FlexPlate or Starter Issue

[jeepsr4ever]

67-79 used the th400 and 80-91 used the tf727 but the Chrysler tranny needs to have a manual valve body to be made race ready. Like I said before you can swap the main shaft they are the same on the end just different on the bellhousing area and use the common flexplates.

[arhame]

Ok, this problem has come back and bit me in the arse again.

I thought I was on the right path with this. I finally got the jeep out of the garage for the first time after 4 years 9 months. Well, with me starting the jeep and working some kinks out around the neighborhood (if you've watched the video you know my neighbors hate me), The starter and flexplate are toast. One thing I've noticed though, finally, it seems like the flexplate is warped. Well, the flexplate is supposed to do just that, flex.

So, I'm thinking now, that something might be going on with the torque converter, i.e. when I bolt the flexplate to it, it pulls the flexplate into an awkward position.

I'm going to pull the entire thing back out here in the next few days. I've ordered a remanufacturerd torque converter and another flexplate to see how this works. I've also ordered two new drive gears from PowerMaster for the starter (I want a spare after all this crap).

Anyone else heard of a torque converter causing anything similar to this?

Thanks for any information AND man, it's getting close to being done.

Aubrey

[GoCommando]

a little follow-up on my ordeal.......

we ended up using exactly what we had, and yes, no flexplate available for our swap. even the one we had ordered from alabama was not actually available, order cancelled. so we got to the mic's and made some adapter parts. here's an FYI on what you might need if you are in our shoes ----'78 wagoneer 360 going in a '73 commando with a TH400 with originally a 304 with factory thick adaper plate.
we used the waggy 360 flywheel with spacers .900" thick on each of the flywheel to torque/converter mounts, we made bolts to fit from 1 3/4" 3/8"x16 bolts to a length of 1 5/8". as a precaution (although we've talked to a few short track guys who say we didn't need it), we made an adapter to carry the nose of the torque converter into the ass of the crank. the rough dimensions on it are this:
female end which goes onto the torque converter: 1.700" I.D., 1/2" deep. stepped down to 1" diameter on the male end with an overall length of 1.5". the male 1" goes .600" up the lenght of the adapter. leaving about .400" to be whatever thickness you desire less than the I.D. of the first wall on the inside of the crank which is greater than 1.700". (apperantly from the factory there is a bit of play between the crank ass and torque nose.
maybe overkill, and maybe a hair walk in it with these specs, but we're racing short distance and we all think it'll work fine. we've done some hard testing on it for about a week and so far so good. buisness as usual.
just wanted to pass this adapter info along to all those out there in a similar boat. -And if you can give Singleton Software Solutions CrunkWerks Division a shout for the conversion adapter info, many thanks.

[arhame]

Howdy everyone,

Well, after about a billion different things have been going through our heads trying to resolve this matter, I talked to the machineshop that did the motor, and he decided to call the nice people over at bulltear.

Well, I spoke to Mr. Bulltear, and decided to try one of his IMI starters vs. the Powermaster that I had purchased.

The starter arrived today, I clocked it to where it fit between the block and the edelbrock headers, wired everything back up, and tada, MUSIC. It starts perfectly and VERY quiet compared to before.

The powermaster starter came with a 9 tooth pinion whereas the IMI starter came with an 11 tooth.

Oh well, now back to trying to finish this thing.

My exhaust cutouts and hushpower muffler arrived and if I can get this tranfercase stabbed back in, and everything else bolted up, I'm going to try and get the exhaust done tomorrow.

wooo.

Thanks again bulltear.

[jeepsr4ever]

You are most welcome and I am glad I could help! Good luck and have some great fun with that project. Cant wait to see if you have any hairs left on the top of your head

[AMX69PHATTY]

May I ask, was it a PowerMaster "XS" #9515 starter for AMC's ?

[arhame]

It is the Ultra Torque version, not the XS version.

[arhame]

I had the exhaust installed on the Jeep on Friday. Drove it around town most of the day. Found a few bugs that I need to work out.

On Saturday, I put almost 75 miles on the jeep, getting it on the highway and around town.

On Sunday, the jeep begain making a banging noise under accelleration. After digging around, I found that the torque converter bolts were slapping against the plate in between the block and the edge of the starter.

I went this morning, and purchased thinner flex-plate to torque converter bolts. The issue has gotten worse.

Now, while troubleshooting the initial starter flex-plate issue, I purchased another torque converter from our local NAPA. What struck me as wierd, was that the torque converter bolts were metric.

So, this got me thinking, I wonder if the torque converter is the wrong one. Perphaps when I'm bolting it to the flex-plate, it's being pulled out of the pump housing, and while running, it's out of balance now and slap against the block plate and starter.

Any ideas? I've contacted NAPA, and they are hunting down my old torque converter that I turned in as a core on Friday.

Blah

Aubrey

[jeepsr4ever]

Aubrey they shouldnt be metric they should be a smaller thread. GM used a smaller thread for the common vehicles that used th400's and a larger thread for AMC. You will need to make sure your bolts are tight on that flexplate. Also depending on the bolt head yes they can rub. You almost there!!