[93Cobra#2771]

Well, that definitely sucks. So it's hollow inside it? Could always dress it up/smooth it with an epoxy of some type (JBWeld or similar), sand flat and then repaint. No would be the wiser.

It's probably hidden anyway, so no one will see it anyway. But you will know it's there. LOL

 

[Michael Yount]

Yes, hollow behind - in front of flywheel. All hidden by starter. Already have my JB Weld ready.

 

[Leadsled Coupe]

Am out. Woozy but ok. Sore throat. Release soon I expect. Damn good dreams On normal governement and fiscal responsibility. Lol

 

[Michael Yount]

Great to hear Chris!!!! That WAS a dream.....

Richard - Little Survivor: 1980 Dodge D-50 Sport

 

[Michael Yount]

compare with pic above Richard - you can see where they curved that ear/web down to provide clearance for the starter.

 

[93Cobra#2771]

Great to hear Chris!!!! That WAS a dream.....

Richard - Little Survivor: 1980 Dodge D-50 Sport

Yessssssssss!

Very similar to my old truck. The sport option added the bucket seats and center dash console which included an amp and oil pressure gauge which this one has.

Mine also had factory popup/removable sunroof, bed mounted roll bar and frontbumper mounted push bar. Plus sport mirrors which this one does not. Full tachometer too.

mine was black with graduated stripes that blended from yellow to red to yellow but on bottom door. Mine also had same style stripe on the hood.

2.6L and 391 gears. Not fast by any stretch. But after the 175hp 318v8/904 torkflite trans, the gears were very helpful. It turned 2500rpm at 50mph. Needless to say, first and second gear were pretty much useless in this 2200# truck. Lol.

I repainted it solid black and left stripes off. Ground effect kit from California, front air dam, side skirts and full wrap roll pan.

15x7 American racing 5-spoke wheels and and and wait for it, low profile 225/50/15 tires. Lowered 3” in rear and two inches in front from v8 weight. It might have suffered from oversteer at times.

She was a beast.

 

[93Cobra#2771]

This was just like my paint scheme.

 

[Leadsled Coupe]

Good looking little truck indeed.

No giggling upon coming out. They must have given me something else. No nausea either. Slept a lot today when I got home. Not a big deal Overall so far. We will see what doc says next week when I revisit.

 

[CDW6212R]

Great Richard, I'm glad it went smoothly.

 

[CDW6212R]

That's a shame Michael about the starter, the block change etc. It's a pain to work out the little issues with mixing some parts, we hope it's always worth it when it's done.

Here's a picture I got from a Youtube video member, who made his own engine plate to adapt a six speed to a SBF. He followed the path of others, and chose to make his plate from 1/4" steel, he was using nuts welded to the plate for the older two bolt starter. They all did that to avoid the interference of the SBF block, with the later transmissions(the starter).

He sent me this picture, it shows a SBF block up against a modular Ford V8 transmission. What do you think of that problem, how would you solve it? The aftermarket makes adapter plate kits for it that are over $700, 1/2" spacers basically.

 

[93Cobra#2771]

Am out. Woozy but ok. Sore throat. Release soon I expect. Damn good dreams On normal governement and fiscal responsibility. Lol

Excellent!

 

[Michael Yount]

All good news Chris.

Don -- I don't think I understand the problem/question. Clearly there's a mismatch between bell and engine -- and the starter has to be very precisely located for engagement with the flex plate teeth. And some sort of adapter/spacer to move the flex plate out the same amount as the tranny/engine adapter?

 

[93Cobra#2771]

Current project: the DR trimmer/brush cutter that I’ve used sporadically over the winter (borrowed from my neighbor). It wasn’t running right, not getting enough fuel, had to run with half choke engaged.
Went to start it a month ago and it wouldn’t hit a lick.

replaced the fuel filter hoping that was It. Nope. Air filter fine. Plugs fouled. Replaced them. No difference.

so it’s either the fuel pump or carb.Fp replaced few years ago. Likely not it.

figured I’d pull carb and see if tinker over (likely) or stick needle or something.

start removing stuff to get to the carb. Numerous guards and covers. Can’t get the flywheel screen off to get the main cover off to access the carb bolts.

threw in the towel because was afraid I’d strip the bolts. Taking to the shop tomorrow. I just can’t be bent over like that trying to get it all apart. Killer on my not so great back. Need a lift To get it at a reasonable height. And it weighs a ton (heavy steel construction). Not to mention I really don’t know much about small engine stuff.

So, prob be 100-150bucks to get it back and running but it is a needed tool to get going.

 

[Michael Yount]

I get it Richard -- I can swap engines on a car -- but when my chain saw or lawn mower goes belly up, I cart it to the small engine place. Or just put it on the curb and buy another one....

 

[93Cobra#2771]

Yeah, same deal with chainsaw when we started clearing the lot. Had to take it and get it running again. Then recently with the weather change it was getting hard to start. I actually YouTube’d carb adjustment and was amazed how simple it was lol.

Starts like a champ now after a little low speed adjustment.

So I’m one for two on the saw and 0/1 on the Dr trimmer. Lol

 

[Michael Yount]

Lol - my chainsaw is a hard cold start/easy hot start. Backpack blower is easy cold start - almost impossible to re-start hot. I just leave idling like diesel big-rig.

 

[CDW6212R]

That makes the cordless tools look interesting, I like my 60v chain saw, I've used once.

 

[CDW6212R]

All good news Chris.

Don -- I don't think I understand the problem/question. Clearly there's a mismatch between bell and engine -- and the starter has to be very precisely located for engagement with the flex plate teeth. And some sort of adapter/spacer to move the flex plate out the same amount as the tranny/engine adapter?

The method others have used is to space the transmission back and use the old two bolt SBF starter. That keeps the torque convertor in place with four spacers, the part I dislike the most. They have to cut part of the trans(where the starter interferes), also more to not like.

My idea is to only cut the engine block, just the part in the picture, which blocks the three bolt starter from mounting on the lat trans. With that block clearanced, then everything is a stock bolt on, and adding threads to the dowel holes in the block(pull the dowels). Then the proper starter and engine separator plate bolt up fine, with no spacers needed for anything. I don't see why someone hasn't tried that yet, the one missing bolt hole won't affect any reasonable power level combination.

 

[Michael Yount]

The way I think about it -- you have to make the SBF and flex plate mimic the locations of the modular engine in order to use the other tranny. And the center of the input shaft has to hit the center of the crank (pilot bearing/bush) within a few thousandths. That's what the locating dowels are for. So, somehow, you've got to have dowels in the block that locate the tranny so the input shaft is centered. And you have to make up the longitudinal difference caused by 1) the thickness of the adapter plate and 2) and other dimensional differences between where the SBF flex plate sits relative to the torque converter. Lastly, the starter pinion needs to engage with the ring gear with the correct backlash and come back far enough (but not too far) when the solenoid shoves it towards the ring gear.

I would scratch my head long and hard trying to figure all that out. Edit -- of course it can be done. And I like your idea Don of preserving the matching 3 bolt starter that goes with the transmission. Assuming you get the flex plate in the same place it was relative to the torque converter, that puts the starter back in the stock position.

 

[CDW6212R]

That's the whole deal, the later modular transmissions are made with matching dimensions for all of those things mentioned, identical. They have never been mated because Ford added a couple of different bolt holes not used on the SBF, those dowel holes, but kept all six of the original holes(plus changing the starter and moving it upward). It's as simple as choosing the right bolts for length to mate the existing six holes in the block and trans, minus that one nearest to the starter.

I'll find out how "simple" that is when I pull my Lincoln's 302 for the 347, and use that 302 to test fit a 6R80 to it. I'll be able to bolt it together minus the starter if I like, as a first step. Then cut that hole from the block, and look at the controller to run the 6R, mod the trans cross over, the exhaust, driveshafts etc. For a project truck, it's a big first step.