Throttle Bracket Shims

doug.nichols

Senior Member
In watching the Diablo A's DVD on removing and installing an engine, it mentions that the throttle bracket that bolts to the back of the bell housing has "shims". Can anyone tell me more about those items? I can't find anything about them on the various parts stores websites.

Thanks
 
My understanding of the two shims is that they are there to compensate for the thickness of the gasket at the lower four bolts. It has to do with the alignment of the flywheel housing to the transmission so that the clutch comes in evenly. The shims are metal and are .010 thick and are sold by all the suppliers.

The problem I have encountered is that the gaskets available from all the suppliers are way too thin. For this reason I obtained a roll of .015 thick gasket material from an auto supply and I cut my own gaskets. My thinking is that the .015 paper gasket will crush down to about .010.

It has worked for me.

Tom Endy
 
These shims go between the tail of the crank, and the underside of the flywheel, right? You set the runout with a dial-indicator, right?
 
These shims go between the tail of the crank, and the underside of the flywheel, right? You set the runout with a dial-indicator, right?


No, between the block and flywheel housing.
 

Attachments

  • Dave's Model A from Lincoln, Ne , Part 2 142.jpg
    Dave's Model A from Lincoln, Ne , Part 2 142.jpg
    52 KB · Views: 78
No, between the block and flywheel housing.

Bob is 100% right. Back when I was a teenager overhauling a Model A motor, an old Ford dealer in a nearby Village, who had been servicing Ford's back in the 30's, instructed me on doing this properly and even lent me a dial gauge to do it with. I had never met him before that time, but he handed me the gauge and said bring it back when you are done with it. Wouldn't take a deposit or ask for my phone number even though I lived an hour away. I remembered and appreciated that trust. People like that shape your life.
 
No, between the block and flywheel housing.

This has me concerned. I removed the engine & trans a few months ago and separated the engine from the bell to replace the pedal shaft. I do not recall there being a gasket involved. I never touched the flywheel and clutch assembly. Since the cowl is still off, must I remove the engine and install a gasket?
 
Well since you never pulled the flywheel off you can't really tell what is there. There has to be either a gasket or some permatex between the block and flywheel housing.
 
I just read Brent Terry's expose on this subject from April 2021, and am not sure that I have an issue. I do recall that when I slid the trans input shaft into the clutch housing it went easier than others I have done over the years. The question that arises, however, is why the gasket in the first place, since there is no fluid to be contained. My drivetrain experience (pre-Model A ownership) is that there is never any type of seal between the engine block and bell housing. Is the gasket to keep out road dust?
 
The fluid to be contained is from the end of the camshaft which is open to the back of the engine. No gasket equals a big leak.
 
Back
Top