Bell Housing Cut-Outs?

[oliverchris]

Anyone got a guess why some HG/OC3/OC4/OC46 Bell Housings have two cut-outs (at 1 and 11 o'clock) while some have none? I see a lot of these Hercules engines but have not found a pattern yet.
On the ones I work on that have the cutouts, I am always worried about losing a nut or washer down in there....like on an older OC4, the air cleaner, battery, gauges are directly above that area.

[hotratz]

Good question. I wish there was at least a sheet metal cover. I was going to make one for mine but neglected to. 

[oliverchris]

And then there was the OC3 one I worked on last week....Bell Housing full of peach pits and fluff     collected by HotRatz' smaller breathren