Flexplate Cracked!

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bigtom

bigtom

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318 with a 904... Is there any way to change a flexplate without pulling the transmission?

Has anyone paid a shop for this who could give a ballpark figure for the $$$ needed?
 
bigtom said:
318 with a 904... Is there any way to change a flexplate without pulling the transmission?
Click to expand...

I can't imagine there is.

You would have to unbolt the trans, slide it back enough to get in there and remove the torque converter or at least slide it back, at that point might as well drop it, it's out anyway.
 
No. Do you have the means to do it yourself? It is a pretty easy job. There are 4 bolts for the converter and 6 on the crank for the flex plate once you doo all of the bellhousing and starter bolts,linkage and pull the trans back. I bet it's a $500 job at a shop.
 
Yup.

Get a buddy to help, and buy some beer and steaks for when it's done. Two people with fairly minimal tools should be able to do it.
 
Technically you can do it without removing the trans but you darn near have to remove it. You unbolt everything that was previously mentioned plus the driveshaft, trans mount, cooing lines, shift linkage, and remove the filler tube. Once you unbolt all the stuff you can slide the trans back about 6" (you have to support it by some means) and get your hands in to remove the bolts holding the flexplate on the crank. Shop prices vary from location to location. I'm in a rural area so things are a little cheaper but I'd bet it's still a $400 job here.
 
make sure and use a torque wrench only on the bolts. Impacts crack the flexplate by over tightening. I figured this out long ago after the 2nd one.:eek:ops:
 
It's not really hard to do. I can R&R a trans in my garage, by myself in about 5 hours. No lift, just a floor jack and jack stands. Basic hand tools are all I use.
 
OK. In all my yrs Ive never come across a cracked flex-plate, in a running engine. I will try to remember that. But I guess at my age(61& semi-retired) I probably never will. Still its good to know.
 
AJ/FormS said:
OK. In all my yrs Ive never come across a cracked flex-plate, in a running engine. I will try to remember that. But I guess at my age(61& semi-retired) I probably never will. Still its good to know.
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In 58 years I have seen probably 15 or so, but then I worked in the trans business. :D

My wife and kids went to CA from AZ and the wife calls when they are on thier way back and tells me her Dodge mini van was making horrible clattering noises.
After describing when and at what RPM's the noises were I decided it was a broken flex plate and told her there were not many choices out on the road and to drive it home as long as it kept going.
When she got back we pulled the trans and the entire center was broken out of the flexplate and it had hammered flat spots into the broken edges of the plate and made it all the way back to AZ like that.

It looked kind of like this but worse when it came out.
 

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TrailBeast said:
In 58 years I have seen probably 15 or so, but then I worked in the trans business. :D

My wife and kids went to CA from AZ and the wife calls when they are on thier way back and tells me her Dodge mini van was making horrible clattering noises.
After describing when and at what RPM's the noises were I decided it was a broken flex plate and told her there were not many choices out on the road and to drive it home as long as it kept going.
When she got back we pulled the trans and the entire center was broken out of the flexplate and it had hammered flat spots into the broken edges of the plate and made it all the way back to AZ like that.

It looked kind of like this but worse when it came out.
Click to expand...
damn dude!!! How the hell does your thumb bend like that?? LOl, that flex plate looks pretty fucked up though.
 
Good News... After the new year I am fixing this... A bud just told me I can borrow his drive on ramps and torque wrench. I am going to wait until a Saturday morning when the manager is off the property and do what I need to do.
 
AJ/FormS said:
OK. In all my yrs Ive never come across a cracked flex-plate, in a running engine. I will try to remember that. But I guess at my age(61& semi-retired) I probably never will. Still its good to know.
Click to expand...

Chebbies used to do it all the time,, only with the way the bottom dustcover exposes the bottom of the converter,, you can take out the converter/flywheel bolts, and all the bellhousing bolts, replacing the bottom 2 each side with bolts 3 to 4 inches long,, remove the rear trans/crossmember bolts, nuthin else,, and slide the trans back on the bolts,, and have sufficient space to get a wrench and hands up to undo and R&R the flexplate/ring-gear..

hope it helps, if you ever have to do a Chebbie... I can't remember doin a Mopar that way,, but I sure would try..
 
inertia said:
Chebbies used to do it all the time,, only with the way the bottom dustcover exposes the bottom of the converter,, you can take out the converter/flywheel bolts, and all the bellhousing bolts, replacing the bottom 2 each side with bolts 3 to 4 inches long,, remove the rear trans/crossmember bolts, nuthin else,, and slide the trans back on the bolts,, and have sufficient space to get a wrench and hands up to undo and R&R the flexplate/ring-gear..

hope it helps, if you ever have to do a Chebbie... I can't remember doin a Mopar that way,, but I sure would try..
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HEY!
You are giving away old school secrets that give us older guys the advantages. :D
If the firewall doesn't get in the way the long bolts work on Mopars too.
One can also remove the distributor cap first and tilt the engine so the trans slides back on the long bolts.
 
TrailBeast said:
HEY!
You are giving away old school secrets that give us older guys the advantages. :D
If the firewall doesn't get in the way the long bolts work on Mopars too.
One can also remove the distributor cap first and tilt the engine so the trans slides back on the long bolts.
Click to expand...

LOL .... shhhhhh,, nobody reads these things,, do they,, ????
 
inertia said:
LOL .... shhhhhh,, nobody reads these things,, do they,, ????
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LOL, nahhh probably not.
I have a couple of sets of long bolts with the heads cut off and the ends rounded so putting a trans in and lining it on the dowels to get bolts started is a peice of cake.
 
You guys cheat. I always thought it was brute force, frustration and a lot of cussin' that got it in there. :D
 
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