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This engine is in a rat-rod. The engine has been bored and stroked to a 383 (I think) it has a 176 tooth flywheel. The original starter will not work as it is hitting flywheel, original flywheel had 145 teeth according to research. Bought another starter with a finer gear; but it did the same thing. My Husband said it sounds like it is hitting the flywheel and not engaging.
Does ANYONE have any suggestions or knowledge on this subject. I'm just a wife trying to help her Husband finish his project and get it on the road Any help will be truly appreciated. Thank you
Olds used three different ring gears on their early 'Rocket" V-8s
49 thru 53 used a 145 tooth ring gear .
54 thru 60 used a 176 tooth ring gear .
61 thru 64 used a 166 tooth ring gear.
Every time they changed the ring gear they also changed the design of the lower bellhousing , where the starter mounts , as well as the starter itself .
If you have a 176 tooth flywheel , then you will need to have a 54 thru 60 lower bellhousing and starter .
Here is a long link with more than a little info on the first generation Old's engines.You can take a break and read for a hour more on what hot rodders have been doing to these engines for years... Tedd
Thank you for the info Charlie. Can you look at this photo and tell me if this is the correct flywheel for a 1951 303 ci Oldsmobile? From what I understand the Cadillac and Olds were interchangeable at this time??
You might try a parts wanted ad on this forum . Also in some other places such as Hemmings Motor News and the H.A.M.B.
There are specific year experts as members of N.A.O.C. National Antique Oldsmobile Club. http://www.antiqueolds.org/ If you aren't a member it might be worth the investment.
They have a pretty good newsletter and an advertising section for parts. It might take a while to get an answer, but the model year experts are pretty good.
Worth mentioning is that Olds used dynaflows in 1953 because the hydra-matic plant burned. I have no idea of what the flywheel was like but I bet it was different. I doubt that is the case here.
X2 on Ross racing engines and ask for Tony (he will probably answer the phone anyway) they manufacture new parts and build engines for these old rigs....Tedd
I think you need to be absolutely sure what you have. The cylinder head looks like an "8", so that could be a '55.
Yep looks like# 8 on the head unless it is a #3, but a 55 head could be on a 53 block or it could be a 324. Many changes could have been made in 60 + years especially on a hot rod..... Tedd
This engine is in a rat-rod. The engine has been bored and stroked to a 383 (I think) it has a 176 tooth flywheel. The original starter will not work as it is hitting flywheel, original flywheel had 145 teeth according to research. Bought another starter with a finer gear; but it did the same thing. My Husband said it sounds like it is hitting the flywheel and not engaging.
Does ANYONE have any suggestions or knowledge on this subject. I'm just a wife trying to help her Husband finish his project and get it on the road Any help will be truly appreciated. Thank you
You may have a case of chaos confounded by confusion. I can't find an interchange between Olds 303 & Cadillac flywheels. The Hollander number for the 1951 Olds 303 flywheel with Hydramatic is 69, and it interchanges with 1949-1953 Olds 303 with Hydramatic only. If it has the 176 toothed flywheel and the #8 heads (1955), what makes you think that it is a 1951 303? Flywheels for the 303 are available at some salvage yards throughout the country, but may not resolve the problem if matched with other incompatible components. Knowing the "history" of this engine might shed some light on the problem. You could try taking measurements of the relationship between the flywheel and the starter mount on the bell housing and try to match to a compatible starter at a shop that sells only starters (& perhaps generators). Those fellows sometime have a lot of insight into how to make mismatches work.
Or post the engine number, that might help define the year of the block. I think I have the numbers for the 55 series of engines Others may have the rest...... Tedd
June 6th, 2017, 11:18 AM
Any help will be truly appreciated. Thank you 
, but a 55 head could be on a 53 block or it could be a 324. Many changes could have been made in 60 + years especially on a hot rod..... Tedd
