Starter plate or shim?

[arcticmopar]

Hey guys...this big dummy left out the little metal plate or shim  in between the block and the bellhousing on my B/RB and 727. So how important is this? Do I get to seperate the block and tranny enough to slip this in ?

[HP_Cuda]

It's not actually that bad. I took my starter back out, slide it in and put her back together.

All this with headers in place but it really helped that I had the mini-starter to begin with.

B

[arcticmopar]

Well looks like I get to try and seperate the block and bellhousing, at least a little bit anyway wedge it in there. Thanks.

[roadman5312]

Well looks like I get to try and seperate the block and bellhousing, at least a little bit anyway wedge it in there. Thanks.

Thank god, it was going to keep me awake all night    All kidding aside if there was any gap where it had been, needs to be in there. 

[arcticmopar]

Thats just it there is no gap with the new block or any type of indent...in the original 383 either, so it will seem to make the block/bellhousing uneven. But since it was there before it will be again.

[roadman5312]

Thats just it there is no gap with the new block or any type of indent...in the original 383 either, so it will seem to make the block/bellhousing uneven. But since it was there before it will be again.

Hmmm, that doesn't sound right. Maybe it goes between starter and block/bellhousing.

[arcticmopar]

Yes it goes around the nose of the starter but it's also wedged in between the block and bellhousing. If I remeber correctly and if my setup was correct, it would kind of pivot on one of the two bolts between block and bell then the starter fits thru it and bolted in place. Of course all bets are of if this old girl was put together wrong 25 plus yaers ago.

[CudamanTom]

When putting that plate in, take a close look to make sure the block and bellhousing do not have a gap because of that plate. They should set flush together before tightening.

I'll be honest. My 440 didn't have one of those plates. No problems as of yet and I've been cranking/starting her all summer.

[Chryco Psycho]

It is more of a dust cover to keep crap out of the belhousing area , then block is machined to clear the plate so you do not have to separate the block & bell to install it , slide it over the stud & it should swing into place , bolt the stater back in & go

[arcticmopar]

Thanks Chryco, thats what I thought and either I was doing it wrong ( again) or the Block wasnt machined for it. Will try again this weekend and see.