510mopar
Contributing Member
I have had 440’s in all my boats from the mid seventies, in both inboard and Mercruiser drives. I have built jigs to modify the Mercruiser bell housing to put 440’s in front of Bravo and Alpha outdrives.
The inboard versions used to drive me crazy as Chrysler never updated the bell housings to use the newer starters in their marine engines although they updated the automotive ones in the mid sixties.
The marine engines use the late 50’s to early 60’s style direct drive starter with a weak 172 tooth ring gear and throw out bendix. If the engine did not start the starter remained engaged and was almost imposable to rotate the engine by hand. The weaker teeth would break off if the motor kicked back during starting. In the mid 60’s the 172 tooth was updated to a 143 tooth flywheel and the introduction of the gear reduction starter with solenoid engaged drive was used. The Marine engines continued with the original housings and antique starters.
After some research and measuring I put a 143 tooth ring gear on a Marine flywheel, as it slides right on due to the inside dimension is identical. All the Dodge trucks, small and big block use the 143 tooth from mid sixties through the 90’s. I made a jig to hold a small plate and after milling ½’ from the mounting flange, welding in the plate, milled it off and had a bell housing for the new starters. Now the starter from a 2000 5.9, 360 truck bolts right on and the 440 turns over like crazy. It uses less than 1/3 the amps from the battery and starts like a new truck. I have run these for many years and built them for the local guy’s, they love them.
Here are some pictures of a finished housing. Since the difference from the old style flywheel to the newer one is ½ inch I mill this off the original housing before welding in the plate. Then mill it perfectly flat after welding. It is all done in a jig so the starter aligns perfectly as the jig was built from a truck bell housing. There is a 1” diameter alignment plug welded in to match the new style starter.
The entire process takes me about 6 hours and then smoothing out the rough casting, sandblasting and primer then paint. The pictures show a new style small starter mounted to the housing.
Once you hear how it turns over you would never want those old style starters in your boat again. I had the same starter in my Gamma for 11 years and never touched it. I use my boat every day for about 6 months a year.
If interested email me. If you are not in a rush I can change you housing over, blast and paint with high build Urethane for $300 plus shipping.
Enjoy
Dan
