I know i have a crack flex plate, i was wondering how hard it would be to replace it myself, i took it to my mechanic who does the work i cant do myself and he said its going to cost me 450 dollars. For that kind of money i know im doing it myself no matter how long it takes me.

I know you have to take off the transmission, but is that the majority of what is difficult about it. Could 2 people bang this out in about an afternoon?
I also have access to a lift so that should definetly help.

Edit: Im also starting a header install on tuesday so i think im going to wait and just do it at the same time, and do it after i take out my olf y pipe so none that is in the way, do you think that will help also??

 

Removing and reinstalling the transmission is the big part of the job. Having a proper transmission jack is the only sane, safe way to do it.

The y-pipe doesn't really get in the way of the job. Having the whole car jacked up is an advantage for doing the headers, though.

 

If you've got some help, removing the trans is a lot easier. Or if you have the tranny jack.

With car above head, front wheels chocked:
-remove driveshaft
-disco all connections to tranny, wiring, fluid lines, shifter, torque arm etc. May have to support TA so it doesn't swing upwards... 6 bolts hold the trans to the motor, remove them, while supporting trans. Pull tranny BACK, then down. Set it out of the way.
-6 bolts for flexplate IIRC. Buy new flexplate bolts from mr gasket, comes with the washers, use red loctite. Torque them up to spec with a torque wrench. reinstall everything.

With a lift, and more importantly, an extra set of hands, this should be a breeze.

 

You DON'T have to take the transmission all the way out.

Drain the fluid, remove the drive shaft, unhook the shifter cable and cooler lines, and take out the fill tube. Support the trans, remove the crossmember, and take off the torque arm bracket. Take off the converter shield, and remove the converter bolts. Take out all the bell housing bolts except the 2 bottom ones; then put 2 about 6" long bolts in the upper BH bolt hole on each side; then remove the bottom 2 bolts. Slide the trans back as far as it will go.

That will give you room to get a long box-end wrench up in there and remove the flex plate bolts.

 

What do you guys think about that price he gave me, does that seem about right or too much.

 

If I had the time, I'd do em all day long for $450. That works out to about $250 an hour, even as long as it would take laying on my back in the driveway. For a guy with a lift, it would be more like $450 an hour.

Draw your own conclusions.

 

i have done it the way sofakingdom desribed it and it was easy

 

Yeah, my flexplate is missing teeth and is keyholed, as in the holes for the flexplate-to-converter bolts are oval shaped and the converter has an inch and a half of play!
My uncle is buying me a 4th gen this week, so I'll have to replace the '84s flexplate and see if that fixes the shifting condition (wont go to second except after 2600 rpm and gas let off)
But hey thats what 200,000 miles of driving does to a cheap 80's piece of stamped steel...

 

Yea i just ended up having my mechanic do it, it was cracked so bad all the way around he said he didnt even unbolt it he was able to just pull it off.