I recently picked up a 1980 350 diesel (D block). The flexplate is not the same as any other 68-up flexplate I have seen. It's marked METRIC and the balance weight is thicker. Starter ring is also thicker.

Diameter: 13.71" (standard 13.91")
Tooth count: 135 (standard 166)

Did the diesels use a a special starter? Can I use a regular starter (or mini-starter) with a different starter gear with this flexplate?

Note: flexplates in pics are 330 and 350D.

 

They sure did. Olds diesels used a gear-reduction starter to provide more torque. This starter is also longer than normal, so the driver's side motor mount is actually moved forward using a plate that bolts to the normal motor mount holes in the block and locates the motor mount between the two normal positions.

 

So that's the reason for that mounting plate. There was no starter on the engine when I got it so this wasn't obvious to me.

Is it possible to just switch the pinion gear on a standard starter and use with this flexplate (in a gas application)? I read somewhere else that the armature shaft was bigger as well making this impossible.


Thanks Joe.

 

the early diesels did not use a gear reduction starter.they looked just like a normal starter but were huge.and the wires to the solenoid ran between the starter and the brace plate and were hell to get in there so you wouldn't pinch em and pop a fusible link when you tried to start it.the gear reductions came around in i think 83 up.

 

Surely it would be simpler to just use a gas engine flexplate and starter?. It would save you trouble if you needed to replace anything further down the line. I think all Oldsmobile crankshafts from 1966 onwards had the same bolt pattern for the flexplate?.

Roger.

 

All flexplates 68-up have the same bolt pattern.

Sure, using a regular gas flexplate is simpler but if there were some easy way to make this work why not? I live in Sweden you know so all parts are valuable

 

Sorry, I didn't look at your location. Compared to most on this forum we're almost neighbours!.
I was thinking gas engine parts are easier to find (anywhere in the world) than diesel, simply because so many more were produced. But I know American car parts are more than just a trip to the local auto parts store for both of us.......

Roger.