CRG Discussion Forum

Camaro Research Group Discussion => Originality => Topic started by: opelitis1 on January 18, 2011, 08:38:19 PM

Title: T350 Flexplate with a stamping . . .
Post by: opelitis1 on January 18, 2011, 08:38:19 PM
Going through my flexplates and I came across a plate with a 42 stamping on it.. On the other side of the part is a 1/2" dowel pin I guess there to mate  the crank flange  and the plate.
Have a few T350 flexplates and this is the only one with the dowel pin.. When did they stop coming out with this feature??  Hoping it is common to a '68 396 L35 engine.. Has overspray on it,  could this be from GM as they painted  the engine / transmission assembly??
Thanks!!
Ted
Title: Re: T350 Flexplate with a stamping . . .
Post by: JohnZ on January 19, 2011, 06:24:21 PM
Automatic-transmission engines were painted with the flexplate in place, so some orange overspray is possible; the transmission wasn't added until much later, at the car assembly plant.

Got a photo of the 1/2" dowel pin in place?
Title: Re: T350 Flexplate with a stamping . . .
Post by: opelitis1 on January 20, 2011, 01:03:59 AM
It's a comin' real soon.  Just got to get me fine lady to gimme a hand in down loading the  pics eh.
 Kinda interesting as this dowel thingy is about a half inch from the ring gear and is about 1/2 inch in diameter.. No way a crank flange is that large..
Ted
Title: Re: T350 Flexplate with a stamping . . .
Post by: opelitis1 on January 20, 2011, 01:21:11 AM
Here they are John!! 
Ted
Title: Re: T350 Flexplate with a stamping . . .
Post by: opelitis1 on January 20, 2011, 01:24:32 AM
Here is the one that was omitted - a closeup of the dowel thingy.
Ted
Title: Re: T350 Flexplate with a stamping . . .
Post by: vtfb68 on January 20, 2011, 01:53:45 AM
Weight? is it from a 400?
VT
Title: Re: T350 Flexplate with a stamping . . .
Post by: opelitis1 on January 20, 2011, 07:11:35 AM
Possible it was from a T400 but, it does not ring a bell so to speak. Number 42 on it could lead me in right direction but no one yet has stepped up..  Just picked up a copy of Colvin's Corvette by the Numbers 1955 - 1982 and on pg. 114, the imprint of the crank flange on the flex plate looks an awful lot like the 327 flange for  1962 - 1967.
Guess we gonna have to wait for Mr. John Z to help . . .
Thanks!
Ted
 
   
Title: Re: T350 Flexplate with a stamping . . .
Post by: Kelley W King on January 20, 2011, 02:39:02 PM
Isn,t  the 400 small block externally balanced? I think the flex plate and harmonic balancer do it.
Title: Re: T350 Flexplate with a stamping . . .
Post by: opelitis1 on January 20, 2011, 04:42:28 PM
Thing is, I never had a 400ci with a crank such as the imprint on the flexplate which is the same as a small journal unit from 1962-67..  Anyone else seen a balance weight such as the one pictured on a T350 or T400 plate?  What does the coding number 42 mean?
Ted
Title: Re: T350 Flexplate with a stamping . . .
Post by: JohnZ on January 20, 2011, 06:28:51 PM
The offset weight on a 400 flywheel or flexplate was MUCH larger than the "dowel" on that flexplate, which appears to be simply a projection-welded production balancing weight. Don't know what the "42" is.
Title: Re: T350 Flexplate with a stamping . . .
Post by: vtfb68 on January 21, 2011, 01:07:11 AM
Another odd one is the GMC V6.
 VT
Title: Re: T350 Flexplate with a stamping . . .
Post by: opelitis1 on January 21, 2011, 11:34:34 AM
The original engine for that flexplate could be long-gone by now and most likely is.. What would happen if I put that plate and a balancer together on an engine other than the long-gone one.?

Thing I do not understand is why would they apply the production welded balance weight to the flexplate that allready had  3 balance holes on it??

Did GM balance specific parts that would be working together before engine assembly??

Thanks!!
Title: Re: T350 Flexplate with a stamping . . .
Post by: JohnZ on January 21, 2011, 10:25:19 PM
The original engine for that flexplate could be long-gone by now and most likely is.. What would happen if I put that plate and a balancer together on an engine other than the long-gone one.?

Thing I do not understand is why would they apply the production welded balance weight to the flexplate that allready had  3 balance holes on it??

Did GM balance specific parts that would be working together before engine assembly??

Thanks!!

There are no other "balance holes" on that flexplate. All rotating parts were specified to be neutral-balanced (except on 400's and 454's, which were externally-balanced, and on one-piece rear seal 350's, which used an offset-weighted flywheel/flexplate).
Title: Re: T350 Flexplate with a stamping . . .
Post by: opelitis1 on January 22, 2011, 02:24:09 AM
Good evening John!!
Please advise what the (3) indentures are on the flexplate at  the 3 o'clock position in pics 1 and 2 - i.e. same photo. 
Just saw an ORIGINAL  maybe 66 Vette go over the block at BJ and the $$ it brought.. Was completely original down to some paint imperfection(s) on psgr door.  I'd rather see machines like that in their innocence than re-done re-painted to the max units.
Thanks John!!
Ted
Title: Re: T350 Flexplate with a stamping . . .
Post by: JohnZ on January 22, 2011, 04:23:05 PM
Good evening John!!
Please advise what the (3) indentures are on the flexplate at  the 3 o'clock position in pics 1 and 2 - i.e. same photo.

I have no idea what those indentations are, but they don't affect balance.
Title: Re: T350 Flexplate with a stamping . . .
Post by: IZRSSS on January 22, 2011, 05:11:44 PM
May need JohnZ opinion here, but I believe the three dimples identify the flexplate as part of a Variable-Pitch Trans. They are also there for F-Plate to Converter Orientation... I believe the raised dimple-side goes towards converter.

Title: Re: T350 Flexplate with a stamping . . .
Post by: tom on January 22, 2011, 05:43:14 PM
I remember the Buick variable pitch trans, did Chevy have one ?
Title: Re: T350 Flexplate with a stamping . . .
Post by: IZRSSS on January 22, 2011, 05:55:20 PM
Not sure about the T350, but I'm almost certain the Powerglide ST-300 did.
Title: Re: T350 Flexplate with a stamping . . .
Post by: JohnZ on January 23, 2011, 09:45:14 PM
Not sure about the T350, but I'm almost certain the Powerglide ST-300 did.

What's a Powerglide ST-300?
Title: Re: T350 Flexplate with a stamping . . .
Post by: IZRSSS on January 23, 2011, 10:46:04 PM
John,

Did some more on-line checking. Tom is correct, these transmissions came on Buick's. The ST (from what I've read on-line) is a Super Turbo transmission found in the 442. They are also used to convert a T350 over to a 400. My point is..from what I've read, it is the flexplates in these transmissions that have the 3 dimples shown in Ted's pics. Is there a chance his flexplates are for the ST-300 instead of the T350?

Again...this is second hand information from other forums this is why I suggested we run it by you. I would post the links but I have learned not to.  :)
Title: Re: T350 Flexplate with a stamping . . .
Post by: JohnZ on January 24, 2011, 04:18:09 PM
I'm not very familiar with automatics (have never owned one), but I've never heard of a Powerglide with a variable-pitch converter used in a Buick.
Title: Re: T350 Flexplate with a stamping . . .
Post by: tom on January 24, 2011, 04:51:49 PM
If I remember right, back in the 60's Buick used a two pitch converter in their 2 speed auto. It had an electric (I think) switch that changed the stall on the converter. Used for passing gear at highway speed, without kicking all the way down to first. It's been a long time, so my memory could be a little off, but that's what I recall. Also used by some modified by connecting the lead to the brake lights to allow a higher stall at a full stop, but switch it back as soon as you let off the brake.
Title: Re: T350 Flexplate with a stamping . . .
Post by: opelitis1 on February 14, 2011, 03:41:05 PM
Dug out a Book entitled Chevtolet Book of Numbers Volume 2 1953 - 1964 and if there is anyone who may be able to figure out what the heck a Group 10.469 is or was back then, apparently Chevy did not punch the total serial number of the unit, but just the last 2 numerics. In this case 42 is punched on the flexplate, but my book only states "plate" and that is it.  Plate for what???
Thanks!
Ted
Title: Re: T350 Flexplate with a stamping . . .
Post by: JohnZ on February 14, 2011, 04:23:23 PM
Dug out a Book entitled Chevtolet Book of Numbers Volume 2 1953 - 1964 and if there is anyone who may be able to figure out what the heck a Group 10.469 is or was back then, apparently Chevy did not punch the total serial number of the unit, but just the last 2 numerics. In this case 42 is punched on the flexplate, but my book only states "plate" and that is it.  Plate for what???
Thanks!
Ted

Group 10.469 in the Parts Books has always been door hardware, and car assembly plants never stamped any part of the unit serial number (or any other number) on an automatic transmission flexplate. The "42" is probably the last two digits of the part number for the flexplate, or for just the spider stamping, less the ring gear.