Would like to not use block saver plate with small block lakewood

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skep419

skep419

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Is it possible?
I have room in the crank pilot hole.
It would put the shifter in a more favorable location.
The trans crossmember bolts would line up better.
I would have to fab up a removable cover.
Only issue I can think of is bolting up the starter/starter engagement.

Reason being I've had the engine out fighting an oil leak and without the plate it would have been fixed by now.
 
Yep, you could run without the plate, you could get a replacement for that engine almost anywhere for what $50.. and replace it in a few min..

I'd repair the leak correctly, and run the plate..

The 351 cleveland that I was racing against, blew the flywheel going to second,, lost the engine by shrapnel..
 
Rear oil pan. Going to end up installing the block saver plate again. After I seal up the oil pan I plan on running it again outside the car. Just to make sure it's fixed.
 
I had no issues deleating the plate.
 
I posted this back in 2007 on another thread. best reason I can think of for using a Scatter Shield With the block saver!


Let me tell you my story. When I was young and dumb(er), I put all my money in a 340 engine ,tunnel ram two 660 w-2 heads, nice solid cam, 4.30 gears,blah blah blah. A scatter shield? Hell that ain't gonna make me go fast!
So one day when I had my mom, (of all people) in my car, I thought I'd show her what a great mechanic/ driver she had raised. I tached her up to 7000, side step the clutch pedal, and man she came alive! Hit second gear and the last hing i heard was booooooooom, flywheel came apart ,on piece came thru the floor board cut my shoe,continued thru the dash, took out the radio, went thru the windshield,and I never did find out where that piece went, My poor mom pissed herself. And I had that deer in the headlght look for a few minutes. Well it broke the back of the block,both ears of the motor broke off leaving 3 bolt to hold a transmission,so needless to say the block was junk. Not to mention what the bottom of the car looked like. Well i think yawl get the point. I live by my motto, " IF YOUR GONNA BE DUMB, YOU GOTTA BE TOUGH"
 
IMO, Better to use the block saver if you value health and/or your engine.
Years ago I picked up a beater '70 Ruster /6 with three on the tree for cheap. It came with a 2" long hole with edges that came inward on the passenger side hump above where ones toes would be.
Doesn't take a high powered engine to blow a clutch plate apart.
 
skep419 said:
Is it possible?
I have room in the crank pilot hole.
It would put the shifter in a more favorable location.
The trans crossmember bolts would line up better.
I would have to fab up a removable cover.
Only issue I can think of is bolting up the starter/starter engagement.

Reason being I've had the engine out fighting an oil leak and without the plate it would have been fixed by now.
Click to expand...
hi, I use to have slight leak same place. I use rear oil pan seal from a 273. pan has to have holes for the tits. it doesn't stick past the pan rail. end up problem. the 340/360 style hangs over the lip. I would keep the block plate period!!!!!
 
skep419 said:
Is it possible?
I have room in the crank pilot hole.
It would put the shifter in a more favorable location.
The trans crossmember bolts would line up better.
I would have to fab up a removable cover.
Only issue I can think of is bolting up the starter/starter engagement.

Reason being I've had the engine out fighting an oil leak and without the plate it would have been fixed by now.
Click to expand...
Yes, you can run the Lakewood bell without the shield.
 
It would be interesting to do a poll of how many actually use a block plate. I personally use the Lakewood bell "sans the plate" with my Stroker, but I also use a quality clutch and pressure plate that can handle the power.
 
Considerinmg the power level wasn't through the roof....at the time...

I know have the plate installed. A much higher powered engine resides between the rails now.
 
MOPAROFFICIAL said:
It would be interesting to do a poll of how many actually use a block plate. I personally use the Lakewood bell "sans the plate" with my Stroker, but I also use a quality clutch and pressure plate that can handle the power.
Click to expand...
I assume you have a written guarantee from the clutch place then??
 
perfacar said:
I assume you have a written guarantee from the clutch place then??
Click to expand...

It is power rated, so yes.
Preference, be it yours or mine, is not the answer to his question.
I won't argue that this guy or that guy or even myself got away with it, or that the 426 hemi never had one, or to reach further...that this op isn't dropping the clutch with slicks at the strip, probably doesn't even necessitate the Lakewood scatter shield. But it's better to be safe than sorry, as my insurance salesman told me...
 
I think there a good thing to have once you start hounding the car. Read; Agressively driven

Since the bell was designed with safety in mind, like saving you feet and *** from big rpm clutch dumps at the sticky starting line, having one in the street properly installed is an added feature to have peace of mind, not piece's of metal or meat.

Is there an HP level where it is a good idea?

I have never seen a rating. Stock clutches generally are good parts in there designed envoirment and some extra power. (Not saying they have not failed!)

Improperly installed bell housings, poorly assembled clutch packs (factory or mechanics short comings) and high abuse will cause a clutch explosion.

Where do you (the reader) fit into the equation?
How valuable are your feet and legs?
How are your mechanical skills for properly installing these items?
How healthy and of what quality is that clutch set up your using is?
Is it within the power rating suggested for use?
Can your wallet afford to do it again after the repairs are made?

I installed mine a long time ago. The 318 wasn't very powerful. But the planned future engine was!

When I first installed the Lakewood bell, I was time constrained and I knew the engine wasn't very powerful. So, being under the gun for time, it was left out.
It is now installed. And will remain installed on all future engines.

The power level is for surely going UP!
 
For the life of me I can't think of an exceptable argument for NOT running the block plate ! This comment is coming from someone that has had a clutch/flywheel explosion that just missed my right foot! I mean it comes with the purchase of the Blowproof Bellhousing? It doesn't cost extra. Would you consider buying a condom that was marked as a BLEM or a SECOND? Would you roll the dice on that one? Please inform of a good reason that I'm not considering for NOT using it?
 
Reason one not having 30 extra bolts to install.

Reason 2 if your leaking oil from the back of the engine you can see where it's coming from.

The Lakewood bell is still going to be safer than a factory bell even without the block saver plate.



But again I'm going to use the plate. So it doesn't matter.
 
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