Been trying to get some info on this....my `98 LS has a grinding noise in the area of the bellhousing. Shifts fine and fluid is ok. Sounds just like a rock grinder. Do I have a cracked or broken flexplate? Hard to find info on this particular subject. Tks,Blazerman

 

I've broken 2 flexplates now, and both broke differently. Mine sounding more like a ticking, not a grinding. If you put it up on jackstands or a lift, you can pull the inspection cover and look. Might take some help turning it over to look at it all the way around, but if it's broke you'll see it. Here is a pic of the cracks in the 2nd flexplate. It broke in a circular direction. It appears I twisted the center out of it.

The 1st broke differently. It broke with cracks going from the center out, in a starburst pattern. Warranty fixed that one, but not this one, after I did some HP mods to the engine.

If you do have a broken flexplate, and you have the L36 3.8 N/A motor, a flexplate from a Pontiac Bonneville SHOULD fit, and is stronger than the Chevy's. Don't know why, but that's what ZZPerformance told me AFTER I put in a Chevy plate (I was after a Mezeire billet flexplate, but everyone was out of stock).

 

I got the cover off and found 2 cracks at least from center out to the lightning holes. My mech says he can replace it for about 800 bucks labor and parts. Just what makes these things break anyway?

 

Wish I knew. Cheap piece of crap flex plates as near as I can figure. Must have something to do with the cheapest bidder. Look at them, double thickness. Is welding together two tin cans cheaper than one thick tin can? Replace it with a bonneville L36 plate. Another reason why GM is in trouble. Is this an example of quality? I've replaced 2 of these now. I went with the smaller L36 torque convertor on my L67. 8 lbs lighter. 2500rpm stall from ZZperformance.
Make sure that everything is aligned proper, dowels in place, bolts tight, etc. That's the usual problem in a N/A motor.