What To Do With a Tweaked Flex Plate?

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dibbons

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Leave it alone, hammer on it, replace it? Looks to be a little out of whack. I always thought those things were "self-repairing", meaning with just a little abuse they just spring back to normal on their own. I guess not. Thank you.

flex plate bent.JPG
 
I have one like that. I wondered the same thing. I'm just guessing it seems to me it would flatten itself out when you bolt it to the converter (a flat surface) but I was worried about it so I just replaced it.
 
If it is bent the wrong way, it could put a load on the end of the crank, which will result in excessive end play on the thrust bearing. My 340 was like this when I pulled it down. The converter was bottoming out on the crank and I found .012" clearance on the thrust bearing, which should be about .007" max. Just get a new one, they are cheap.
 
It will straighten out, but it would cause the converter to be pulled forward; slightly out of the trans, and converter bolts might contact the dust plate. You have to turn the crank and measure the distance from the four areas to the block.
 
That is a very bad question and anyone suggest to straighten it shouldn't be working on mopars. Its Garbage. They are on every motor with 10 inch converter cars 904 and 727 are all the same. /six to 440 with 6 bolt crank. If you weren't so far away I would sling one your way. I am sure someone near you has one for free. All mopar guys should have a stack. My wife wants me to weld two on a stake so she can paint them for flowers. she already gathered up some 7 blade fans. . Women see car parts differently.
 
I've straightened worse ones than that and had them last...but I probably shouldn't even be working on any type of machinery..It's just mild steel. I think the more worn your thrust bearing is, then the more the plate will shake forward and back. That's what cracks them. That's an extremely mild bend.
 
Found one on Amazon for $22.50 USD (FRA303-10 inch bolt circle) including shipping to Mexico, so that will be the way to go. Thank you. P.S. Summit and everyone else wanted $50.00 to ship here via UPS. Obviously, Amazon has some kind of scam/monopoly on shipping.
 
Seems to me that once the metal has some how gotten moved past it's elastic limit it will never be the same.

I'm glad you are replacing it
 
Seems to me that once the metal has some how gotten moved past it's elastic limit it will never be the same.

I'm glad you are replacing it
And the converter floats in the pump housing and front bushing. I wouldn't want a side load or a wobble caused by a bent flex plate.
 
OMG that little bend is NOTHING! Hahaha, you guys are PARANOID! They hardly ever even crack in that area. I always straighten them; then turn the motor and measure the distance between each of the four areas against the back of the block. Nothing to it. But then again, I always check runout on every new one I install as well. Most aren't straight. You guys ALWAYS check the new ones...riiight?? Sometimes it's not about price, it's about TIME.
 
Leave it alone, hammer on it, replace it? Looks to be a little out of whack. I always thought those things were "self-repairing", meaning with just a little abuse they just spring back to normal on their own. I guess not. Thank you.

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Why bother, you can get a new flex plate for $17 from Mancini...

Mancini Racing
 
No... flex plates never crack...
Pictures why I preach to slow down
cracked flex plate - Google Search


BTW OP is in Mexico so shipping makes that 15.00 flexplate 50 to 75 dollars.

Out of curiosity couldn't you buy one from a local auto parts store in Mexico? I know it is not near you but there is a NAPA in Juarez, could they ship it to you from there cheaper?

But IMHO money well spent.
 
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Yep, right near the bolts, that's where I see them usually crack as well. This bend is not in that area. This bend if far from the metal's point of elasticity. Never run a bent flex plate; they ALL have to be checked for trueness...kinda like some of the posts on here...lol..
 
On a early A trans and a >67 motor, they crack at the ears because the OP didnt know the early small snout convertors were not compatible with the later larger bore crankshafts and they never center. AMHIK.....finally figured it out. Gave me a reason to put that new 8.75 as long as I was going to have to ditch the small bore 65 cable trans and its B&T flanged drive shaft. A 1/8 wall bushing would have been a little cheaper.
 
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