Installing a new Clutch. What should be

Apparently you haven't seen the many pics here on the web of small block Ford blocks that have been cleaved right down the middle. Usually happens on strokers that generate too much power ( like 500+)

hrspwrjunkie said:

The metal in the bellhousing threads has gotten bad, but if you do not load the bolts close to their yield, they will work themselves out because they will not have the friction necessary to be retained in a critical part that sees both static stress and cyclic stress in operation...as well as expansion and contraction due to heating and cooling. In the circumstances, you have explained, it would be prudent to replace the threads with helicoil inserts

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I guess in my heart of hearts I know you're right, or at least I know that what you're stating is the firstest bestest way to approach the problem of metal fatigue in a 40 year old aluminum casting -- torque to spec and if that causes the part to fail, fix it or junk it. Helicoils are what I'm going to have to do now anyway.

I guess my point is that I wish I would have avoided the problem by not torquing to spec and instead using Loc Tite to keep the starter and crossmember bolts where they belong. I would call that approach secondest bestest, and I would call it good enough for those applications -- starters and crossmembers -- where a loose bolt is merely an inconvenience and not a life/safety issue, like a loose pressure plate might be. So I'm still going to stick with the advice, to take it easy on those aged aluminum bolt holes, at least in a daily driver.