Broke Another Flex Plate Today !!

Posted By: sg66mopar

Broke Another Flex Plate Today !! - 07/18/10 12:17 AM

Two weeks ago at the Division 6 points race at Woodburn Dragstrip we had the valley plate seal go away in the semis, cooked the trans fluid and had most of the pan bolts back out so the engine and trans both were puking oil.

Well, we made it to the semis so it wasn't all bad.

So for the last few days I've been working on the whole program to get ready for the Mopar Nationals at Woodburn Dragstrip and the Division race that's coming up in Spokane.

Pulled the trans pan and checked things out in there. Put in a new gasket and changed out some bolts I didn't like.

Pulled the oil pan, put in a different style gasket and Permatex Ultra Grey on all the pan bolts.

Pulled the new MSD Pro Billet distributor, took it apart and locked the timing.

Installed a stop collar on the distributor to make the timing more stable.

Looked like I might have had all the little problems fixed for now so I hooked up the trailer, got the camper all loaded with food etc. All ready to go to the track tonight and be ready for the Mopar race tomorrow.

WRONG!!! Got in the car, cranked the engine a few revolutions (dead cold), pumped the gas 1 time then hit the ignition switch. 1 big sneeze and CLUNK!!! Took a tooth off the third flex plate this year. I think my racing career is close to being over.

The joke this year (no joke to me) is that the car will come home broken from every race. Well, this time it didn't even get to the track!!

Posted By: Al_Alguire

Re: Broke Another Flex Plate Today !! - 07/18/10 12:23 AM

Sorry to hear about the troubles..Dont get to down it can be worse. I am waiting on a cam to replace the one that lost its heat treat. Just another in a long line of freak failures I have had the last few years. I also broke a cam a coupl eof years ago, same core manufacturer

Posted By: CompWedgeEngines

Re: Broke Another Flex Plate Today !! - 07/18/10 12:50 AM

Locking out the distributor did that.

Posted By: sg66mopar

Re: Broke Another Flex Plate Today !! - 07/18/10 01:17 AM

Al, it looks like I'm now an official member (along with Wild Bill) of the BOO-HOO Club.

I don't think Bill has a Harley but I'm thinkin' he needs one. I remember you talking about your trip north after your car broke. My wife and I just came back from a 1600 mile trip north to Montana on ours and now it looks like it'll get some more miles this summer.

Gotta have somethin' to keep me occupied.

Looks like I'll be sending off 3 flex plates to JW on Monday to get new ring gears.

Posted By: HEMIFRED

Re: Broke Another Flex Plate Today !! - 07/18/10 01:24 AM

Quote:

Locking out the distributor did that.

IS IT LOCKED OUT FOR SURE ?? OR MAYBE IT'S LOOSE DON'T ASK ME HOW I KNOW

Posted By: CHAPPER

Re: Broke Another Flex Plate Today !! - 07/18/10 01:53 AM

This may sound dumb, BUT,, have yor battery LOAD tested!!! I have had problems before, similar to yours, and the BATTERY was JUNK!!!,,,NEW,,but, JUNK!! Under a load at full charge, it would go to 6-7 volts causing starter to pulse.

Posted By: sg66mopar

Re: Broke Another Flex Plate Today !! - 07/18/10 01:59 AM

The timing's locked out right now but I guarantee it won't be the next time I fire the motor!! $220 every time one of these things breaks is getting old.

I could've rode my Harley all the way back to Bill's place and home again for half what I've spent on flex plates this year.

Posted By: HEMIFRED

Re: Broke Another Flex Plate Today !! - 07/18/10 02:04 AM

Quote:

The timing's locked out right now but I guarantee it won't be the next time I fire the motor!! $220 every time one of these things breaks is getting old.

I could've rode my Harley all the way back to Bill's place and home again for half what I've spent on flex plates this year.

I have killed starters and ring gears when not locked . none when locked

Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Broke Another Flex Plate Today !! - 07/18/10 02:12 AM

727 or a glide

Posted By: sg66mopar

Re: Broke Another Flex Plate Today !! - 07/18/10 02:13 AM

Quote:

This may sound dumb, BUT,, have yor battery LOAD tested!!! I have had problems before, similar to yours, and the BATTERY was JUNK!!!,,,NEW,,but, JUNK!! Under a load at full charge, it would go to 6-7 volts causing starter to pulse.

Already done that. The first flex plate I broke this year was probably caused by bad batteries. Been fighting this problem all this year so I just put in two new group 31 batteries last month with 1195 cranking amps each, along with a new Powermaster Ultra Torque starter. Checked the voltage at the starter while cranking and it never went below 11.5 volts.

The flex plate I have to use is only 130 teeth and the motor has a bunch of cylinder pressure so it just ain't gonna crank at 30 degrees.

Posted By: sg66mopar

Re: Broke Another Flex Plate Today !! - 07/18/10 02:15 AM

Glide with a TCI adapter plate and a JW performance adapter flex plate.

Posted By: StripeHOG

Re: Broke Another Flex Plate Today !! - 07/18/10 02:17 AM

are you rolling the motor over and then hitting the ignition????

Posted By: Al_Alguire

Re: Broke Another Flex Plate Today !! - 07/18/10 02:21 AM

I run a Glide, TCI adapter and a TCI flexplate. Powermaster starter and a single 900CCA battery, timing is locked at 34 degrees with a crank triger. Never an issue for me. I use to have an issue with my JW flexplate hanging up the starter. After fiddle farting around with it for awhile I bought a TCI flexplate...

As for the Harley, heck yeah we enjoy it whenever the chance arises. However we have other car habits as well. Just got the back up Super Streeter running again today. Now to decide if I want to make it out for the Divisional this next weekend in a Chevy

Posted By: sg66mopar

Re: Broke Another Flex Plate Today !! - 07/18/10 02:24 AM

Yeah, I learned my lesson on that after the first broken flex plate. I have a high speed starter that cranks the motor REALLY fast and I let it spin probably ten time before I touch the ignition switch so all the vaporized air-fuel gets sucked out. Then I pump the gas once and hit the ignition at the same time.

I put in the new MSD distributor a few weeks back and set it up at about 18 degrees when cranking, then 31-32 total. It worked great like that but last week I decided to lock it out to stabilize the timing. I set the timing at 30 and thought it was gonna work but no such luck!

Posted By: HEMIFRED

Re: Broke Another Flex Plate Today !! - 07/18/10 02:25 AM

i run 15-1 in my hemi glide and stock starter w notched chevy case. full locked
zero problems.. is then starter spaced from the flywheel correctly ?

Posted By: sg66mopar

Re: Broke Another Flex Plate Today !! - 07/18/10 02:31 AM

Pretty sure the starter clearance is correct. I set it just the way Powermaster recommended. Put a .030 diameter rod (paper clip

) in at the root and it just slips in.

Posted By: sg66mopar

Re: Broke Another Flex Plate Today !! - 07/18/10 02:36 AM

Al, does yours ever "sneeze"? That's what's killin' mine when the timing is locked. As long as I run the advance mechanism in the distributor it never sneezes and I don't have a problem.

Posted By: HEMIFRED

Re: Broke Another Flex Plate Today !! - 07/18/10 02:38 AM

i heard there are some issues with those starters using the case without a nose . they have a different pitch to the gears or something is different from factory ones. i had a 400.00 CSR platinum series that i threw in the junk box when it killed the second ring gear.

the chevy 12 pitch is not the same as mopar

powermaster

Quote:

9527-Adjustable Hemi

10T, 12 pitch Chevy pinion
Five clocking positions
1.8kw-200 ft. lbs.
Weighs 10 lbs.

Posted By: Chris'sBarracuda

Re: Broke Another Flex Plate Today !! - 07/18/10 05:57 AM

Dick..

Call Olan @ Reactor.. (310) 323-0065

Get an extra ring gear.. They bolt in.

P/N: 130EI6H (130 Tooth - 6 Hole)
P/N : 130EI8H (130 Tooth - 8 Hole)

Used these forever. Great product. Aluminum Re-SFI too.

Chris..

Attached picture 6091663-IMG_2873(Large).JPG

Posted By: supercomp

Re: Broke Another Flex Plate Today !! - 07/18/10 01:03 PM

If your letting it turn over 10 times before giving it just one swig of fuel it's probably a lean sneeze.

Posted By: bonefish

Re: Broke Another Flex Plate Today !! - 07/18/10 01:46 PM

use 2 16 vlt batts.everything will work better and no more kick backs or luggin down.

Posted By: Dodgem

Re: Broke Another Flex Plate Today !! - 07/18/10 02:04 PM

With locked out timing MSD says you should phase the distributor especially with a start retard as the jump to other cylinders. adjustable rotor 84211

http://www.msdignition.com/instructions/...s=rotor+phasing

http://www.msdignition.com/instructions/Products/Distributors/84211.pdf?terms=84211

Posted By: DennisJ

Re: Broke Another Flex Plate Today !! - 07/18/10 03:44 PM

Dick:

Sorry to hear about your many problems this year.

I have always felt that the only time you should lock out your dizzy, is if you are running a crank trigger.

I just spin the engine over and hit the ignition.

Dennis Jokela

PS I see the rain has stopped for a while in Portland.

Posted By: Al_Alguire

Re: Broke Another Flex Plate Today !! - 07/18/10 04:22 PM

Mine has never sneezed or had kickback. I crankit for about 10 seconds or so before I ever switch the ignition on.

I have had that issue on my other car though but it is still started with an stock ignition key/switch so the ignition system is on when the starter is cranking.

Posted By: sg66mopar

Re: Broke Another Flex Plate Today !! - 07/18/10 05:20 PM

My whole problem seems to stem from the kickback. As long as I run the mechanical advance in the distributor it doesn't kick back. When I try to lock out the advance I have the problem.

The distributor is new and I've checked rotor phasing. I'm real sure I don't have any spark scatter or cross firing on the plug wires. I only had 30 degrees in the distributor yesterday when it sneezed. The motor was dead cold so no volitile fuel/air in the intake system.

I did my normal procedure for starting when it's cold. About 1/2 pump on the throttle, crank the motor a few revolutions, hit the ignition switch and just a little throttle at the same time. It sneezed as soon as I hit the ignition.

Posted By: HEMIFRED

Re: Broke Another Flex Plate Today !! - 07/18/10 05:46 PM

in my hemi it's more likely to kick back when there's not enough timing.