Quote: Just made an interesting discovery for the low budget 5.7/904 guys...
with the stock 5.7 flex plate you can use a jeep converter in your 904 or it looks like you could just knock the ring gear off you regular old 904 converter and use the 5.7 flex plate.
The flex plate I have is for an 04 durango 5.7 and has the same converter bolt bolt pattern and ring gear diameter and looks like it holds it within a fraction of an inch of the same position off the trans mating surface of the block.
Good news but i would check the trans to engine centreline.Had a external BM flex plate on my 360, and it cracked. Couldn't figure out why until I checked it. IMO if it is off, it stresses the flex plate
No. Don't do that, all it does is create more problems.
-1996 and later V8 flexplates have a symmetrical converter bolt pattern. 1995 and earlier 904s have one offset lug. If you aren't afraid to do it, get out the rat tail file and slot one hole. No way would I ever do that or recommend it.
-If you knock the ring gear off the converter, you will then have to make a spacer to space the starter further forward to make the starter gear engage with the flexplate ring gear. Who knows if that is even feasible, starter could crash with something else.
If I really had to make that setup work, I would prefer to knock the ring gear off the flexplate instead of the converter, and then cut the welds on the offset converter lug + relocate that converter lug so that it lines up with the flexplate. Either that, or have the converter built to that spec (symmetrical bolt pattern/zero balance).
Even better? Get the right flexplate and bolt it together.
