Cracked Flex Plate

pishta said
The flex plate only transfers rotational energy, the crank supports the convertor via the snout into the crank register.

The later cranks (post 67) used a larger crank pilot bore that the later convertors snout nested in snugly. Same as the pre 68 cranks: Smaller crank bore and smaller convertor snout. If you put a early trans onto a later motor, your snout will be swimming in the larger crank bore and it will not naturally center. Like a Mopar rim, it needs a center register, 'hubcentric'. It will eventually run out and put stresses on the flexplate ears that will crack them. The bushing is 1/8 walled to fit the early convertors onto the later cranks. 'Tflite Paddy' sells them as well as others.

So the crank pilot bore holds the converter centered; it is not a brass bushing (in the pump housing) that centers the converter, correct? I'm sorry, but I have been reading about this on various forums and some of the threads (dodge only) state there is a bushing in the pump housing that holds the converter snout centered. Maybe that is on early years and when going from an early trans to a late engine? It may be that the converter snout (on the opposite end of the converter that goes into the pump) is undersize. This may have been the issue with why the first plate cracked, but not necessarily why I lack engagement when I go from park to gear now. If the first converter did not fit correctly into the crank, and ran out as a result and cracked the flex plate, then would that shaking also damage the pump and cause the delayed engagement now that I have a new flex plate and converter? I guess it may be possible? I'm just trying to narrow down the causes with my limited information.
So often when I work on something and after I put it together, I have a new problem, the reason more often than not is something I did while taking it apart or putting it back together. In this situation, I did not remove the pan or the valve body, all I did was drain, remove and replace the failed components. There is not a whole lot left other than some issue with the converter, although this could be an exception to my rule.