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Patrick, aka Merlin
1968 SS 396/325 4-Speed, White with black vinyl top & black interior.
TC#1017

My friend is a welder and he does this all the time. I don't think there is any reason to start all over but I'm not there enough to see a return customer (if there are any?)

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1970 chevelle
406 - TH-350 - soon to be 411's
engine (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/engine.jpg)
Interior (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/interior.jpg)

"I didn't get pulled over for going over the speed limit, i got pulled over for getting there faster than anyone else"

Having the engine kick back against the starter will do it nicely.

Here is another reason which some people would never consider, BUT IT DOES HAPPEN. I'VE DONE IT, I'VE SEEN OTHERS DO IT!!
As many of you already know, if you have the big (621) housing (or other big housings) YOU MUST USE A STARTER WITH THE CAST IRON NOSE. The alum nose for the BIG flywheel will ONLY fit into an auto tranny with the big auto flexplate. Some folks DO NOT realize that the alum starter nose WILL NOT go all the way into the bulge of the big housing and they try to force it in (YES, I've done it years ago). Guess what?! It cracks the housing at the starter bulge.
MANY, MANY, MANY times on this forum I have emphasized that with the BIG housing, you MUST use an iron starter nose. This is one of the reasons why.

Pat,
As you have done, it is fine to weld the housing in this area. And, I will bet you a burger at Sonic that someone cracked it by trying to force an alum starter nose into the bulge.

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Tom Parsons

DZ, I just bought a Lakewood SFI bellhousing for my SB. I read what you just wrote in the instructions as well and I'm wondering if I'd be able to use a 454 hi-torque starter even though it's a small-block combo. I heard this would be the best bet somewhere but I misplaced the post... Thanks and Happy Motoring!

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'70 Malibu
4.030''x3.480'' L-31
Muncie M20 (in conversion)
'62 Vette Posi 3.70 rear (in conversion)