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torque converter bolts keep comming loose #1576978 02/10/14 11:08 PM 02/10/14 11:08 PM
Joined: Dec 2007 Posts: 266 iowa R rook440 OP enthusiast
rook440 OP enthusiast R Joined: Dec 2007 Posts: 266 iowa	flex plate bolts wont stay tight ...I have fought this problem for years with a 8 bolt flex plate sfi approved ,3 passes and they are beating up the back of the block ,,,they are red locktighted and tight ,Jim VanZee is now having the same problem ...one guy years ago said buy "the wheel " but I never did Jim said some guys say it isnt the flex plate its the Harmonic ballancer ,,,whose got the real answer ,,,,???

Re: torque converter bolts keep comming loose [Re: rook440] #1576979 02/10/14 11:20 PM 02/10/14 11:20 PM
Joined: Feb 2005 Posts: 20,169 PA. pittsburghracer "Little"John
pittsburghracer "Little"John Joined: Feb 2005 Posts: 20,169 PA.	If your flex plate bolts were oil-free and you used 271 (red) locktite and the bolts are coming loose that fast you have a real issue going on. 1970 Duster Edelbrock headed 408 5.984@112.52 422 Indy headed small block 5.982@112.56 mph 9.42@138.27 Livin and lovin life one day at a time

Re: torque converter bolts keep comming loose [Re: rook440] #1576980 02/10/14 11:31 PM 02/10/14 11:31 PM
Joined: May 2003 Posts: 1,751 Graham, WA P Polarapete top fuel
Polarapete top fuel P Joined: May 2003 Posts: 1,751 Graham, WA	A couple of questions come to mind...1) has the engine been balanced as an assembly? 2) what size are the bolts you are using (Hemi converters use oversized bolts probably for that very reason). Of course, you couldn't be using the large holes in the flex plate with small bolts...could you? Years ago, I fixed a bad rattle in a GM car that was traced to loose converter bolts. The young lady was very grateful 1986 Dodge Ramcharger 440 2wd, Bracket Racer Under Construction 1998 Ram 2500 QuadCab, new daily driver. 2008 Honda Element 2014 Carry-On 7x14 Cargo Trailer

Re: torque converter bolts keep comming loose [Re: rook440] #1576981 02/10/14 11:37 PM 02/10/14 11:37 PM
Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 3,300 Northern Indiana Dunnuck Racing master
Dunnuck Racing master Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 3,300 Northern Indiana	Ran into this last year after changing convertor in a customers car. The convertor fit fine on a 6 bolt crank but on an 8 bolt, the flexplate to convertor bolts hit the hub on the convertor before the bolts into the convertor were tight. Look to marks in that area of the convertor from the bolt heads. Thin spacers between the two fixed the issue but we used longer bolts to ensure enough thread engagement. Keith www.dunnuckracing.com

Re: torque converter bolts keep comming loose [Re: Dunnuck Racing] #1576982 02/10/14 11:42 PM 02/10/14 11:42 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 1,784 PA W5DART66 top fuel
W5DART66 top fuel Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 1,784 PA	What balancer is on this?

Re: torque converter bolts keep comming loose [Re: W5DART66] #1576983 02/10/14 11:56 PM 02/10/14 11:56 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 580 Livermore, CA D Dduster mopar
Dduster mopar D Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 580 Livermore, CA	If your flexplate has powdercoat, scuff off the coating with a grinder. I know, looks bad but your flexplate nuts won't loosen up. Same technique for flexplate to crankshaft hub area.

Re: torque converter bolts keep comming loose [Re: rook440] #1576984 02/11/14 01:54 AM 02/11/14 01:54 AM
Joined: Feb 2013 Posts: 76 louisiana H hemi-hunter member
hemi-hunter member H Joined: Feb 2013 Posts: 76 louisiana	harmonics, check to see if your balancer bolt is also coming loose

Re: torque converter bolts keep comming loose [Re: hemi-hunter] #1576985 02/11/14 02:13 AM 02/11/14 02:13 AM
Joined: Oct 2008 Posts: 1,176 East Coast A A/MP super stock
A/MP super stock A Joined: Oct 2008 Posts: 1,176 East Coast	If it is a SB make sure the converter is balanced for the crank used, cast internal, cast external, internal/ external flexplate. Very common mistake with the SB.

Re: torque converter bolts keep comming loose [Re: A/MP] #1576986 02/11/14 02:18 AM 02/11/14 02:18 AM
Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 2,379 MD Kevins493 top fuel
Kevins493 top fuel Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 2,379 MD	Had this exact problem. The short block on my spare motor came from one that had run on the dyno before so we just checked bearing clearances and put it together. Got to the point I was checking converter bolts on every run. Took it out and took the rotating assembly to Burtonsville performance machine and they called back and said it was 140 grams out. Had to put it back in the car this year, no issues.

Re: torque converter bolts keep comming loose [Re: rook440] #1576987 02/11/14 02:38 AM 02/11/14 02:38 AM
Joined: Mar 2013 Posts: 197 Nor-Cal L loaderpro member
loaderpro member L Joined: Mar 2013 Posts: 197 Nor-Cal	I used to fight this when I first started racing...many many moons ago. Assuming you have all the correct parts, balancer included, and a flexplate that has round holes...not oblonged. You won't like what I have to say but the number one reason they come loose is that they are NOT tight enough. I have helped countless Mopar racers at the track with this very problem! I have used the B&M 8 bolt style flexplates since their inception, before SFI, and currently. I use blue locktight and a 15" snap-on wrench, get the bolt at the bottom, set the wrench so you can push up into the engine while tightening. if done properly you should not have to hold the crank, 60-80 ft lbs and then some! 8035163-pomona.jpg (404 downloads)

Re: torque converter bolts keep comming loose [Re: loaderpro] #1576988 02/11/14 04:49 AM 02/11/14 04:49 AM
Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 1,730 Red Deer, Alberta B bill_greenwood top fuel
bill_greenwood top fuel B Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 1,730 Red Deer, Alberta	Put Teflon tape on the bolts. We used to do this on certain fasteners on lathes and mills and it was the only fix that worked on my 360.

Re: torque converter bolts keep comming loose [Re: bill_greenwood] #1576989 02/11/14 05:08 AM 02/11/14 05:08 AM
Joined: Dec 2006 Posts: 4,647 aotearoa rebel master
rebel master Joined: Dec 2006 Posts: 4,647 aotearoa	change your balancer. i had bolt loosening problem for almost a whole season til i worked out it was the balancer. we were tightening our converter bolts after every meeting til it got to the point we were checking them after every 2nd run. i had a Fluid damper from the Source. ATI balancer now, no more problems.

Re: torque converter bolts keep comming loose [Re: rebel] #1576990 02/11/14 10:09 AM 02/11/14 10:09 AM
Joined: Dec 2009 Posts: 275 brisbane,australia C coletrickle enthusiast
coletrickle enthusiast C Joined: Dec 2009 Posts: 275 brisbane,australia	On my old stroker 4inch bore hemi six initally it was tearing the flexplate apart then upgraded to a 426 hemi plate then the bolts started to come loose after every race eventulally had to weld the bolts on,i was 18 and didnt know any better.Turns out that the torque flight hemi blocks were machined with the dowel pin slightly off center and that was the cause of my bolts loosenig up every pass.Probally not your problem but thats my

Re: torque converter bolts keep comming loose [Re: rook440] #1576991 02/11/14 12:00 PM 02/11/14 12:00 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 13,360 Marion, South Carolina [><] an8sec70cuda I Live Here
an8sec70cuda I Live Here Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 13,360 Marion, South Carolina [><]	Make sure you're using a good set of converter bolts. NOT the Mopar Performance bolts. Get a set of the 12 point ARP converter bolts. Use red loctite on them. Spray the threads in the converter out w/ brake clean to make sure there's no grease or oil in them. Something out of balance will cause them to loosen...as well as detonation. CHIP '70 hemicuda, 575" Hemi, 727, Dana 60 '69 road runner, 440-6, 18 spline 4 speed, Dana 60 '71 Demon, 340, low gear 904, 8.75 '73 Chrysler New Yorker, 440, 727, 8.75 '90 Chevy 454SS Silverado, 476" BBC, TH400, 14 bolt '06 GMC 2500HD LBZ Duramax

Re: torque converter bolts keep comming loose [Re: an8sec70cuda] #1576992 02/11/14 01:26 PM 02/11/14 01:26 PM
Joined: Mar 2006 Posts: 9,833 MI, usa dvw master
dvw master Joined: Mar 2006 Posts: 9,833 MI, usa	My bolts never come loose. They have no thread locker. Why are there hundreds of cars out there W/O locktite that have no issue? If they come loose with locktite there's a real problem. The only real cause that I can think of is harmonics whether it's a balance issue, detonation, or other. Oblong holes shouldn't matter,the bolt is not driving the plate,the clamp load is what holds it tight. Doug

Re: torque converter bolts keep comming loose [Re: dvw] #1576993 02/11/14 03:16 PM 02/11/14 03:16 PM
Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 4,953 Houston, Texas TheOtherDodge master
TheOtherDodge master Joined: Feb 2003 Posts: 4,953 Houston, Texas	Had this issue and a change to a good harmonic balancer solved the issue.

Re: torque converter bolts keep comming loose [Re: TheOtherDodge] #1576994 02/11/14 09:31 PM 02/11/14 09:31 PM
Joined: Dec 2007 Posts: 266 iowa R rook440 OP enthusiast
rook440 OP enthusiast R Joined: Dec 2007 Posts: 266 iowa	I was running an ATI ballancer and Im sure Jim is running a good one too ....lots of stuff to ponder now ....thanks to everybody,,,,I will let u know what we find....

Re: torque converter bolts keep comming loose [Re: dvw] #1576995 02/12/14 01:16 AM 02/12/14 01:16 AM
Joined: Mar 2013 Posts: 197 Nor-Cal L loaderpro member
loaderpro member L Joined: Mar 2013 Posts: 197 Nor-Cal	Quote: My bolts never come loose. They have no thread locker. Why are there hundreds of cars out there W/O locktite that have no issue? If they come loose with locktite there's a real problem. The only real cause that I can think of is harmonics whether it's a balance issue, detonation, or other. Oblong holes shouldn't matter,the bolt is not driving the plate,the clamp load is what holds it tight. Doug Respect your opinion...but if oblong holes do not matter then they would come from the factory that way...

Re: torque converter bolts keep comming loose [Re: rook440] #1576996 02/12/14 02:36 AM 02/12/14 02:36 AM
Joined: Apr 2003 Posts: 799 north west LA W W2DODGE super stock
W2DODGE super stock W Joined: Apr 2003 Posts: 799 north west LA	I had the same problem turned out the shop did not balance it correct.

Re: torque converter bolts keep comming loose [Re: loaderpro] #1576997 02/12/14 07:06 AM 02/12/14 07:06 AM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 5,988 Anoka County, MN L Leigh master
Leigh master L Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 5,988 Anoka County, MN	Quote: Quote: My bolts never come loose. They have no thread locker. Why are there hundreds of cars out there W/O locktite that have no issue? If they come loose with locktite there's a real problem. The only real cause that I can think of is harmonics whether it's a balance issue, detonation, or other. Oblong holes shouldn't matter,the bolt is not driving the plate,the clamp load is what holds it tight. Doug Respect your opinion...but if oblong holes do not matter then they would come from the factory that way... Respect your opinion as well...but most factory holes are anything but perfect in size relationship to the fastener employed. And why would they spend more on an oblong shape anyway, if not needed? Factory stampings are about cost containment.

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