Did chevy stop using starter front braces eventually?

[vandelay industries]

Did chevy stop using starter front braces sometime after 86 for small blocks and 90 degree v-6's? My new block doesn't have a hole to attach a brace to it. Also, most of the parts catalogs and 'Tube videos seem to indicate no front starter brace for engines after 86? And it appears the 86 4.3 didn't have a brace, but i don't remember 100%.

Not urgent yet. i'm going to run it without the brace for now---i didn't use one on the old engine and didn't crack anything. But i would like to research this in the meantime.

i should also mention that both the "old" and new 4.3 blocks use the staggered starter bolt pattern.

 

[diesel4me]

I dont know if and when they officially deleted said brace ,but it wouldn't surprise me if they did after the old school small blocks and straight sixes using heavier high torque starters died off, and they lightened up the starters,and the reduced cranking loads of later engines didn't put as much strain on the mounting bolts..

I'd guess 95% of all the small blocks I've owned had no brace on the starter,it seems few people or mechanics bothered to put one back on if it was there to start with...I had none on my 6.2 when I first got it,I saw to it that was replaced though!..they are critical on a diesel..

 

[vandelay industries]

i don't have a hole in my new(er) block to attach a brace regardless. Looking at a lot of the parts diagrams, it appears in many cases (or all?) there is no brace for 86 and later.

 

[Blue85]

I didn't know there was a brace.