New Crate Flex Plate Ring

[jeremywatco]

Purchased a 302 ATK fully dressed crate engine. They said its a mid-80's era engine. Anyways.. it was a complete fully dressed engine, included dizzy, carb, flexplate, etc etc etc...

Anyways, my old stock 302 didn't use a flexplate reinforcement ring... the new one didnt come with one either.... before I reinstall and mount my C4 up to it, should I be installing one of those rings or just leave it as is? I left a message for ATK as well.

 

[DirtDonk]

Did you also count the teeth? Making sure it’s a 164 tooth model, rather than a 157?
If your old one didn’t have a reinforcement ring, and the new one didn’t come with it (and was supposedly already bolted to the engine?) then why do you think you need one? Not all applications utilize them.
Pretty sure many (most?) Ford models don’t use them. I’ve seen them and used them before, but I don’t think they were on FORD’s. Been a long time though.

Seems like we just had this discussion in another thread a month or two ago. Don’t remember what the results of that thread were though.

 

[jeremywatco]

Thanks Paul,

In she goes! Yes its a 164 tooth. Going to drop that sucker in now.

 

[Broncobowsher]

The ATK probably uses an aftermarket flexplate that does not call for the ring. If that is how they sent the engine to you, run it that way.