Is a 168 tooth fly wheel standard for a 454? 

Yes

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flywheel or flex plate ?? flex plate is standard on newer boats, early 70's had flywheel, and 455 olds

Have a vibration and flex plate had holes that aren't supposed to be there so hoping thats what it is

Yes

Used the flex for performance but give a crap anymore, just want it right. Tired of (B.O.A.T). Break out another thousand!

Bet you a buck you can't explain the performance part... 

You simply cannot run a flex on a reverse mount starter without issues.

The ring gear mounts on the back side of the flywheel in most reverse starter applications. (not all).

You do not lose ANY HP with a flywheel vs. flex plate. It simply has to do with throttle response.

GT

K I give up, what does sly stand for?

Simple, It means B-Rad has not repaired the broken links in the emoticons between the app and the full version from a PC......... Hahahha..

Sly is a smiley. I like smilies.

GT

Quick photo

I have been running a top-mount starter on a 3-point bell housing with a flexplate flawlessly since 91.  Have also run the same setup with a flywheel in others with no issues.  The distance from the block to the ring gear should be the same no matter what.  You should not need any shims between the crankshaft and flywheel/flex plate.  Is the flex plate backwards?

The vibration is another issue.  I can't remember seeing an aftermarket flex plate without holes and all OE flex plates have holes.  It is also possible that the holes be smaller or odd-shaped on the side where the counter weight would be.

The flex plate for a 454+ ci is typically externally balanced.  Those for </=427 are internally balanced.  The difference is that the external balanced flex plate will have a counter weight welded on to compensate for an improperly designed crankshaft counter weight.

Steel flywheels could have a counter weight welded on or the side opposite could have holes drilled to remove an equal amount of mass.  Cast flywheels typically have the counter weight cast in but could also have holes.

Did this issue start when you changed to the flex plate?  I bet you don't have a crankshaft dowel pin.  Can you verify that the flex plate and crankshaft are clocked correctly and that you do indeed have a counter weight present?

If that is correct, I would check the driveline and then the damper to ensure the rubber on the outer ring is still good.

Good luck,

Joe

Holes in the fly wheel were done byba home owner, not stock.

Like it is a 427 flywheel that has been rebalanced to an externally balanced wheel?

My started is two bolt top mount to bell housing not block.

That style still registers off the back surface of the block.  Critical dimensions are bell housing surface to the starter surface and the relationship of the dowel pins to the crankshaft center line to get the correct tooth engagement.

True

Revers rotation has long nose mounts top right looking from back to front

Yes, but maybe my comment was lost in translation. There are two completely different nose gears. One for rear mounted gear and one for front (standard location) mounted gear. Was the original gear mounted on the flat (what would be the clutch disc side) of the flywheel?

GT