Transmission bellhousing mystery hole

[Spider951]

What is the purpose of the threaded (M8 x 1.25) hole in the bottom of the transmission bell housing (it is threaded completely through the housing)? Thanks

[18Fiatsandcounting]

I don't recall seeing that before. My guess is that someone drilled a hole and tapped some threads in it, perhaps to attach a bracket to the outside of the bellhousing. Maybe a bracket to hold the exhaust downpipe from rattling? That's what the bolt you see to the left of your threaded hole is for: an exhaust mounting bracket for certain model years.

-Bryan

[Spider951]

That makes sense. I don't recall seeing anything attached there, but the hole appears to have no purpose for operation of clutch or transmission that I can tell. I only recently noticed that it is threaded. I wondered about a ground strap perhaps, but at the bottom of the bellhousing ???

[18Fiatsandcounting]

That new bolt hole is not stock as far as I know. Someone added it.

Actually, now that you mention it, it could be where the ground strap attached from the body to the bellhousing. Normally this ground strap is attached to one of the larger bolts that attach the flywheel inspection plate (cover). There are 4 bolts, two M8x1.25 and two M6x1.0. It's pretty common to strip the threads on these since the bellhousing is aluminum, so maybe a previous owner just drilled a new hole rather than fix the stripped threads?

-Bryan

[Spider951]

Thanks for the reply and info. In answering the original question you also provided an answer to another question I have had, i.e. the purpose of the "bolt to nowhere" - the one to the left of the threaded hole in the photo.

[BEEK]

the" square headed bolt to nowhere" and the threaded hole are for the fitting of an exhaust bracket from the underside on the 79 up spiders