4 link, ORI's, narrowed D60w/only 2.5" lift, 5"+WB stretch, 2" floor lower, P/S....,

[nvrstuk]

That looks like the same flexplate I bought for this conversion, part number FP312. I wanted a billet flexplate so I didn’t have the cracking issues you were having with the PA kit. I never fit it up to my Speed Gems kit and was able to return it when I changed engines. It looks like this may not have gone as smoothly as I expected.

Who knows right??? My 4r70 flexplate with the billet converter hit with about .025" interference. This one has about .200"?? Need to mic the different thicknesses and offsets of these flexplates I have sitting here.

You have no idea when you order them what the offset is!! How come since they are all made to fit a 289, 302, 351W block with a C4/4r70/AOD that they are all different??? Thanks Ford.

What I really need to do is PACK for Moab! Get the mtrhome checked out, trlr, etc, etc... lol

 

[nvrstuk]

Meziere only has one flexplate for this application so it had to be the same

 

[Yeller]

That “other” supercharged 6.2 is nice too

 

[nvrstuk]

I know this isn't the thread for it but I'm kind of looking at a 5.3 with a blower on it so I can get 20 +plus miles a gallon around town and then still do the quarter in the low 11's.


See ya next week

 

[nvrstuk]

With your adapter and 460 issues, maybe it’s time to take the path of least resistance and install a Godzilla. They’re still comparatively cheap, but getting more expensive.

I'm about 90% sure I'm going 5.3 with a blower on Shorty. Why fight Ford? They have more $$ and don't care about customers so why not? 20MPG and 600 HP with gas over $4.20/gal (thanks to out State putting a dirty gas tax of 20% added on 1/1/23 to all gas) getting 2x the mileage when cruising appr 150miles/week seems to make sense. Sure don't want some oversized Coyote with less HP shoehorned in there. I am not a Coyote fan for what you get.

 

[hossbronco]

I can agree with you on the Coyote. It’s a great engine, but overrated for Early Broncos. I’d rather have a stroked 351.

The 5.3 is a great engine with plenty of power, and it can be pretty cost effective too. Wherever you buy from, hopefully their customer service is better.

 

[nvrstuk]

The ONE engine I've ever bought for myself was this one... flipping disaster from hell.

I sure won't order any long blocks from anybody unless physically I am unable to build one. I have built & spec'd so many engines and never had an issue like this. So whatever I do it will be used or I'll build the 5.3. The Gen 4"s rods are supposed to be strong as heck so with the Holley Terminator I could control the EFI, all facets of the blower and the 6l80 for a ton less money, easy fit in the engine compartment and I can get a magnetic silicone covered sticker that has a QR code on it so people can read about how great Ford is to their customers and why my Ford has an LS in it.

Off to Moab in less than 12 hours with a borrowed Bronco and I've been talking with Dusty Sexton about renting a Jeep so we can hit a couple trails while we are there! Least we are going so we can see all our Bronco buddy's!

 

[Yeller]

See ya in a few days

 

[nvrstuk]

Our "get-around" Bronco for the week.

 

[nvrstuk]

What a hassle.

So, why do parts manufacturers make parts that aren't the same dimensions... and then expect them to fit?
Case in point. Flexplates-
Ever notice how some have more offset than others? The Meziere billet flexplates mounting surface for the converter is .790" from the crankshaft mounting surface to where the converter bolts on to it.
The Performance Auto flexplates mounting surface for the converter is . 615" from the crankshaft mounting surface to where the converter bolts on to it.
Do the math. There is .175"( either) more or less space for the converter to slide towards or away from the flexplate when the engine and trans bellhousing are bolted together.
You should have at least .025" space between the flexplate and the converter when the converter is seated properly on the trans input shaft so it can slide towards the flexplate and then be bolted up tight.
In my case, the PA flexplate allows my converter to slide back and forth appr. .095" when trans and engine are bolted up tight. Slide the converter fwd the .095" and bolt it in place- fine.
With the Meziere billet flexplate you can't bolt the trans and engine together because the converter bottoms out against the flexplate before the trans and engine are bolted together- effectively crushing the pump if you tightened them together without paying attention to whether the TQ can rotate or not.
Both flexplates are listed for 302/351W. So why are they different?
In case you were interested- the starter ring gear which is welded in place on the Perf Auto flexplate is appr .120" closer to the block than the Meziere flexplate starter location so hopefully the starter engages properly also.
I need to mill appr .095" or so off my mounting pads on my converter so my assbly will bolt up with the proper clearances.
Lucky me.

 

[Yeller]

It’s a universal problem, it is everywhere with everything. It’s like they build parts and never verify anything. No different than buying parts that don’t work when you open the box….. or work once and fail.

 

[nvrstuk]

For sure. I'll tell ya how bad it is in this case.

Performance Auto in their drive for quality control (insert sarcasm emoji here) can't make a flexplate that has the bolt holes in the flexplate in a concentric circle AND the holes are not spaced equidistant from each other! No joke. Chuck one up in a lathe sometime (like we did) and see why you need to file and drill larger holes on their flexplates to match the bolt pattern of your torque converter. I was shocked to see that ALL THREE PA flexplates were the same.

My upgrade for these was to use Meziere and the offset/distance from the mounting surface of the crank to the mounting face for the converter to flexplate is .175" different- moving the mounting surface for the converter .175" farther back and now it can't slide on the input shaft. WTH??? Does it never end? lol

I called 2 weeks ago and talked to a Meziere tech and he looked up the specs on their flexplate and it's been the same for over 10 yrs. I was just checking to see where one of my variables was coming from.

 

[nvrstuk]

Adapters- I'm going to have .150" milled off the pads on my converter so I will have appr. .090" of "gap" or room for the converter to slide fwd/back when the bellhousing and block are joined with the adapter in place. Will allow exactly 1/2" of the snout to ride in the crank.


BIG NEWS OF THE DAY is :

I sent my block off to get finishe honed!!! Yeah!!! 7 1/2 months of emails and a few weeks of phone calls before that. Pistons arrived last week.

 

[Speedrdr]

Awesome news, for once! Ready to see you post a clip of it RUNNING.

R

 

[nvrstuk]

Awesome news, for once! Ready to see you post a clip of it RUNNING.

R

Thanks!!

Maybe not quite as ready as me being able to hear it running!!! : )

Now my next debacle is I ordered a custom cam from Ed but he is MONTHS behind in filling cam builds... literally, months! dang

I don't think I can wait for my cam to be built if it doesn't get here soon after waiting for 7 1/2months to just get the blankety-blank parts for my engine!! I might stuff my old cam in it and run it till I get the new one.... NOT looking forward to doing that at all. Once it's in I want to LEAVE IT THERE for a long time.

 

[hossbronco]

I just heard in The Broncast podcast tonight that Tom’s is working on a SBF/6R80 adapter. I’m curious to see what they end up with. I thought you’d be interested, if you didn’t already know.

 

[nvrstuk]

Thanks, I know about the adapter. Talked with Matt in Moab. What is this "Bronco Podcast"?

 

[hossbronco]

It’s a podcast hosted by Jon Melton (Nashville Early Bronco) and Donnie Whiteman, available on multiple platforms. It’s mostly useless banter about all generations of Broncos, but I do pick up a useful nugget every now and then, and frankly, I’m so obsessed with Broncos that they could make an episode about 6th Gen cup holders and I’d probably listen.

 

[ntsqd]

6th's have cup holders!?!?
WTH is up with that?!
World's going to hell in a hand-basket, I tell you. Next you'll tell me that they have a built-in GPS too. mutter, mutter, mutter.........

 

[nvrstuk]

6th's have cup holders!?!?
WTH is up with that?!
World's going to hell in a hand-basket, I tell you. Next you'll tell me that they have a built-in GPS too. mutter, mutter, mutter.........

No cupholders in the back seat so you'll have to fork over $65K for a new "Bronco" TS!!

lol