I’m taking educated guesses.

i strapped the flexplate when i torqued the bolts
Do you think i warped it?



I’m going to remove the flexplate this weekend and verify it’s straight but I figured I’d ask you guys what you think?

Im kicking myself for not using the proper tool. if I have to buy a new one I will but its would be an expensive mistake… I’m picturing Nelson from the Simpson pointing and laughing at me.

 

Highly doubt it, but you can do a run out on it to confirm if its bothering you that much

 

Thanks for the response.

I didn’t think much of it until my buddy saw the method and mentioned it’s probably bent. I was 99% sure it was fine until a nights sleep. Woke back up and lost all confidence. Lol


im sure it’s fine. I’ll put the muscle in this Saturday and find out for sure.


thanks again

 

If you didt use anymoe than your arms and torque wrench to tighten the bolts, I FIND IT very unlikley you warped or bent the flexplate this way.

 

once bolted to the big chunk of iron that is the torque converter, it will straighten out.

 

BEWARE OF THIS ANSWER!!!! In my days under the vehicles I had some of these..... The engine had a "shake" more than any others. Chev 5.7L B-body and Y-car. Unbolted the converter cover then the converter bolts. Started up LOOK at the flywheel, it was BENT 1/2 inch. Shake / vibration (First Order Engine disturbance) not there. Thought to myself, could I bend this back and save replacing the flywheel? YES YOU CAN. I used the starter NOSE to guage where the flywheel runs in relation to the bendix gear. Rotate and straighten. Using dial indicator on the three converter mounting pads I set it up and bent the flywheel within 0.004". Reinstalled all parts, First Order Engine shake / disturbance corrected by a REED Tachometer for instrumentation.

 

Definitely a sketchy way to do that job, LOL.

However, there's really isn't a significant eccentricity on where you hooked up that ratchet strap to generate any big force compared to holding the flexplate on the gear teeth (it may actually be the same), certainly nothing to yield that piece of steel. Remember it is steel (very strong) and has substantial cross sections in thickness and the 74 lb-ft or whatever is not really that much.

"probably bent" is an exaggeration, in my opinion. Check the run-out if you want, but beware that there WILL be run-out on a normal flexplate. It most likely won't be 0.000", if you know what I mean. May be good idea to call the manufacturer and ask what that number is, before measuring stuff and going down a rabbit hole...

Edit: The force reaction of the gear teeth and the middle of the holes where you hooked the ratchet strap ARE THE SAME location relative to the flexplate mounting flange holes, which means the flexplate didn't undergo any stress any higher or lower than normally. Basically that the possibility of you "warping" that flexplate is realistically ZERO.