NESSASARY TO DIAL IN PROPER BELL HOUSING TO FLYWHEEL ALIGNMENT ?

[427HISS]

I have never used a dial gauge to center the dick, plate and the transmission's input shaft when installing a tranny.
But I've seen many people saying you must. (I've only used the plastic plug)

So why do some go to that extent, for higher rpm's as with road racing ?
Is it only when using the Lakewood brand ? (I have a new QuickTime)

[jmlay]

The alignment tool for the clutch only aligns the clutch with the pressure plate aiding in installing the clutch. Aligning the bellhousing is ensures the input shaft is centered in the clutch & pressure plate. If the input shaft is not centered there will be premature clutch, input shaft & input shaft bushing/bearing ware as well as it could cause shifting issues etc...

[427HISS]

Like I mentioned, I've never used a tool, only the plug so the clutch is centerd, so the transmission slides in easy.
I've installed many,.....clutches and tranny's through the years.

[feadam]

I have a lakewood bellhousing for my build, how much do they move if you need to align do they stay aligned?

[Drew Pojedinec]

Is it required to check carburetor butterflies and make sure they are perfectly set in the bore?
Is it required to check the rocker pattern on valve stems? 
Is it required to check the distributor gear height?
Is it required to check intake gaskets and make sure they aren't hanging into the port?
Is it required to check driveshaft angle?

The answer to all of these is "no" it isn't required.  Of course if you want an engine to run at it's peak, it obviously makes a lot of sense to check these things and adjust as needed.

[427Fastback]

Going back over 30 years ago a local guy used to snap the input shaft or tear the bearing out of his Muncie in a SBC Nova.He did it numerous times.He was asked if he dialed in his scatter shield and he went blank..His car was way out of wack and required offset dowels..For most of us they end up close enough but I still check them...

We are supposed to break in new rear gears and clutches but how many of us do.... There is never any harm in checking....Assume nothing..

[e philpott]

It has nothing to do with "Disc Alignment " for Transmission installation ... But it has everything to do with aligning the Bell Housing/Input shaft of transmission to the Crankshaft Centerline ... they sell offset Alignment Dowels and adjustable Dowels to correct out of Alignment Bell Housings , recommended for high RPM engines or anyone wanting the most of what they got like Drew says

[machoneman]

I'd do it! When we used to race BBCs (sorry!) long ago, the Lakewood bells were near perfect. But I later found that Lakewood SBF bells were off quite a bit and actually caused the ring gear teeth to very lightly hit the bell! My engine shop who did lots of hot SBFs said it was somewhat common and recommended offset alignment pins. Fixed it fine.

[garyv]

You need to dial it in to make sure it is right or you will have clutch and transmission issues.
I used a new quicktime older bell and it was off a mile and had to use offset dowels to align it.
Supposedly the new bells are better on tolerances.
Not to difficult once you understand what you have to do.
Used to be some pics on the old FE forum but it's all jacked up now because of photobucket.
There are videos out there that show you what to do. Check quicktime's site.  If you don't think you can do it find a local
guy that can help out.
garyv

[427HISS]

I watched a youtube vid from a engine builder showing what they did.

One showed how removing the powder coating on the bell to block brought it within specs.
The second one needed more, so they hooked the bell to their CNC maching.
I may buy a dial indindicator and check it out, with curiosity.

[C6AE]

I always check the concentricity and square and they (Lakewood) are usually out of tolerance, but most people are luckier than me. Way back 50 years ago when I was still fooling with flathead V-8's, even with factory bellhousings let alone bellhousing adaptors it was standard procedure to check that. (It says so in the book!)
When I was young, everything worked perfectly, but as soon as I knew better things went south in a hurry! Of course you can install them anyway but "the problem" shows up inside the transmission. If the input shaft is "cocked" even slightly the mainshaft is not parallel with the countershaft, resulting in gear noise at best and serious wear problems at worst.

[machoneman]

I have a lakewood bellhousing for my build, how much do they move if you need to align do they stay aligned?

What one does is to open up the holes in the bell (for clearance) clock the two offset pins to the correct position then spot weld washers to the bell, therefore freezing the bell in the now corrected position,. Bolt her up and it's ready to go. One can skip the welding for a streeter IF one doesn't anticipate regular removal. But race cars need to have regular clutch work so.....

[wayne]

I was showed to do it this way a guy in our town that raced m/p with 4speeds. Turn down the pin or open the bell holes up so you have about a 1/16 to work with put it together and just finger tighten the bell bolts.Start it up and push the clutch in a few times shut it off and tighten the bell down.Let run where it wants to i have done it this way 40 yrs with no trouble.A guy in town had a 455 stage 1 that broke several bells after gm would no longer fix it he had this racer fix it it never broke again that sold me on doing it this way.

[Ranch]

What you are doing is making sure you’re the Bore and Face of the bell-housing is perpendicular and concentric to the crank within spec’s.. If you have a small indicator (last-word) and mag base you can do this with your pressure plate and disk installed. You will need to know how much you are out before you order because the dowel come in increments of offset.  If you are out more than .010 TIR than you will need adjustable dowels.
   I used RobbMc kit because you can move dowels and actually follow with the indicator in position then lockem down, whole procedure isn't difficult once you get going.  Check out Robb's web site for more detail

http://www.robbmcperformance.com/products/dowels.html

[427HISS]

Ranch, thanks I'll check it out.