Engine/gearbox intermediate plate

[Mick6186]

Could anyone tell me which car engine /gearbox combination the engine intermediate plate that helps locate the starter on a 5 speed gearbox is from. Mine is incomplete. I have made a plate to locate the starter but would like to obtain the correct part.
Thanks,
Mick

[Lyn7]

Hi Mick, if you mean the thin plate that fits between the bell housing and the block, it is the same ones fitted to the 4 speed and the 5 speed boxes. They are a standard Ford item fitted to various Ford saloon models of the day with slight variations of style. There may be a diagram in the workshop manual and I think they are available after market now from the likes of Burton , Matty etc..
Cheers Lyn...

[promotor]

Text edited due to me being quick to call bullsh#t on others posts when in fact it was mine that was full of sh#t!


Lyn7 please accept my apologies if you read my initial response!

[john.p.clegg]

.. but when talking Lotus elan surely they are all the same 4 or 5 speed?

John

[promotor]

John,

Yes you are right - I opened my mouth to change feet! Had my Ford head on and not Lotus head. It's nice to be brought back down to Earth! I'm used to posting on Ford forums!

Please ignore my ramblings relating to Lotus 5 speed box details!

[john.p.clegg]

..and while we are on about it,what exactly is the porpoise of said item,I can't believe it's just to align the starter motor?

John

[dougal9887]

To close the bottom portion of the bellhousing?
Dougal.

[stevebroad]

A few reasons, as far as I can make out.

As mentioned above, it closes off the bottom the bellhousing, protecting clutch from the outside world.

The starter motor hole in the plate makes sure that the starter is correctly aligned with the flywheel.

Not sure about this one, but the plate may add a little strength between the bolt lugs on each side of the block.

Manufacturers wouldn't fit it unless it is required.

[promotor]

..and while we are on about it,what exactly is the porpoise of said item,I can't believe it's just to align the starter motor?

John

As I understand it two faces of cast iron clamped tightly against each other and under constant vibration can cause fracturing/chipping so a plate is put in between to stop this happening.

On RS2000's which use an aluminium gearbox bellhousing there isn't a sandwich plate present and the aluminium engine sump is made in such a way that it blocks/covers the lower pat of the bellhousing to stop any dirt or stones etc entering.

[john.p.clegg]

Mick
Just spotted "re-manufactured" top and bottom plates....on Fleabag

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/cider_lil/m.h ... 7675.l2562

John

[pharriso]

..and while we are on about it,what exactly is the porpoise of said item,I can't believe it's just to align the starter motor?

John

Not sure about the Porpoise but I think the purpose is to precisely locate the starter motor.

The starter motor is located to the bell housing with 2 bolt holes in a casting; both the holes in the starter & the bell housing will have some clearance & a manufacturing tolerance (larger than that of a stamping..).

The spacer plate is doweled to the engine rear face. It's a stamping with all features out of a single stamping operation so very tight tolerances can be held with the position of the starter motor relative to the crank axis & a tight fit to the starter body so it cannot move radially or axially.

I've seen all sorts of stuff about cast iron to cast iron fretting & other theories, but this is the only thing that makes sense to me so far.

[englishmaninwales]

Apologies to the OP for the thread hijack!
I've collected the parts to convert from a 4 bolt to a 6 bolt crank. The only thing I've yet to sort is the sandwich plate. I have the one piece plate from the 4 bolt setup - can this be cut into 2 to suit the 6 bolt crank and flywheel or do I need the correct 2 piece sandwich plate?

Thanks
Malcolm

[stevebroad]

..and while we are on about it,what exactly is the porpoise of said item,I can't believe it's just to align the starter motor?

John

As I understand it two faces of cast iron clamped tightly against each other and under constant vibration can cause fracturing/chipping so a plate is put in between to stop this happening.

On RS2000's which use an aluminium gearbox bellhousing there isn't a sandwich plate present and the aluminium engine sump is made in such a way that it blocks/covers the lower pat of the bellhousing to stop any dirt or stones etc entering.

Ah, but the Sierra RS Cosworth has an aluminium bellhousing and a full plate

[promotor]

Ah, but the Sierra RS Cosworth has an aluminium bellhousing and a full plate

Maybe the Sierra RS Cosworth doesn't have a sump that covers the bellhousing and needs the plate as a dirt stopper?

Who knows really? Surely the engine plate can't be for locating the starter motor as the plate only mimics the position of the starter bolt holes in the bellhousing.

I'm putting my money on it being a big gasket between two similar metals and a dirt stopper until I hear of another better reason!

[stevebroad]

Ah, but the Sierra RS Cosworth has an aluminium bellhousing and a full plate

Maybe the Sierra RS Cosworth doesn't have a sump that covers the bellhousing and needs the plate as a dirt stopper?

Who knows really? Surely the engine plate can't be for locating the starter motor as the plate only mimics the position of the starter bolt holes in the bellhousing.

I'm putting my money on it being a big gasket between two similar metals and a dirt stopper until I hear of another better reason!

The RS sump certainly doesn't act as a dirt stopper.

The bolt holes in the starter motor are slightly larger than the bolts so there is some movement available. The sandwich plate is located very precisely by the hollow dowels and the hole for the starter is a snug fit, so it certainly works as a starter locator even if this isn't its primary job.