billet flex plate 7.3

spongebob915 · Nov 6, 2012

Having my motor balanced with the stock flex plate. May want to use a billet one if the stock one does not hold up. If I switch to a billet flex plate after my motor is balanced with the stock one. Can this cause any damage to the motor ??

bad12jr · Nov 6, 2012

I'd go ahead and get a billet. Why take the chance and have to pull the trans again and spend 4 hours of labor to do it.

Sent from my x2 somewhere

02BigD · Nov 6, 2012

0 balance the rotating assembly, and if you need later, just get a 0 billet and you are good to go.

Arisley · Nov 6, 2012

If you balance it now, worst case scenario would take a fluid damper to keep it balanced. Most flexplates, stock or especially billet would be pretty well balanced themselves. Should not mess with it any at all.

02BigD · Nov 6, 2012

Back when my CC was a manual, the first machinist I went to,balanced the assembly with the clutch. When the clutch was changed, there was a noticeable difference in the smoothness of the motor. A damper helped, but didn't fully resolve the issue.

If it is 0 balanced, it is very simple to 0 balance any flexplate or flywheel that goes on it. Keeping the motor "balanced".

spongebob915 · Nov 6, 2012

What is 0 balanced?

02BigD · Nov 6, 2012

An 0 internally balanced engine has no "weights" hanging off each end of the crank. All the balance of the recipricating assembly is contained inside and between all the main bearings. With an external balance the heavy external weights are more likely to put a twist in the crank at higher engine speeds. An internal balance helps harmonics/flexing of the crank especially at high RPM's. Not a huge concern for us 7.3 people.

Also, there is no error on crank balance due to a damper/balancer that has tolerences that are not good or switching from one brand balancer to another. The damper can focus on damping engine harmonics rather than damping and balancing the crank.

7.3psd97444 · Nov 6, 2012

Go Billet. Carson has a new one that is REALLY nice. :drool:

02BigD · Nov 7, 2012

It is

Powerstroked162 · Nov 7, 2012

You don't need a billet flex plate. I ran a cryo'd stocker with zero issues and so have several others.

spongebob915 · Nov 7, 2012

On a built motor

Morgan@Midwest Diesel & Auto · Nov 7, 2012

We ran a 3" charger and 455-400's on a stock flex plate.

Zero balance or neutral balance means that there is no weighting on that particular item. For example a zero balance damper is balanced individually, has been trued and will not negatively offset the balance if any internally balanced engine.

A weighted balancer or flywheel/flexplate has a offset balance that is incorporated into the total balance of the engine.

When you change out a weighted piece you have to make sure what you replace it with is weighted the same. Otherwise it will throw off the balance of the engine. A neutral balanced piece can be replaced by any neutral balanced piece. Even if the total weight shape or size isn't the same there is no offset weighting to throw the balance out.