Well POOP!!!

I recently bought a '66 Barracuda 273 180hp with an automatic transmission. The drive train was all in place (I thought), but the car had been sitting for 10+ years. I took all the precautions to start it & see what (engine, trans, differential, brakes) worked. I got it running & pulled it out of the garage to check everything out. I even went through the gears (only a few feet... front & back a couple of times to check the transmission & brakes. Everything seemed fine. While it was idling I heard a funny (OK, NOT so funny) sound & then a BANG followed by the sound of a small piece of metal that hit the driveway. I shut the car off immediately & started looking around for what had happened. It turns out that the piece of metal...about 2" long...is (was) part of the flex plate. It appears the previous owner had not fully bolted the bellhousing to the block (there was a 1/4"...maybe a little more than that..gap). What I need to do now is replace the flex plate & while it's apart, see if there's any other damage. I've never had an automatic trans car before, so I don't know the easiest process. I've got tools, floor jacks, jack stands, a floor-type transmission cradle and & an engine hoist (sadly no lift).
Is it easiest to remove the engine?....the transmission?....both?....neither? I'm open to any suggestions from those of you who have 'been there'. Thanks!

You will want to take a good look at the trans pump and the converter pump drive snout while it's out.
Normally the converter would come out of the pump instead of breaking the flex plate, unless you just got really lucky.

Pull the trans. It's cake.
A board across the inner fenders to hang the rear of the motor helps.

TrailBeast said:

You will want to take a good look at the trans pump and the converter pump drive snout while it's out.
Normally the converter would come out of the pump instead of breaking the flex plate, unless you just got really lucky.

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When I get that far I'll check them out. So far I haven't gotten very lucky on this project...but maybe it'll make a turn for the better now. Thanks.

I broke a flexplate ear too. You can R&R it while the motor is in the car but Its easier if you pull them both as a unit. If you decide to pull the trans while the motor is in, youll need to get the front tires on ramps or jackstands and also the rear end on jackstands. Remove the other 3 convertor bolts, then brace the motor with a scissor jack or block of wood under the pan as far back as you can get it to the trans. Remove the driveshaft at the diff but leave it in there to keep the fluid from spilling out the tailshaft. Place a floor jack under the trans pan and jack up the slack. remove the rear cross member 4 bolts and cooler lines as well as shifter linkage cable. Get some extensions and universal joints and get the rest of the trans bolts removed. lower the trans a few inches and pull the floor jack back to clear the convertor snout from the crank pilot hole. the trans should be balanced on the floor jack. the trans should lower to clear the block. Get it as far back as possible and let it sit on the floor. Now you can unbolt and replace the flexplate with a good 1/2 drive ratchet. Reverse for installation.

pishta said:

I broke a flexplate ear too. You can R&R it while the motor is in the car but Its easier if you pull them both as a unit. If you decide to pull the trans while the motor is in, youll need to get the front tires on ramps or jackstands and also the rear end on jackstands. Remove the other 3 convertor bolts, then brace the motor with a scissor jack or block of wood under the pan as far back as you can get it to the trans. Remove the driveshaft at the diff but leave it in there to keep the fluid from spilling out the tailshaft. Place a floor jack under the trans pan and jack up the slack. remove the rear cross member 4 bolts and cooler lines as well as shifter linkage cable. Get some extensions and universal joints and get the rest of the trans bolts removed. lower the trans a few inches and pull the floor jack back to clear the convertor snout from the crank pilot hole. the trans should be balanced on the floor jack. the trans should lower to clear the block. Get it as far back as possible and let it sit on the floor. Now you can unbolt and replace the flexplate with a good 1/2 drive ratchet. Reverse for installation.

Click to expand...

Thanks for this step by step approach. Do you know how your ear broke to begin with? I'm ASSUMING the fact that the transmission wasn't fully pulled against the block was the culprit.

Unclip the distributor cap. Remove the starter, dust shield and converter bolts and the two bottom bellhousing bolts and replace them with four inch bolts. Then remove the other four bellhousing bolts and the trans mount bolts that hold the mount to the tailshaft housing. Pry the motor and trans apart enough to get a box end wrench on the flexplate bolts and slide it down out of there.