Thread: sbc pan gasket

Tweet

I checked out the block at the machine shop and made a pattern for the starter holes. I see a company called Goodson sells a jig for this but at $105 I think I will make my own. I havn't looked yet but I think the outside bolt hole may be there already.

Call Goodson and ask them who in your area has one-------

Tom,
I could be wrong, as the description says that the "kit" includes three plates, but it looks to me like that Goodson tool is only meant to drill the single inner mounting hole, not both/all holes; and that it's held in place by bolts through the "other" two holes. That may be all you need, but my impression was that you needed both mounting holes drilled & tapped? Picture & description - GOODSON : Short Block Rebuilding : Chevy Starter Drill Jig If I'm wrong, someone please correct me and explain how it works.

Roger, That does seem to be the case. The instructions made it sound like in some cases the outer bolt hole is already there. I heard something like that before at the HAMB. Anyway I'm getting real comfortable with this and don't think i will have any problems.

Got the mini-starter installed and it seems to work fine.

Originally Posted by TomJ

Got the mini-starter installed and it seems to work fine.

Good deal, Tom! Thanks for coming back and closing the loop. So you ended up with a home built jig to guide your drill for the two holes, and were able to do it from underneath the car without any issues?

Roger, after removing the stock starter I found that the block was cast in such a way that there was only a place for the inside bolt. As I mentioned before I had installed an adapter plate to bolt the stock starter to, so as to be able to use it with the 700R4 tranny. I clamped the new starter to this plate in the proper position leaving a .040 clearence between the starter gear and flexplate gear. I then drilled the block using a 5/16 drill bit with a bushing on it for the 3/8 starter bolt hole. Tapping it was easy. Then I drilled and tapped two holes in the adapter plate to the starter. This makes a strong mount that seems to work fine. I did it under the truck and it took about three hours.

Did you wear safty glasses???????????????hearing protection??????????Jack stands???????????????or like in the days back when those blocks were newer---park it over a small ditch------------

Yes to safety glasses and jackstands no to the ear protection. Lucky I didnt get a shaving in my ear....heh

yep---them hot chips in the ear causes a neck snappin head jerk that will bend the front suspension pieces-------

lol, and sometimes it lets the blood leak out.