broke another flexplate

[TDGKORN]

This is the second flexplate in a year that has broken on me.

I have talked to everyone I can and everyone has a different opinion on it.

subaru tech: The bushing that supports the torque convter is wore.
Problem is you can't buy just the bushing, you have to buy the whole transfer case.

Tanny tech: Says the subaru guy is a moron, and that the flexplate isn't sitting flush with the crank.

Me: have no f'ing idea what is causeing it. But am sick of paying $60+ dollars and a weekend droping the tranny twice a year.

On a good note this was causing the wierd noise i've been hearing for a few weeks and not engine internals.

here is some pics of the last one. the most recent one is even worse.

Anybody else have any ideas?

Thanks
Troy


P.S. both the subaru and tranny tech have never seen a subaru break a flexplate let alone 2. I guess I'm special.

[Legacy777]

Yeah I would say you are pretty special. I've never heard or seen it happen.

It looks like the plate is just shearing right off where the crank is bolted to it...right?

Do you see any deformity in the flex plate....is it bowed in or out at all?

What are you torquing the bolts to?

[TDGKORN]

it is sheering right where the backing plate is bolted to it.

I'm torqueing everything to haynes specs (I don't remember exactly what). What is the fsm specs?

As far as I can tell there is no deformity, but I'll take a closer look tonight.

[Legacy777]

Hmm....that's very weird for sure

[dzx]

I've got a flexplate you can just have if you come get it.

[petridish38]

Check to make sure that the alignment pins that go between the tranny and the engine aren't missing.

Andrew

[Kelly]

Get a new one. Weld a doughnut on the backside. Those things are so thin, and not the greatest quality steel to begin with.

[TDGKORN]

I got the tranny reinstalled yesterday.

Man, I'm getting really good at droping and installing 4eat trannies. from tranny on the floor to car running it only took about 5 hours by my self (except to fit the tranny).

hopfully this will be the last time I have to drop it.

troy

[petridish38]

Did you
l
l
V

Check to make sure that the alignment pins that go between the tranny and the engine aren't missing.

?

Andrew

[TDGKORN]

They were there but pushed out.

I punched them back in when the tranny was bolted up.

have you had problems with these also?

[206er]

what about doubling up 2 flexplates?
you can have mine if you want it

[sammydafish]

what about crank shaft end play?

[petridish38]

have you had problems with these also?

My brother had a broken flexplate on his SVX last year sometime... While he was fixing it, he read on some forum (forget which one now) that a common reason for broken flexplates on the SVX was missing guide pins. They are probably missing on many SVXs due to the high number of tranny failures and crappy mechanics fixing them and forgetting to put the pins back in.

While fixing his flexplate, my brother found that he had no guide pins, so he stole some from an EJ18 we had laying around the garage and hasn't had any flexplate problems yet.... If your pins are properly in place though, that kinda eliminates them as causing a problem Damn!

Andrew