Flex plate help

[DoubleDingo]

I have used an impact before, I agree it can be done. I just prefer not to on the back of the engine and other areas of a vehicle.

Whichever method you use, keep us informed on how things turn out. You may want replace the rear main seal while you're in there. It takes a little extra time but is worth it in the long run.

 

[MadOgre]

I have used an impact before, I agree it can be done. I just prefer not to on the back of the engine and other areas of a vehicle.

Whichever method you use, keep us informed on how things turn out. You may want replace the rear main seal while you're in there. It takes a little extra time but is worth it in the long run.

X2 on the rear main seal.

 

[RangRayy]

Ok I figured as much. The transmission is completely out so I have all the room to get the gun square up on the bolt. The bolts have been soaking in pb blaster all night so I may try one more trick before I drive 40mins round trip to get my air compressor. But I do have all week since my plant laid us off this week; weather permitting though.

 

[RangRayy]

I'll look into the rear seal. I am not sure which I have a 2 piece or 1 so I will know when I take of the flex plate. I do know I have oil leaks, front seal, oil pan, probably rear as well and valve covers leak. Also have a intake leak at the front of the intake manifold near the left head. If I had my hoist I would just re gasket the whole motor and would've pulled it out if I knew we would've been laid off this week. But such is life

 

[MadOgre]

I'll look into the rear seal. I am not sure which I have a 2 piece or 1 so I will know when I take of the flex plate. I do know I have oil leaks, front seal, oil pan, probably rear as well and valve covers leak. Also have a intake leak at the front of the intake manifold near the left head. If I had my hoist I would just re gasket the whole motor and would've pulled it out if I knew we would've been laid off this week. But such is life

if you have an 87 block it is a one piece.

late 85s and up are one piece.

 

[DoubleDingo]

I'll look into the rear seal. I am not sure which I have a 2 piece or 1 so I will know when I take of the flex plate. I do know I have oil leaks, front seal, oil pan, probably rear as well and valve covers leak. Also have a intake leak at the front of the intake manifold near the left head. If I had my hoist I would just re gasket the whole motor and would've pulled it out if I knew we would've been laid off this week. But such is life

Sounds like a one piece seal by the way the flex plate bolts up.

 

[DoubleDingo]

Hope you find a job soon.

 

[RangRayy]

Oh I have a job just on temporary lay off this week. Parts ran out and I heard one of our suppliers plastic plants blew up so put a damper on plastic parts. Thanks though I had a real pain with the u joints though. Still factory ones on a 27 year old truck. My little butane torch couldn't handle it had to break out the propane torch. It amazed me that my Gpa never changed the u joints. Then again the truck has 120,000 miles

 

[DoubleDingo]

Glad it's just a temporary lay off.

My truck has the original u-joints too. The non-greaseable ones and they're pushing 34 years old in January 2015, but only 74,*** miles. Not looking forward to replacing those. May just take it to a driveshaft shop and have them change those and press on a carrier bearing at the same time.

 

[RangRayy]

Right on!! My dad tried helping me since he had just replaced his on his 95 chevy and he swore up and down that clips held the caps in alone. Well he ran into the same problem I did but unlike his my ujoints didn't have any clips. They had plastic in around the caps. Once we had the right torch setup and a big enough vice it was a piece of cake.

I was thinking just like you, oh take it somewhere and just pay to have it done. Well after being quoted 175 in labor and then parts for three u joints and the price for a carrier bearing I said hell with it I can do it. Plus everywhere I talked to was out a week or so. So I did it myself and it was very easy. Just don't pick up the shaft with bare hands it tends to get hot lol

 

[MadOgre]

Right on!! My dad tried helping me since he had just replaced his on his 95 chevy and he swore up and down that clips held the caps in alone. Well he ran into the same problem I did but unlike his my ujoints didn't have any clips. They had plastic in around the caps. Once we had the right torch setup and a big enough vice it was a piece of cake.

I was thinking just like you, oh take it somewhere and just pay to have it done. Well after being quoted 175 in labor and then parts for three u joints and the price for a carrier bearing I said hell with it I can do it. Plus everywhere I talked to was out a week or so. So I did it myself and it was very easy. Just don't pick up the shaft with bare hands it tends to get hot lol

LOL ya its pretty easy. It just takes a while to get it hot enough to make the plastic ooze out. I think I spent 10 min on each one when I did mine.

 

[RangRayy]

And the grease pockets tend to explode in your face. It took us about an hour after we went to our cousins shop and used his torch.

 

[chengny]

Use the vise-grip method. But try this:

Put a bolt in the lower left hole in the block.

With the vise-grips clamped tightly to the ring gear, rotate the flexplate/crankshaft in the CW direction until the vise-grips come up against the bolt.

Now here is the trick. Using a 6 point socket and a breaker bar, apply heavy torque in the tightening direction of each flex/crank bolt. Pull as hard as you feel comfortable with. But if you get the bolt to move; stop - you have broken it free.

After you have really cranked on each bolt in the CW direction, put a bolt in the lower right hole in the block. Now rotate the flexplate back so that the vise-grips are up against that bolt.

Now try releasing the flex/crank bolts using a 6 point socket and breaker bar.

 

[RangRayy]

Well after 6hours of fighting I finally got it. I didn't have my 1/2in impact but my 3/8s got three of the bolts free. And I was wrong again the bolts were 14mm. And I actually started to round one and the last one was rounded. What did this? Stupid 12 pt socket instead of 6 (slapped forehead). I got my extractor on it with a breaker bar and a socket over the extractor it finally gave way.


But wait....there's more....

Parts store gave me the wrong flex plate!! Oh well I'll try it again tomorrow. I'll post pics when I load them to the app.

 

[MadOgre]

Well after 6hours of fighting I finally got it. I didn't have my 1/2in impact but my 3/8s got three of the bolts free. And I was wrong again the bolts were 14mm. And I actually started to round one and the last one was rounded. What did this? Stupid 12 pt socket instead of 6 (slapped forehead). I got my extractor on it with a breaker bar and a socket over the extractor it finally gave way.


But wait....there's more....

Parts store gave me the wrong flex plate!! Oh well I'll try it again tomorrow. I'll post pics when I load them to the app.

Isnt that the way it goes