Warped McLeod scattershield ?

[DRJDVM's '69]

I started to mock up some stuff for my new motor and 5 speed this weekend. The "old" motor is still in the car and the new one isnt here yet.

I got a McLeod scattershield and mocked it up to check clearence etc. When I put the motor plate up on the back of the motor, it doesnt sit flush...it rocks back and forth. The back of the motor is fine, nothing is in the way etc. If I place the plate on the ground, it wobbles too....so it isnt the motor, its the plate. I used a straight edge and it definitely has a "bow" to it.

So is this normal??

I called Jeff at CC5S and as always he was great....he's never had one be a problem, so is pretty sure it will flatten out when I put all the bolts in and torque it down. He pulled one from a box and it "wobbled" too. He gave me a tech guy number at McLeod and I called and left a message.

So did anyone else notice this when they did their install??

I just dont want to get it all together and find its messed up....all those bolts are gonna be a PITA when everything is in the car so I dont want to take it in and out a dozen times.

[Rick Dorion]

Mine was flat and I would not bet on everything flattening out when bolts down. I suppose it could still have some bowing or some other distortion. I had good results speaking with McLeod when I bought mine. See what they say. The other option is to bolt it down and use a machinist's flat bar to check. But, at that point you are stuck if it didn't correct itself. I'm all for starting with true (flat) engine plates!

[Silver69Camaro]

It would be a good idea to quantify the "wobble". If it's .010" off, it probably wont be an issue, but .060" would be a problem.

[Blown353]

Ned, bolt it to the engine (make sure the mating surfaces are spotless) and torque it to spec. Then flatness check the bellhousing with a dial indicator & mag base on the crankshaft.

These things are blanchard ground flat on the tranny side in a restrained condition (i.e. with bolts installed) so flatness in an unrestrained condition may not be perfect.

[DRJDVM's '69]

If I lay it flat on the ground and kneel on one side the other side is a good 1/8 inch off the ground. Same if I put a straight edge across it...

Left messages with McLeod....nothing returned yet.

[Blown353]

If I lay it flat on the ground and kneel on one side the other side is a good 1/8 inch off the ground. Same if I put a straight edge across it...

Left messages with McLeod....nothing returned yet.

Yikes... I would be concerned then. iI was thinking it was tweaked maybe .020" or so... 1/8" is not likely to flatten out!

I would exchange it. Odd for something that out of spec to slip out of McLeod, but then again my BH had an improperly machined register ring (bore too small by .007" or so)

[DRJDVM's '69]

Jeff at CC5S pulled some others out of boxes and they were all "tweaked" and not totally flat.

I still havent heard back from McLeod....

[Blown353]

The real proof in the pudding will be to bolt it and torque it to the block and then check flatness & parallelism to the crankshaft. That's the only thing that really matters.

[DRJDVM's '69]

Its fine....just my paranoia....it flattened out fine once I put some washer on the bolts and torqued them down....

I guess I was being paranoid with all the "critical bellhousing alignment" stuff with the TKO