Flex plate

[Vintage Eliminator 21]

Has anyone had to replace a flexplate because some teeth are ground off?
How big a deal is it to do on a 454?

[Bense468]

all depends on how the motor is mounted in the boat. other then that its easy

[lucky]

heat up the outer ring - tap it off - get new ring heat it up press it on - then take and get it balanced :) easier to buy a new one

[USMCpfc04]

Hey bro, 180 degrees out had to do that on his BBC 454, its not to hard the only pain is pullin the engine, after that its really simple. Just make sure you install the new one on right, we found out there is such a thing as installin them on backwards.

[Vintage Eliminator 21]

Thanks for the replies.
Would a stock flex plate from AutoZone work or does it have to be SFI? It's basically a stock motor with a mild cam.

[Duane HTP]

First, a FLEX PLATE does not have replacable starter grear ring. It is welded on. Only the heavy flywheels have those kind.
Second, NO!!! an Auto Zone flex plate will do just what the name implies. It WILL FLEX. They are made to get their strength from boltinig to a torque converter. Get an SFI or better Heavy, (thicker), flex plate from a reputible manufactruer or you may just be grinding up another one. We have the good ones in stock.

[BrendellaJet]

Wont be tough. If you have a four point mount you can leave the motor in the boat. May even work with a 3 point. Remove the universal joint,use a cherry picker or other support to brace the rear of the motor, take the rear mount off, yank the flex plate, and reassemble with a new one from Duane. Will probably need to find a way to keep the motor from turning over when attempting to remove the bolts and when torquing them back on.

[Vintage Eliminator 21]

What about loosening the forward motor mount bolts, taking out the back bolts, jacking the motor up enough to take out the back bolts and let the oil pan rest on a 1x4 at the back????
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v442/VintageEliminator21/DCP_1305.jpg
Here's the flex plate showing the teeth chewed up. What would cause this?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v442/VintageEliminator21/DCP_1309.jpg
Thanks for your help!

[BrendellaJet]

I wouldn't rest the weight of the motor on the oil pan. If you dont want to use the cherry picker(pain in the ass if you ask me, cut up some 2x4 and wedge them onto your stringers and have the ears of the block sit on them, that should do it. You can loosen the fornt mounts if you want, but theres nothing really to pry on to lift the rear. If you use the 2x4 idea you will really need to get them wedged in there before you loosen the rear mount.

[Lawler]

Is the starter shimmed at all? Looks like the gears aren't hitting square when it's actuating? Either that or is the flex plate on backwards. I beliebve the one side has a taper while the other side is flat. The taper allows the gear to slide in while starting. Just my 2 cents.

[superdave013]

First, a FLEX PLATE does not have replacable starter grear ring. It is welded on. Only the heavy flywheels have those kind.
Second, NO!!! an Auto Zone flex plate will do just what the name implies. It WILL FLEX. They are made to get their strength from boltinig to a torque converter. Get an SFI or better Heavy, (thicker), flex plate from a reputible manufactruer or you may just be grinding up another one. We have the good ones in stock.
Good advise right there. I had a stocker come apart on me once. Was pretty ugly and I got lucky the parts went up insted of down through the bottom of the boat! They went through the flywheel cover and a 3/8" s.s. bolt like butter.
Get an SFI deal. Much thicker, much safer.

[lucky]

First, a FLEX PLATE does not have replacable starter grear ring. It is welded on. Only the heavy flywheels have those kind.
Second, NO!!! an Auto Zone flex plate will do just what the name implies. It WILL FLEX. They are made to get their strength from boltinig to a torque converter. Get an SFI or better Heavy, (thicker), flex plate from a reputible manufactruer or you may just be grinding up another one. We have the good ones in stock.
got to lay off the crack pipe -- :hammer2: :hammer2: :hammer2: flywheel , flywhel , flywheel - ebonics didn't work for me ! lol

[UBFJ #454]

Two things I see in the picture ... One, I'd guess that the starter is misaligned relative to the FlexPlate (The marks all around the edge of the teeth) ... Second, looks like at one time, after a non-start, you may have engaged the starter before the FlexPlate & motor had stopped spinning (The badly Buggered Area) ... Just a Guess.

[Rexone]

As some have already mentioned above a misaligned starter can cause this problem. Also as mentioned and probably more common would be hitting the starter with the motor runnin... that's the start, knocks off the corners of a few teeth and it deteriorates from there. Also a bad bendix. Once the tooth degeneration starts for whatever reason it's hard to stop it w/o replacing the plate. And definately use an SFI rated plate. I would not use one of those imported pieces of crap even on a passenger car...juuuuuunk.

[460rogers]

Count the teeth on the starter gear.
If I remember right most BBC use a 9 tooth gear and SBC use an 11 tooth.
It could happen!

[UBFJ #454]

Vintage -
Who made that FlexPlate that you posted the picture of?

[Vintage Eliminator 21]

When I bought the boat last year, there were problems with the starter not turning over after being turned off for a few minutes. It would engage and do nothing for a few seconds and then turn over. Sometimes when I turned the key it would make a "whang" noise and not engage. It got worse this year until it wouldn't engage anymore. At that point I replaced the starter (with a marine unit) and then discovered the teeth ground down.
Bear,
I haven't taken it off yet so I don't know the mfg. Been too busy because of work. Maybe this week or weekend I may be get to it.
Thanks for everyones input!

[UBFJ #454]

"Da Whang" Sound comes from the teeth of the starter not fully engaging with the outer ring of th flexplate ... likely not shimmed properly (Too Much ... Not Allowing Starter To Fully Engage, or MisAligned) ... Again, Buggered area probably from everything still rotating when you next pushed the starter button.

[Vintage Eliminator 21]

Bear,
When I took the old starter off, there were no shims. What's the best way to tell if it needs any?

[UBFJ #454]

When the starter is engaged. the gear on the starter should be fully on the starter ring on the flexplate with the starter shaft being absolutely perpendicular to the plane of the flexplate. When disengaged there should be about 30 thousands (thickness of a large paper clip) clearance between the gear on the starter and the flexplate. Shims are used to accomplish this setup.
Be it either a bottom,or top mount starter, the alighnment is critical ... top mount starters can be a little more tricky to install so paying attention to detail is important ... make sure that either the mounting bracket(s) (top mount) or mounting plate (bottom mount) is/are not bent or warped and where everything mounts to the block, that area on the block is Clean and Smooth.