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Author Topic:   Bellhousing Installation & Alignment
MDF99
Gearhead

Posts: 234
From: Hamilton, Ohio, USA
Registered: May 2001

posted 03-21-2002 12:51 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for MDF99   Click Here to Email MDF99     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I'm so close to dropping this motor into my car. All I need to do is get my bellhousing installed properly on my 289, I've been fighting it for a couple of evenings now. The problem I've encountered is that the top of the flywheel (the teeth) hit the top of the bellhousing no matter what I do. I'm to the point where I'm going to have to grind on the bellhousing, hopefully only on the 2 dowel pin holes, but perhaps on the bolt holes as well.

I talked to Lakewood today on the phone, they said the proper way to install it is to use a dial indicator set-up, w/magnetic base on the crank, indicator needle against the lip of the big hole where the tranny sticks through the bellhousing. You turn the motor and keep adjusting the bellhousing till you get a runout of as close to 0.001" as possible. It's then centered right over the pilot bushing. You then slip tight (interference fit) washers over the dowel pins and weld them to the bellhousing, so that you can take it on and off without losing alignment. Lakewood also makes offset dowel pins that you can rotate around to move the bellhousing center. I fear that they would move though.

My question is this: how critical is it to get this heavy beastly bellhousing aligned to perfection? The bellhousing obviously locates the tranny input shaft into the crank. Mine is pretty darn far off right now, and I think the dial indicator would be a wise move, what do you all think?

Another issue I have is that this motor is freshly rebuilt, never started. If I go rotating this motor around by hand should I squirt some lube into the spark plug holes to keep from damaging my new rings and bores? It's really hard to turn the motor over right now, even with a two foot breaker bar. Also, when you're looking at the front of the engine (i.e. looking at the waterpump) does the crank spin clockwise or counterclockwise when running?

Sorry for the long post, thanks much for any help. Hope I explained that without it being too confusing.

Matt

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bluestreek
Gearhead

Posts: 1724
From: Athens,GA
Registered: Jul 2001

posted 03-21-2002 01:46 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for bluestreek   Click Here to Email bluestreek     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The only time that I have ever had problems with the flywheel hitting the bellhousing was when I once tried to make a 11" clutch and flywheel fit in a 10 1/2" bellhousing..

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Rory McNeil
Gearhead

Posts: 1687
From: Surrey, B.C. Canada
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 03-21-2002 03:59 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Rory McNeil   Click Here to Email Rory McNeil     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Matt, the engine turns clockwise. Bellhousing alignment is quite important, on my 428, the Lakewood scattershield needed to be moved upwards .021", using the dial indicator method. I used the offset dowel pins, made by Lakewood (availible in 3 different offsets). I bought them thru Summit, as nobody localy had them for a Ford. To prevent them from turning, after everything was bolted up & rechecked, I drill a small hole in the block & into each dowel pin, and tapped it< & installed a allen head setscrew thru the block & into the dowel. On the 428, the flywheel barely clears the inside of the scattershield, if the alignment was off, I suppose they could contact. Good Luck.

------------------
78 Fairmont 428 4 speed 10.20@130mph
80 Fairmont 302 5 speed 12.8@105mph
85 Mustang NHRA Stocker under construction, 302 5 speed

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MDF99
Gearhead

Posts: 234
From: Hamilton, Ohio, USA
Registered: May 2001

posted 03-21-2002 09:37 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for MDF99   Click Here to Email MDF99     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Bluestreek, it's not off by more than about .05" I figure; I can bolt the bellhousing down tight to the block. I was running a feeler gauge around the perimeter of the flywheel last night and there was only about 6" of the upper circumference that I couldn't get a .03" feeler gauge through.

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bluestreek
Gearhead

Posts: 1724
From: Athens,GA
Registered: Jul 2001

posted 03-21-2002 12:51 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for bluestreek   Click Here to Email bluestreek     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
If you're using bellhousing # 15200, the only correct way to do it, is to dial it in and then make sure the adjusments are permanent. You'll be glad you did.

BS

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