BBC Flex plate / starter clearance

B1Ken · 01-12-2018, 02:56 PM

I'm basically a Mopar guy, so please excuse my ignorance here. I have a BBC, Dart block S/G engine. Originally I installed a Jeg's flex plate, with a Tilton starter which works fine. I then purchased a new flex plate from Jeg's using the same part number. The problem is the original plate was completely flat but the new plate is recessed at the crank flange. This moved the ring gear about .160" forward into the starter gear. Basically NFG! I've asked a bunch of people about this and all I get is a shoulder shrug. I've looked in plenty of catalogs to find the right combo with no results. Question is do I really have to shim the starter forward by .160" ?

Keith 944 · 01-12-2018, 03:29 PM

I have to shim my flexplate due to the 8th inch mid plate I’m not sure if that’s what you’re talking about perhaps you have the flexplate on backwards don’t laugh I did it by mistake one time

B1Ken · 01-12-2018, 08:29 PM

Thanks for the reply, Keith. Not nice to pick on an old man like that, though. I can't really put the plate on backwards. I don't have a motor plate but that wouldn't change the position of the starter anyway. The problem is that with the new flex plate the ring gear is too far forward. It hits into the starter gear by about an 1/8 of an inch. My old flex plate worked fine.

pmrphil · 01-12-2018, 09:05 PM

Anybody around you that can loan you another flexplate? Always the possibility it was made/boxed wrong.

B1Ken · 01-12-2018, 09:19 PM

Perhaps the part IS defective. I'm going to take it to a local speed shop and compare it to what they have. Thanks for the thought.
Ken B.

Tom Goldman · 01-13-2018, 10:28 AM

Ken , a lot of the conventional stamped type flexplates all come from the same source ,China. ...We all know what to expect from them as far as quality control.
I stopped running them in favor of a Meziere billet piece. which while very pricy ,it is the only wheel I've ever been able to run thru it's SFI life and have recertified TWICE .
There are shims made to space the flexplate back from the crank flange due to variances in flange thickness.
They are available from TCI and Competition Engineering and a few others.

01-12-2018, 02:56 PM	#1
B1Ken Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 13 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	BBC Flex plate / starter clearance I'm basically a Mopar guy, so please excuse my ignorance here. I have a BBC, Dart block S/G engine. Originally I installed a Jeg's flex plate, with a Tilton starter which works fine. I then purchased a new flex plate from Jeg's using the same part number. The problem is the original plate was completely flat but the new plate is recessed at the crank flange. This moved the ring gear about .160" forward into the starter gear. Basically NFG! I've asked a bunch of people about this and all I get is a shoulder shrug. I've looked in plenty of catalogs to find the right combo with no results. Question is do I really have to shim the starter forward by .160" ?

01-12-2018, 03:29 PM	#2
Keith 944 VIP Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Dela-where? Posts: 2,193 Likes: 1,160 Liked 1,877 Times in 577 Posts	Re: BBC Flex plate / starter clearance I have to shim my flexplate due to the 8th inch mid plate I’m not sure if that’s what you’re talking about perhaps you have the flexplate on backwards don’t laugh I did it by mistake one time __________________ KEITH MAYERS 2-1/2 X somebody Still many X nobody

01-12-2018, 08:29 PM	#3
B1Ken Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 13 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: BBC Flex plate / starter clearance Thanks for the reply, Keith. Not nice to pick on an old man like that, though. I can't really put the plate on backwards. I don't have a motor plate but that wouldn't change the position of the starter anyway. The problem is that with the new flex plate the ring gear is too far forward. It hits into the starter gear by about an 1/8 of an inch. My old flex plate worked fine.

01-12-2018, 09:05 PM	#4
pmrphil Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: CT Posts: 457 Likes: 1,798 Liked 347 Times in 151 Posts	Re: BBC Flex plate / starter clearance Anybody around you that can loan you another flexplate? Always the possibility it was made/boxed wrong. __________________ Phil Molski PMR Performance S/C 1623

01-12-2018, 09:19 PM	#5
B1Ken Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 13 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: BBC Flex plate / starter clearance Perhaps the part IS defective. I'm going to take it to a local speed shop and compare it to what they have. Thanks for the thought. Ken B.

01-13-2018, 10:28 AM	#6
Tom Goldman VIP Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Allentown,PA Posts: 2,475 Likes: 887 Liked 866 Times in 235 Posts	Re: BBC Flex plate / starter clearance Ken , a lot of the conventional stamped type flexplates all come from the same source ,China. ...We all know what to expect from them as far as quality control. I stopped running them in favor of a Meziere billet piece. which while very pricy ,it is the only wheel I've ever been able to run thru it's SFI life and have recertified TWICE . There are shims made to space the flexplate back from the crank flange due to variances in flange thickness. They are available from TCI and Competition Engineering and a few others. __________________ Tom Goldman 1500 SG , 1506 STK

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