84z96L31vortec

Flexplate prob 96 L31 5.7L vortec to 84 camaro.
I'm in the process of installing a L31 5.7L engine bored to 355 with forged pistons, vortec heads, roller cam, holly 425 cfm carb, originally from a fuel injected 1996 Tahoe into my stock 1984 camaro and I've got some questions. I've got the 305 engine and 700R auto trans out of the camaro. The guy i bought the L31 engine from said that I needed to use a 1989 camaro externally weighted flexplate to mate the new L31 engine with my R700 trans and that the weighted side of the flexplate should go toward the trans. I've done that but there's a problem with the torque convertor (TC) not lining up with the flexplate. it seems that the TC lines up with the first bolt hole in the flexplate but about a quarter inch away. Then when I turn the TC by hand the TC binds up so I can't get to the next bolt.Questions is whether the 89 camaro flexplate will work withe the L31 and how should it be installed? weight toward engine or trans? Thanks Bob

Night rider327

iTrader: (13)

Forget all of the makes, model, year crap..

You need a flexplate for internal balanced SBC 1 pc. rear main seal. That is 1987 up gen sbc 306 or 350.

Then you need to figure out what starter you want to use.. And buy a flexplate/starter that matches. 153 tooth or 168 tooth.

The flexplate and starter from the vortec L31 should work

84z96L31vortec

thanks for your reply. I got a flywheel for a 89 5.7L FI camaro from auto zone. its weighted 153 tooth, 12.85 od, 12-14 pitch. I'll use the starter from my 305 which has same flywheel EXCEPT that the flywheel is NOT weighted. I was told the 96 vortec eng required a flywheel that IS weighted, not sure if this is correct or not but seems to make sense. if it is the case then I'm still not sure how to install the flywheel on the vortec. weight side to trans or to engine??? Bob

84z96L31vortec

ps. the 96 vortec engine didn't come with a flywheel when I bought it. Bob

novaderrik

forget the "vortec" marketing slogan for a moment- for what you are doing, it's just a one piece rear main seal 350 just like every other one that was factory installed in cars and trucks starting in 1986. so any 86 and newer flexplate will work. i can't remember for sure how they bolt up, other than that the raised pads where the torque converter mounting bolts go are pointed back towards the torque converter so that it sits on the raised part... and make sure that the alignment dowel is in the back of the crank so that you install it in the proper orientation.

i can think of no reason why the bolts shouldn't go right in, other than maybe the flexplate being drilled wrong or the pads welded onto the toque converter wrong.. but even if that was the case, it should still turn over without binding since the converter is actually centered into the counterbore in the crank flange. if the flexplate has 2 tc mounting bolt patterns, try the other one. all 3 bolts should slide in easily, and you don't ever tighten them until all 3 bolts are started.

84z96L31vortec

FYI..... The answers are
- the 1989 camaro 5.7 FI weighted flexplate fits the 1996 tahoe 5.7 FI vortec engine.

- the 1989 camaro 5.7 FI weighted flexplate is installed with the weight toward the engine and raised indentations toward the torque convertor.

This info was provided by my local Chevy dealer parts dept.

roysatikas

iTrader: (1)

Yes, the weight goes towards the engine. Just did a converter swap on an '86 block, one piece rear main seal. My trans is an '84 like yours and the hub of the TC that fits into the crank should be 1.703". Make sure you rotate the TC clockwise and counter clockwise and push the TC back into the trans. It will have minimal clearance between the donut of the TC and trans when its properly seated. The spacing between the TC mounting pads and flexplate will be 1/4 to 3/8", pull the TC out to contact the flexplate and rotate the TC to align with a mounting hole, the TC should rotate smoothly. I installed one bolt then , and turned it down till it just contacted the plate, ignition key to "start" momentarily to rotate engine to the next hole. I threaded the bolts to just contact the flexplate and after all three were in I tightened them, I used wrenches, torque should be 35lbs but its tough to torque them exactly due to limited space for a T wrench and the oil filter must be off if you want to T from that location. BTW, I disconnected the battery negative cable while I was under the car rotating the engine via the flexplate while tightening the bolts, just paranoid but would hate to have the engine fire because I forgot and left the ignition switch on while trying to line up the holes. I found getting the flexplate/TC mounting pads by the oil filter worked well for me to install the bolts. good luck
Roy BTW, my new TC is working great, start your engine with the cover off and watch the flexplate as the engine is running to make sure it is spinning without any wobble.

Jason W. Norman

I'm almost 100% sure the weight goes towards the motor not the transmission