312Y crankshaft vs 292Y crankshaft is easy to spot standing up.   Joe-JDC

JDC

Thanks for the reply Ted. I believe your assessment of the machining room ID processes is spot on. I for one would hate to be working on a room full of crankshafts that look just alike without some form of quick identification such as the flange dot or recess on the flange. Would be mass confusion otherwise!

My thoughts point to being just for identification purposes.  Likely helped when raw castings were being passed around during the machining process.  While I can spot a 312 crankshaft versus a 292 crankshaft across the room, it may not have been that simple in the machining department or the engine assembly area. For what it's worth, the dot on the 312 crankshaft and the blank recess found on some of the 292 crankshafts has that dot or recess aligned with the #1 rod journal which could have been an assembly aid.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Ted, what was the original intended purpose of the crankshaft dots? Were they always there for identification purposes, or, did they serve an alignment or some other purpose needed at the time of their manufacture? I'm just curious about this since my 312 has the aspirin sized dot, but the main crank bearing caps have to be looked at to definitely determine the C.I. of the engine. Thanks for any info!

Thanks Ted...That's great info.  I'll keep this in mind whenever I dig into this little project.  Probably be a few months.  

The flywheel would not need to be removed.  With the flywheel cover at the bellhousing removed, you should be able to see the lower edge of the crankshaft flywheel flange. At this point, rotate the engine so that TDC on the damper is at the 6:15 O’clock position looking from the front.  If it’s a 312 crankshaft with the aspirin sized dot, that dot will be evident at the 6:00 O’clock position (straight down) on the bottom edge of the crankshaft flywheel flange.

Just keep in mind that if there is no dot present, there was a small number of those 312 crankshafts made without the identifying ‘dot’.  The majority of 312 crankshafts do have that external identifier though.  On the flip side of that, there are some 292 crankshafts out there with a dot or dots but those are smaller and not aspirin sized.

Here’s a couple of pictures to help identify what you are looking at.
  

  

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Sure looks like I could drill out for the narrower pattern, if I wanted.  

The bearing retainer to bell housing hole keeps everything in alignment, the bolts hold the weight.

Can you drill the narrow holes in the case?  I was told (no experience) that you could drill the narrow holes in the case for a 4 speed toploader, I don't know if it applies to the 303 trans.





54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

I'm not worried about it...this swap won't be happening while it's still cruising season up here.  

I re-read what I said before and even I had a tough time understanding it!  My current 3.03 is drilled for both bolt patterns, and it is using the narrow holes to mount to my bellhousing.  I used the nail to poke into one of the wider holes to see if it went through, indicating a mounting hole, and it did not.  This current 3.03 being drilled that way should make it easier to drill and tap for the wider holes...assuming the wide pattern matches.  

Does the front bearing retainer support the trans weight, or do the bolts do that?  Starting to stress out about that potentially not lining up.