Broke it today up on the mountain.

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TrailBeast

TrailBeast

AKA Mopars4us on Youtube
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Layed into the Dart pretty good in places up on the mountain and it looks like it broke the flex plate.
Limped it home with a bad vibration and scraping noises.
Now I have something new to do.:D
The video is what I was doing when it let go, but the pop was a exhaust pipe explosion from a small hole in between the 4 pipes at the collector.
I will fix that while I have the trans down.

Had a freakin blast though, and I knew I was going to be rough on it and something could go after the 3.55 Sure Grip swap.:D

Here's the video.
It sure looks slower in the video than it was.

www.letsgocomputers.com/dart/ride.mpg

ride.JPG
 
Love cutting the corners!

Looks like you had a blast responsibly.

I was on i70 going east up over the rockies, near Glenwood springs IIRC the road follows the river, I had two lanes all to myself, just cruising along in the family wagon by myself on the last few 100 miles of my trip from SoCal to northern Colorado. It was sweet... Then just shy of the Eisenhower tunnel I noticed the engine temp was a bit high and engine had very little power. I turned on the heater, and rolled down the passenger window. Then I heard it reverberating of the gardrail, knock knock knock knock, spun a rod bearing.
 
I Have never broke a flex plate, converter yes. You seem to be happy about it so all good yes? Fix it and drive another day. Always fun!
 
Dang bud that sucks. But at least you have something to do now lol that thing sounds wicked!
 
1969383S said:
I Have never broke a flex plate, converter yes. You seem to be happy about it so all good yes? Fix it and drive another day. Always fun!
Click to expand...
Agree. Weak spot on a 904/A500 is the small diameter converter hub. Make sure it did not crack and take the pump drive ears with it.
 
TrailBeast said:
Layed into the Dart pretty good in places up on the mountain and it looks like it broke the flex plate.
Limped it home with a bad vibration and scraping noises.
Now I have something new to do.:D
The video is what I was doing when it let go, but the pop was a exhaust pipe explosion from a small hole in between the 4 pipes at the collector.
I will fix that while I have the trans down.

Had a freakin blast though, and I knew I was going to be rough on it and something could go after the 3.55 Sure Grip swap.:D

Here's the video.
It sure looks slower in the video than it was.

www.letsgocomputers.com/dart/ride.mpg

View attachment 1715500194
Click to expand...
Which transmission are you running?
What converter?
Factory flex plate or aftermarket?
 
That looks a lot like where my brother and i drove through after picking up his 67 Barracuda.
 
512Stroker said:
Which transmission are you running?
What converter?
Factory flex plate or aftermarket?
Click to expand...

A500 with the factory 1,800 stall and the factory 5.9 weighted flex plate.


Dartsun said:
Sounds like you had a blast besides the broken flex plate. Video isn’t working for me. Dustin
Click to expand...


I had a blast for about an hour.:D
No worries, since this stay at home thing is in effect I have plenty of time to fix it.
Preferably with stronger parts, but I don't seem to see any performance flex plates for the 5.9 so far.
For the 5.9 diesel sure, but not for the gas motor.
 
mderoy340 said:
Agree. Weak spot on a 904/A500 is the small diameter converter hub. Make sure it did not crack and take the pump drive ears with it.
Click to expand...

Exactly what I was thinking.:D
Don't see any leaks or anything so that's at least a hint of things probably not being too disastrous.
Something is badly out of balance and making metal scraping noises, so it could very well have snapped off the register.

I might get it out back and up in the air today to take a close look.
I will for sure post any carnage pictures.
 
TrailBeast said:
A500 with the factory 1,800 stall and the factory 5.9 weighted flex plate.





I had a blast for about an hour.:D
No worries, since this stay at home thing is in effect I have plenty of time to fix it.
Preferably with stronger parts, but I don't seem to see any performance flex plates for the 5.9 so far.
For the 5.9 diesel sure, but not for the gas motor.
Click to expand...
Interesting I think I read somewhere that you can run a weighted TC instead of a weighted flex plate?
Was it in lockup when it broke?
 
512Stroker said:
Interesting I think I read somewhere that you can run a weighted TC instead of a weighted flex plate?
Was it in lockup when it broke?
Click to expand...

Been looking into that, and I wish I could run a solid plate like for the 360.
Problem is, no one seems to make one.
So far the only upgraded plate I have seen is for the 5.9 diesel.

I started hearing odd sounds bouncing back off the rock walls and guardrails miles before it actually broke, so I was going easy on it.
I was in third gear at about 2k rpms when it let go and started shaking.

I pulled over, put it neutral and it still shook.
Then I shut the engine off and looked under the car, (no fluids leaking)
Then I started it back up babied it the last few miles home.

At the time I thought "Whoa, I just fired it back up" and everything about the starter and motor turning over sounded completely normal besides the out of balance part, and how could that be if the flex plate is that busted up?

I really do suspect I'll find the converter hub to crank snapped off and the center of the plate trashed.
We'll see.
 
TrailBeast said:
Been looking into that, and I wish I could run a solid plate like for the 360.
Problem is, no one seems to make one.
So far the only upgraded plate I have seen is for the 5.9 diesel.

I started hearing odd sounds bouncing back off the rock walls and guardrails miles before it actually broke, so I was going easy on it.
I was in third gear at about 2k rpms when it let go and started shaking.

I pulled over, put it neutral and it still shook.
Then I shut the engine off and looked under the car, (no fluids leaking)
Then I started it back up babied it the last few miles home.

At the time I thought "Whoa, I just fired it back up" and everything about the starter and motor turning over sounded completely normal besides the out of balance part, and how could that be if the flex plate is that busted up?

I really do suspect I'll find the converter hub to crank snapped off and the center of the plate trashed.
We'll see.
Click to expand...
I had an old Tahoe ( I know it's a chevy) that I was convinced the flex plate had failed.
Ended up being the lockup converter the plate was OK and was reused in the repair.
 
Is there anyway you can use a solid flexplate and just weld the weights to the torque converter? Or even to the solid flexplate? I know I've knocked them off a 360 torque converter and welded the weights onto a 318 torque converter before...
 
j par said:
Is there anyway you can use a solid flexplate and just weld the weights to the torque converter? Or even to the solid flexplate? I know I've knocked them off a 360 torque converter and welded the weights onto a 318 torque converter before...
Click to expand...

That crossed my mind.
They do make weight kits for balancing a neutral converter so...
Still have not found a solid plate for the 5.9 gas motor, but I haven't got to look into it much yet.

I just fired it up and drove it to the back, and am going to lift it up and take a look.
Should be fairly obvious.
Will report what I find later.
 
I broke a flexplate, once. It was because I forgot th dowel pins from the motor to the trans. A new flexplate was all that was needed.

What do you think caused it to break?
 
Dana67Dart said:
Love cutting the corners!

Looks like you had a blast responsibly.

I was on i70 going east up over the rockies, near Glenwood springs IIRC the road follows the river, I had two lanes all to myself, just cruising along in the family wagon by myself on the last few 100 miles of my trip from SoCal to northern Colorado. It was sweet... Then just shy of the Eisenhower tunnel I noticed the engine temp was a bit high and engine had very little power. I turned on the heater, and rolled down the passenger window. Then I heard it reverberating of the gardrail, knock knock knock knock, spun a rod bearing.
Click to expand...

1969383S said:
I Have never broke a flex plate, converter yes. You seem to be happy about it so all good yes? Fix it and drive another day. Always fun!
Click to expand...

dartfreak75 said:
Dang bud that sucks. But at least you have something to do now lol that thing sounds wicked!
Click to expand...

mderoy340 said:
Agree. Weak spot on a 904/A500 is the small diameter converter hub. Make sure it did not crack and take the pump drive ears with it.
Click to expand...

512Stroker said:
I had an old Tahoe ( I know it's a chevy) that I was convinced the flex plate had failed.
Ended up being the lockup converter the plate was OK and was reused in the repair.
Click to expand...

j par said:
Is there anyway you can use a solid flexplate and just weld the weights to the torque converter? Or even to the solid flexplate? I know I've knocked them off a 360 torque converter and welded the weights onto a 318 torque converter before...
Click to expand...

plumkrazee70 said:
I broke a flexplate, once. It was because I forgot th dowel pins from the motor to the trans. A new flexplate was all that was needed.

What do you think caused it to break?
Click to expand...


Just got under it with my flashlight, phone camera and remote starter switch.
Look what I found.
I cranked the engine a little and the flexplate is fine and all the bolts are tight, so I started looking everything over real close.
That'd do it.

I used the factory balancer when I put this thing together and I think I might need a new one.:D

The shiny place is where the balance ring is supposed to be.
All the metal scraping noise must have been the ring hanging on the back side of the pulley with the motor running.
I'll order one for it today.
Since I run an electric fan nothing is even in the way to pull it.

balancer.JPG
 
Looks like you actually lucked out, even though you still gotta fix it. I was sitting here wondering if you would maybe find the Magnum flex plate cracked and busted where you may have had to rat one hole out to get the converter to bolt up? Guess not!! :)
 
JDMopar said:
Looks like you actually lucked out, even though you still gotta fix it. I was sitting here wondering if you would maybe find the Magnum flex plate cracked and busted where you may have had to rat one hole out to get the converter to bolt up? Guess not!! :)
Click to expand...

Nope, got lucky.:D
No big deal, as I wanted to pull that passenger side header off and fix it anyway so at least I get to do that.
I got the header off and ready to weld up but the wind is blowing pretty good and it blows the shielding gas away.
Got it all ready to put the new balancer on.
Early in the morning it's usually pretty calm, so I'll do that and the balancer tomorrow.
I'm not in any hurry.
 
You must be livin right! Glad to hear the good news, but you'll need a different excuse to upgrade!
 
69conv said:
You must be livin right! Glad to hear the good news, but you'll need a different excuse to upgrade!
Click to expand...

I ordered a factory balancer for it, as I don't think I need anything special.
Just wish it would hurry up and warm up a little.
Looks like I'm going to have to get some sort of a wind break for when I weld up the header, since the wind is already blowing at sun up.
My Wife told me to use the Grand kids plastic playhouse.:D
 
Well. I had to order a different balancer because all the ones the parts houses get or carry have the serpentine pulley cast on to the balancer hub and no bolt on pulley provision.
Ended up ordering one from Summit that has interchangeable balance weights.

One parts house guy tried to tell me the LA 360 damper should work fine.:elmer:
The arrival date on the shipping shows it should be here on the exact same day the weather report shows snow, great.
:lol:
 
Last edited:
Gotta get this old girl running before this crap is over and we all have to go back to work!
 
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