Mopar Muscle Association UK

Here's a question for ya.....

Are the flex plate bolts on a smaller diameter converter (eg 3000rpm) on a smaller pcd than on a standard converter?

Reason for asking is, we noticed our dust shield has some witness marks on the inside face, inline with the flex plate bolts (see pic below, 'A').

It made us wonder whether the pressed shape of the shield is made so that the bolts normally rotate on a diameter that is in line with the pressed groove ('B')?

I know Kev did a poll a while ago about whether or not to use a dust shield but I couldnt find it on here to see what was said.

Any suggestions apart from just 'bin it'?

If it's worth trying to keep it, I was thinking we could flatten the area marked 'C' so that it is level with the 'groove' 'B' and provides some clearance for the rotating bolts. We could trim off the top area 'D' so that it doesnt foul with the engine sump when bolted back on.

Anyone?

Rob,just make another plate out of ali,flat though.

Ive got the same plate as you,but no probs on a 10" convertor,maybe change the bolts.

Seems a bit to close to the block

Hmmm. running with out a dust shield can aid cooling but you are leaving the ring gear exposed & may be get damaged by stones getting lodged in there . plus what happens when it rains . if it were me i think i would Bananarama! flat were it is making contact .

Adam68 wrote:Rob,just make another plate out of ali,flat though.

Ive got the same plate as you,but no probs on a 10" convertor,maybe change the bolts.

Seems a bit to close to the block

never though of that Adam make a custom plate good idea

Thanks for the quick replies, fellow night owls

If a new one were made it would have to have the area where the bolts rotate pressed out like on the existing one cos being flat is whats causing it to make contact now. Kinda hard to explain, but you have to picture it from the side

Dunno why the bolts are so close to the back of the block, but there looks to be only a couple of millimetres clearance between the end of the bolt head (already a low head bolt, about 4-5mm high) and the base of the block. And this couple of mm is taken up by the dust shield.

Maybe our converter isnt sitting far enough into the bellhousing?

Seems like we look to fix one problem then find another three....

Rob,the flex plate bolts can only be tightned through the flex plate to converter.you either have to deep a bolt,or the convertor is not sitting back all the way,or wrong converter.

There is a measurement between front of converter to block?

If you were to fabricate another plate (flat),I can see no rubbing issues,as it's rubbing on the "dish" of the plate & not the "front" @ the mo.

Rob,the flex plate bolts can only be tightned through the flex plate to converter.you either have to deep a bolt,or the convertor is not sitting back all the way,or wrong converter.

There is a measurement between front of converter to block?

If you were to fabricate another plate (flat),I can see no rubbing issues,as it's rubbing on the "dish" of the plate & not the "front" @ the mo.Also the new plate would sit proud of the bell housing.

puters playin up.

I heard you the first time

Maybe the pic's not very clear but the scratches are on a surface of the shield that's level with the surface that mounts on the bellhousing. Dont forget the pic is showing the inside face, as if you were looking from the converter towards the engine.
The area I marked with a centreline & a 'B' is the recess (dish) that is pressed out further away from the bolts, and would clear the bolts if they were rotating on that diameter. But they're not, so I was suggesting to press the area in line with the scratches out so it is level with the existing 'dish'.

You may be right about the converter not sitting far enough back, will have to ask Blue about that
Converter should be the right one as it came from Cope Racing Transmissions - the owner of which races a MaxWedge 63. I'd like to think he knew which part to suply, although it did fall apart after a few hundred miles

Rob,it's rubbing @ point "A",not point "B",point "B" is were the flat plate would sit,no problem with rubbing then.

Your "new" plate would not protrude "into" the bell housing,you would effectively cut the top off the existing plate,then make the template

I'm saying area 'A' needs to be pressed out to be level with 'B' so the bolts dont rub.

I'm off to bed now, before I get a headache

We'll continue this tomorrow (ok, later today)

Nitey Nite

Rob,if you were to fab a new flat plate,it would be level with mark "B" All OK then

Don't forget to take the Anadin & watch the bed bugs don't bite

Right, yes there are 2 converter bolt PCD's the mopar use, the higher stall units use the smaller one. The cover plate is dished out to clear the bolts, if you make one that is completely flat to the bellhousing it will almost certainly foul the bolt heads. Yes the bolts are very close to the back of the block, this is normal. Some are closer than others, manufacturing tolerances and all that. Easiest solution is to bin the cover and let the converter breathe, you are doing it a favour by letting in some cool air. If you are worried about it ingesting rocks, furry rodents or anything else that might decide by some quirk of fate to leap in there, then cut out the whole centre of the cover leaving just the edges to mount it by and fit mesh across it from the outside, best of both worlds. I have never used a cover and neither have any of the other local racers and I have never heard of any problems because of it.

Thanks Blue

Concise & informative as usual