Lake wood bellhouseing, starter, longtubes....HELP!!

needforspeed440 · Jul 4, 2004

Ok....ran into a problem tonight putting this car back together any suggestions would be a great help. I'll start form the beginning, I just dropped in my new 347. It has longtubes on it. It also has a large 7 qt canton pan. I also bought a lakewood bellhousing for my tremec tko. Well we dropped the motor with the bellhousing and the headers on. Probably a mistake but without the starter. NOw i have the tranny in the mount on and the driveshaft in. My problem is i went to mount the starter and the first problem is the thing wont fit in the tiny lil hole between the headers, bellhouseing, and oil pan. Also the bolt pattern with the lakewood and factory starter dont LOOK like htey match . Do you think i can get one of those mini high torque starters? will that solve my prob? Will it bolt directly to the lakewood bellhousing? Does anyone have any suggestions to what i should do? Has anyone had a similar problem..??

HAVE A HAPPY 4th OF JULY GUYS!

5.0 HOtrain · Jul 4, 2004

I run the motorsport hi-torque mini. With long tubes, canton pan, and a ford scattershield on the 418 I have to pull one header tube, mine are all seperate tubes, not one piece. The bolt pattern on mine was fine though??? Do you're self a favor, run all one gauge wiring to you're starter and battery terminals. It will help prolong the life of it and save having to pull the header to change it.

autoXr1 · Jul 4, 2004

I don't know if this helps or not, but there have been a few tech articles in MM&FF and 5.0 Mustang that have shown the mechanics taking a grinding wheel to the bellhousing flanges to create clearance for those long-tubes.

I am running a FMS Hi-torque mini starter. It is a nice piece and worth the money if trying to gain some room down there.

Rick 91GT · Jul 4, 2004

The starter needs to be on before the header on the passenger side in 99% of the cases I have delt with or seen, especially if using the MAC's.

I am really surprised you didn't have to clearance the bell as mentroned by autoXR1, most of the time it is needed so the headers sit fluch agaisnt the head.

Just undo the motor mounts and pull the motor up a few inches to remove the passenger side header, put the starter and starter wiring on then slide the header back on, make sure you don't pinch the header when dropping the motor back in.

The mini starter is a good idea, the huge ass factory starter may get heat soaaked wrapped in the long tubes if it is weak.

mustanggt94 · Jul 18, 2004

We did have to clearance the bellhousing for the longtubes, he just forgot to mention it (needforspeed440 is my friend who I am working on that car with). We had to clearance them a LOT!

Anyway we were able to get a starter from a 92 (ones with the solenoid built on) to fit down in there good but the bolt hole for the bottom still doesn't line up. Check out the pictures to see what I'm talking about. We thought that maybe it was the wrong bellhousing that they sent us but we looked into it and found out it's supposed to be the right one, so WTF is going on? I know it looks a little goofy because we are using the stock flywheel plate but that shouldn't matter. Anybody help us!

Rick 91GT · Jul 18, 2004

Why are you using the stock backing plate? You need to use the one included with the bell.

If the starter hgoles do not line up, something was drilled wrong at Lakewood, the large or mini starter should bolt up.

mustanggt94 · Jul 19, 2004

Well here is the other picture that shows more clearly what I am having problems with...they didn't just drill it wrong, but they had to have totally made it wrong. I don't know. Also, they didn't send me a backing plate with it (thanks to Brothers, who I won't shop at any more for more reasons than one).

Rick 91GT · Jul 19, 2004

I'd call and see if they will send you a backing plate, it is thicker then the stocker and that may throw off alignment.

I noticed the ear on your block is broke, not sure if that will cause any issues with the alignment pin.

Send the pics to Lakewood, there tech dept has always been fairly good.

mustanggt94 · Jul 21, 2004

I e-mailed Lakewood and this is what they said:

"WE drill for the 164 tooth ring gear. You will need to get a starter for that size ring gear, Thanks"

They don't seem to want to help that much, but now I don't even know how many teeth our flywheel has but if it's not 164 how is a starter for a 164-tooth supposed to work on there? And where the heck can I get a starter for 164-tooth flywheel (preferebly what kinda car is it off of so I can swap mine at Autozone)?

Thanks!

Lake wood bellhouseing, starter, longtubes....HELP!!

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