replacing cucv flex plate, any easy ways??

[67buickss]

alright id say i have to replace the flex plate and i was wondering if there were any easy way to do this?

also where is a good place to get it from, are there two different models for the truck with different number of teeth?

 

[tourdog]

flex plate

there is no easy way to do it . just doing it . but you can get one at napa about $75.00 just be sure it is the diesel one for a 6.2 . then un bolt trans from engine unbolt drive shafts then unbolt the crossmeber slide back 5-6 inchs undo bolts from flex plate put new one in . then bolt every thing back did mine alone 1-2 hours . not that bad only have to undo one end of drive shafts . good luck have fun

 

[acmunro]

The way I always did it was to get (4) longer bolts that fit the bell housing.
Remove the (4) lower bell housing bolts install your longer bolts.
Remove Torque converter cover and Starter.
Remove Torque converter to flexplate bolts.
Remove the remaining bell housing bolts.
Disconnect your transmission shift linkage and Transfer case shift linkage.
Disconnect t-case wiring and speedometer cable to prevent damage.
Remove front and rear drive shaft at the transfer case. The rear driveshaft can remain engaged with the transfer case so the fluid doesn't drain out - Just remove it at the rear axle.
Put a floor jack under the cross member - remove cross member bolts. Slide assembly back- Your longer bolts will need to be long enough to allow you to reach up and remove the flexplate to crankshaft bolts. The long bolts keep everything lined up.
Reassemble.
Don't get hurt.

 

[OLDCHEV4X4]

The way I always did it was to get (4) longer bolts that fit the bell housing.
Remove the (4) lower bell housing bolts install your longer bolts.
Remove Torque converter cover and Starter.
Remove Torque converter to flexplate bolts.
Remove the remaining bell housing bolts.
Disconnect your transmission shift linkage and Transfer case shift linkage.
Disconnect t-case wiring and speedometer cable to prevent damage.
Remove front and rear drive shaft at the transfer case. The rear driveshaft can remain engaged with the transfer case so the fluid doesn't drain out - Just remove it at the rear axle.
Put a floor jack under the cross member - remove cross member bolts. Slide assembly back- Your longer bolts will need to be long enough to allow you to reach up and remove the flexplate to crankshaft bolts. The long bolts keep everything lined up.
Reassemble.
Don't get hurt.

Thats how i do it....Except for the "Don't get hurt" part. I always get a bloody knuckle somewhere along the way.

 

[ETHOS]

be careful to make sure the convertor is seated in the front pump full before tightening things down, if not the pump rotor gets broken..........


before reassembly push in on the convertor while spinning it, you will feel it bottom out

 

[CUCVFAN]

Don't take the converter out of the trans. Step 3 in acmunro's instructions cover disconnecting the converter. No need to disengage it from the front pump.

 

[nap159]

first i would check to see if it is the correct starter...my cucv had a starter with the wrong number of teeth on the starter drive. when i brought it to compare with a new starter i found a different number of teeth and different tooth profile. i put the right starter in it and she worked great, even though the flex plate teeth had suffered a bit of damage. the difference was the wrong starter was the newer gear reduction smaller starter. the right one was a direct drive monster. hope this helps.

 

[ralbelt]

Good info on flexplate replacement I just did mine a few months ago, had it in and took it back out to double check the pump fingers. I forget what the torque specs are but are in the TM. NAPA had the flexplate about $90.00 if I remember.
I ended up using a forklift with 6' extension, put the forks under the crossmenber and slid it back and dropped it down with the front tires on blocks. I wanted to clean and paint while I had it out.

 

[ida34]

I have a good flexplate in Dexter near Ann Arbor. I would take $20 for it if you want to come get it. If you are interested let me know and I will try to locate it.

Chuck

 

[m38inmaine]

Saturn Surplus has them NOS for $25, just bought one and did the same job you are, not hard just time consuming.

 

[67buickss]

wow alright thanks guys, yea im on my 4th starter in like two months and i just adjusted my injector timing and it worked great for a few weeks then it started sounding like its grinding and its always in one spot and that spot is a little warn so i figure that is the hopefully last problem, or any other info on what may be causing this problem.

 

[acmunro]

On GM's I always tried to keep the same starter and have it rebuilt. I was having problems with it similar to yours. I replaced the flywheel had the starter rebuilt. Worked good for a while but ground the new teeth. Starter rebuilder kept saying it was not the starter. Guess what I changed to a different starter and the problems went away. It would only occasionally grind - because of the bad teeth on the flywheel. Long story short- Sometimes a good quality starter will fix the problem.

 

[67buickss]

ok well i will probly try that first since i will be getting a new one anyway, what should i get then because this one i have now is a rebuild, should i try a gear reduction?

 

[100acre]

longer bolts

The way I always did it was to get (4) longer bolts that fit the bell housing.
Remove the (4) lower bell housing bolts install your longer bolts.
Remove Torque converter cover and Starter.
Remove Torque converter to flexplate bolts.
Remove the remaining bell housing bolts.
Disconnect your transmission shift linkage and Transfer case shift linkage.
Disconnect t-case wiring and speedometer cable to prevent damage.
Remove front and rear drive shaft at the transfer case. The rear driveshaft can remain engaged with the transfer case so the fluid doesn't drain out - Just remove it at the rear axle.
Put a floor jack under the cross member - remove cross member bolts. Slide assembly back- Your longer bolts will need to be long enough to allow you to reach up and remove the flexplate to crankshaft bolts. The long bolts keep everything lined up.
Reassemble.
Don't get hurt.

How much longer shold the bolts be and can you tell me the diameter so i can get them before I start removing transmission? thanks

 

[Warthog]

How much longer shold the bolts be and can you tell me the diameter so i can get them before I start removing transmission? thanks

Depends on the block.

Most of the CUCVs use SAE bellhousing bolts. They are 3/8"

The newer GEP 6.5L engines use metric bolts. I don't have the size right now. I'll post it later.

I use a 4 1/2" to 6" x 3/8" grade 2 or 5 for the flywheel change on a stock engine.

 

[Matt1031]

If you don't have a flywheel turner, I'd recommend getting one. About $20.

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1...=f&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=flywheel+turner

 

[MuleMac01]

how do you know if one go's bad? THE FLEX PLATE THAT IS?

 

[Warthog]

When the starter works most of the time but every once in a while it just spins because of the missing teeth on the flexplate.

Or the center of the plate is broken and it makes a terible racket.

 

[tankie88]

Did mine last year.Was about 6 teeth missing all because a bolt was broken off on the starter.Took 2 of us 2.5 hours to change with a transmission jack.

 

[cpf240]

how do you know if one go's bad? THE FLEX PLATE THAT IS?

Pull the inspection plate and examine the teeth. Should also check the bolts between the flexplate and the torque converter while you are in there.