mopowers
Well-Known Member
For those of you who run midplates, do you trim them around the starter mount to achieve full starter gear engagement Does .090" even matter? Also, do you shim the converter with washers, or a crank shim?? Thanks!
No need to shim the converter, there is enough engagement with only the mid plate.
I know when I ordered my TC they asked about a mid plate and the thickness and made the mounts to compensate with their bolts too.
How did everything work out mopowers? Got her bolted up and running?
I hate to hijack but I have some similar questions so I hope you don’t mind if I ask them here.
My car came with a mid plate that seems to be drilled for either 727 or a powerglide. I’d like to use it if possible because 1. I already have it so it’s free ha. And 2. I know that it fits the car.
It is pretty thick (1/4 inch) so of course I am concerned about everything lining up. I could use a spacer behind the flex plate I suppose to move the TC back. Also the starter is another issue, I want to make sure it engages as it should. Is your midplate completely cut out for the starter or does it go through it? When used with the midplate I’m worried that it will be a problem that the nose cone of the starter no longer goes into the pilot hole in the transmission.
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Thanks for the reply. Sounds like you’re on the right track with yours!I haven't had a chance to finish mine up. I intend to just shim the convertor slightly with washers, then trim the midplate to allow the starter to bolt directly to the transmission. When I get a new convertor, I'll just have it made with thicker pads. I think that'll work fine with my .120" midplate.
Since yours is 1/4", I'd definitely make sure (a) the convertor fully engages the pump with a spacer like you said, and (b) the starter gear fully engages the ring gear on the convertor. Maybe do what my plan is and just trim away the starter mounting area of the midplate, so it mounts directly to the transmission?
Thanks for the reply. Sounds like you’re on the right track with yours!
I do like your idea about trimming for starter clearance as I do like the idea of it booting directly to the transmission and fully seating in the pilot for the nose cone.
Just so I’m clear, you’re meaning to trim even the starter bolt holes in the midplate for complete clearance? Like the yellow areas I added to my picture here?
As far as the spacing, are we talking like 1/4 washers behind the flex plate which would push the converter toward the trans? Sorry. It’s just hard to visualize all this spacing and clearance and what not. To that end, not sure if it matters but I measured and the tabs on my TC are 7/16 of an inch. And also I will use the solid flex plate which is .15 thick instead of .10 like the stock one.
Thanks!
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I like your idea to get the cut line around the starter mounting. I checked and you were right- mine is pretty much the faded part of the midplate so should be easy to see!Yep, you can even see the outline of the starter mounting face on the midplate. I would (and plan on with mine) just bolts up the starter to the plate with bolts and nuts, and trace around the mounting flange. Bingo - there's your cut line.
On the spacer, with your 1/4" plate, I'd probably choose to run an actual flexplate spacer on the crank than use 1/4" washers between the flexplate and converter, but that might be just me. I've seen some thick midplates come with those spacers.