Oooops! Starter Won't Fit! Help!

[painthorsman]

Hi YaAll!
Well I finally got the old 6.2 built, 454 yanked out and the diesel stuffed in its place...Thought I was going to get it running tonight WRONG! Now I have a REAL PROBLEM ! The 6.2 was originally in an automatic truck and I bought a manual flywheel and clutch for it and it is bolted to my SM465 four speed. The problem is... the starter that came with the 6.2/automatic setup will not go all the way into my bell housing opening.. the starter's nose is too big and hits the bellhousing and the gear hits the flywheel.
Anybody out there had this problem? Any ideas? Where can I get a starter that will work or am I gonna have to yank everything out and go with a different bellhousing or even change everything to (yuck) automatic?
Any and all answers would be appreciated

[britannic]

I believe you'll need an open nose starter, since these were specified for the manual transmission (the open and closed nose can be used for both manual and auto).

[painthorsman]

Hi Britannic,
What do you mean by open nose starter? Do you know any part numbers or is there a thread on here that discusses that? I'm assuming that you meant an open nose could be used on auto and manual and that a manual truck requires an open nose starter? Do you know if I might have a bell housing problem? I was under the assumption that all gm manual bellhousings for light trucks were the same after somewhere around 1973. The older ones, the starter bolted to the bell housing instead of the engine block (manual trans only) Mine is the factory one that came with my 79 dually with 4 speed and the 6.2 bolted up to it just fine.

[britannic]

A/C Delco has a part # specifically for the manual transmission: 323-447, this is a probably a direct drive starter.

A/C Delco's part number for the auto transmission is: 323-446.

I'm pretty sure that your bellhousing will be fine (but other's here may be able to verify that fact), it just that it's shallower on the manual tranny, because the clutch/flywheel assembly doesn't need as much depth, so the starter uses an open nose to match.

[painthorsman]

I went to NAPA and the 323-447 number that you gave me crosses over to the starter that I have. I found out that I have an open nose starter and it seems to be hitting the back of the bellhousing or something... kinda hard to tell while I'm grunting and cussing just trying to hold the dang thing up there. The optional cross over is a gear reduction starter but it has the same starter nose as the one I have. The only other option that they had was a closed nose starter listed for automatic transmissions on 82 - 84 models. What do I do now? anyone know if the diesel used a different type bellhousing? I'm tempted to cut a hole in mine and MAKE IT FIT...

[britannic]

With the starter out, did you try measuring the depth from the starter boltholes in the block to the rear of the bellhousing and then cross-checked that with the starter itself?

[painthorsman]

FIXED IT... What would the world be like without die grinders?

[britannic]

All's well that ends well :D !! Good result!