I have a 2002 Z-28 and I just put Yank 3200 converter in. I was searching the boards here about what type of locktite to use and I cam across a whole mess of posting about cracked fleplates that have me paranoid now. I checked my flexplate thoroughly (2002 is supposed to be a weak year) and I found these two spots.

The flexplate sounds normal when tapped with a hammer and there were no ticking sounds before I pulled the trans to put the converter in.

If the flexplate is indeed cracked, I will put in a TCI or other SFI plate, but I hate to do this if it is not cracked. The car is a weekend cruiser, has 60k miles on it and does not see track time.

Thanks for all help.

 

I dont see anything that looks like a crack

 

whew.

Thanks for the quick response! Good to hear reassurance from a trusted source.

 

Yes most times with a cracked plate you will see the cracks araound the center or at the converter bolt holes,

 

There will usually be no mistaking the flexplate being cracked.

Run it dude!

g

 

yep.. mine was cracked all the way down to where the teeth are.

 

yep it looks like a crack,

or

yep, when they crack, they crack extends all the way down to the teeth?

 

Rub some Dye on it. If the crack gets really contrasted then yep you have a crack. From the picutre I would not even chance it. New flex plates are cheaper then rebuilding a trans or converter.

 

Why chance it? If you do any type of hard driving---crack or not--- I'd replace it. One less thing to be concerned about later on down the road.

And Yes to me it looks like a crack...

 

I strongly doubt the flywheel in the photo is cracked.

If you'll take a prybar and place it against the plate and then pry against it on one side of the "crack" then it would easily flex and make a noise if it was cracked.

Let us know what happens.

In the last 2 years I have removed 2 broken LSx Flexplates, so few of them that I do not stock them. We R&R LSx trannies many times each week. They are not as brittle as some would think.

g

 

yep and mine was one of them haha

it was really obvious, cracked on the ring gear near the converter bolt holes.

 

It does not seem to flex much at all. Upon tapping it with a hammer, there is no "vrrringggg" that an obvious cracked plate would make.

I'll put it back together and see what happens.

Thanks for all the replies!

 

cant tell from the photo's but position it so you can see the converter bolt holes this is where mine cracked @ all three of them!...Ended up destroying my transmission pump rotor durring a street race

 

Ouch, now i would say those are cracks!

Did you know immediately when this occured? Or did you drive around with it for awhile? any strange noises?

 

yeah looks like a crack to me too. i wouldn't chance it, man.

 

No noises at all. No symtpoms at all either.

Car is daily driven with 65k on her. I noticed the marks when I was changing the converter.

I already have it put back together. Once I get finished changing the cam, I will let you guys know how I make out.

 

I dont think I knew immediately when it cracked I knew when the pump rotor came apart durring a street race Lol. Lost all gears The only wierd noises I remember was it sounded a little chattery on startup when the starter was enguaged... I first heard it shortly after the stall converter install and thought the noise was caused by the smaller dia. stall, after puting the new flexplate in it sounded much better and no more startup noise so it must have been the cracked plate causing it...