I discovered at the PDXCGP mod day last Saturday that I have a cracked flex plate. It’s been cracked for about a month. It is a Pioneer Performance plate I’ve had installed since the engine swap in mid-2003. It has almost 50K miles on it. What would cause it to crack? I am torn right now on what I should do. I still have my stock plate in storage from the old 350. The teeth are hardly worn, it is still in good condition, but it has 130,000 miles on it. How well would my stock plate hold up if I bracket race my car? Should I re-use my old one or should I get a new plate?

 

it would hold up fine unless your putting alot of power threw it to get it started. for the most part the thing that wears the teeth on the flex plate is the starter.
IF your is wore out that fast i would be looking to find out if the starter is needing shims or if it has losened up enough to get out of alingment just enough on there to screw with things.

Also
IF you decide to replace it i had great luck with the two i had one was aTCI and the other was one from JAsper Motors.
Both did great for me for over a year of HARD track time toatl of Two years one on each plate.

But we used a gear reduction starer one year and a mini high tork the next.

 

Yesterday I began my repair/mod task to the Monte. I picked up an engine lift (cherry picker) for $100 and after I got home I started wrenching on the Monte. Got most of the stuff done to get the engine out, but alas rain started to fall and I had to put my efforts on hold until it decided to clear up this evening. Anyway, as I was removing the bell housing bolts I discovered that the two upper ones I could remove by hand because they weren't even tight AND I am missing the lower passenger one. The upper passenger bolt was out about 1/4 of an inch. Now I think I know what caused the flex-plate to crack. Anyway, all I need to do is remove the torque converter bolts tomorrow and disconnect the fuel line on the fuel pump and I can pull the engine out and start wrenching and detailing. I've got the next week and a half off so I have plenty of time to get it running again.

Why am I pulling the engine? Some say that I've lost my mind, mwahahahahaha... er... um... :mrgreen:

Easier to get things done with the engine out I guess. With the engine out I can replace the torque converter, flex-plate and driver side motor mount with ease. While the engine is out I am also going to:

1. Replace my steering box if I can find my Camaro quick ratio one. My steering box decided to puke all of the fluid out onto the driveway Wednesday night and in my works parking lot Friday.

2. Install my new cam and lifter kit.

3. Install my new 110gph fuel pump and pushrod.

4. Clean up, repaint and detail the engine block.

If there is time and the weather decides to be nice, I'll also clean up the front frame rails and steering linkage and repaint them as well as the brake booster.

 

yeah the bolts in the tranny are suposed to be more then finger tight to keep things in Alinment LOL

But while you have it out please take some photos etc... this is good info for someone that wasnts to restore a older m/c and dont know what or where to start on it.

Also you might try setting the fly wheel in place again and see if you set teh started in there and see if it is hitting it at a weird angel or not. But im betting you will find it was the tranny being lose that did the damage to your car more then anythign