JW makes a "wheel" with holes like a std flexplate, they call it their lightweight version...

I used that and don't use the solid version...

ATI's also has holes....

I had more issues with burnt thrust bearings going back many years ago when using a JW Solid Wheel.....

For that reason alone I refuse to use one....

Never had a thrust burn up using the wheels with holes....


In the past I never used a chip on the starting line for Pro Tree racing and I've done a lot of it....S/ST, S/G and S/C

That may have contributed to the rash of burnt thrusts I had in more than one car with more than one engine....

I think it happened to me about 3 times and was very annoying......Last time I just slid a new rear main bearing in there and let it go....had probably .020"-.030" thrust....stayed like that for quite a while with no problems

Magically stopped and only change was NO SOLID FLEXPLATE...

I don't argue with results or facts.....lol

^^^ Man that is strange. Do you think it was a balance issue or a harmonics issue? How bad was the thrust? Maybe because of the weight of the solid piece??? OR a balance issue with the plate it's self?

Years ago while visiting ATI in Baltimore.I had a discussion with Jim Beattie about this very same thing.Jim said that the flex plate holes were there to dampen drive line harmonics. And if they were solid like some of them are on the market,they would cause all sorts of strange things.

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^^^^^ I agree with this!

My transmission guy claims that automatic transmissions were designed to have a flexplate, not a flywheel. Currently running a TCI with zero problems.

That is interesting. I have always used the JW Wheel on my small blocks. I have never had an issue.

The solid JW flexplate will flex, The Meziere HD ProMod Flexplate will flex. Meziere makes a near solid version for the Baja 1000 race teams guess what they also flex.

I have tried to find a video that went around that showed how much a flexplate flexed when in the car running but have not been able to find it. I should make one some day.

I don't know the answer and read a lot of articles and watched videos about what causes the trust bearing issue.

Saw guys film the converter and flexplate with engine running and going to the wood.

Turbo 400's were notorious for burning up BB Chevy trusts in trucks for a while and there was some sort of cooler issue or something like that.

I know for sure Beattie said that about a solid wheel but many racers used them with no problem.....

I even used mine a lot with no problem......and just had a streak of it happening and as I said it was in 2 cars with at least 2 engines and trans and converters....

I used to grab a screwdriver regularly and check the thrust by prying forward and backward on the balancer and back of crank crossing my fingers !


I drilled a direct oil feed hole from the rear main oil passage to the back of the thrust and a hole in the bearing and created a direct oil flow path on almost every BB I built....made zero difference when I had the issue going on...


Only thing that I stopped using was a solid wheel. I'm pretty sure I still have one buried under a bench somewhere.....Might even be an old externa balance unit and probably is....

A discussion about the problem used to be right on here (DRR) going way back and some real good info got thrown around by smart trans guys but no real absolute answer as to what causes it....

It used to always get blamed on converters pushing forward but the best answer for that one I recall was if it could wreck a thrust why does it not show damage inside the pump.....

Trust bearing is torched or maybe just worn without torching the rear main surface, pump and converter are spotless.....??? How does that happen.....I don't know is all I got....

I find it funny (or I’ve had years of luck) but I’ve been running the JW the wheel for well over 15 years. I do replace it when the cert expires because I mainly race NHRA divisional and nationals. I have never had any of the problems I read on here.

I'm just happy I have had no repeat episodes for a long time with any engine in any car.

quote:

Originally posted by BarneyB:
I find it funny (or I’ve had years of luck) but I’ve been running the JW the wheel for well over 15 years. I do replace it when the cert expires because I mainly race NHRA divisional and nationals. I have never had any of the problems I read on here.

I have been running a 555 or bigger motor on injected alcohol for 15+ years with a regular starter & flexplate for years and never had an issue, but then once last year I wnt to start my car and pull it in the trailer & I guess I didn't get the "rhythm" exactly right and it kicked back and knocked a tooth off the flywheel. I chalked it up to bad luck and put another ordinary TCI flexplate on and its been fine.

I believe in most cases with thrust bearing damage is due to improper transmission pump pressure or converter engagement.
We had a issue on a engine back in the late 80s on a small block, went through 3 thrust bearings before we just swapped out to a different powerglide and converter. Back then we didn't know too much about trans pressures and converter set ups so we never got a good answer on the cause. The case was tossed for another and the converter went in for a rebuild. Never had a issue again.

Been using ATI flex plates for decades, none better.

I just got another lesson on parts. I've used a TCI 399273 for years. All American made and trouble free. I had quite a collection of outdated ones on the wall.

As I've had good luck with them and figured I'd just buy another. Well, what I got was a Mexican made piece that was warped at the crank flange. Thanks TCI. A toddler could have done better welds than this one had.

I ordered an ATI last week to install. As soon as UPS finds it and the Mark Williams driveshaft I bought, I'll install both.

Many of the biggest and oldest names in aftermarket performance parts, today sell garbage made in China and other 3rd world shyt holes. Some admit it others don’t.

quote:

Originally posted by nomad:
I just got another lesson on parts. I've used a TCI 399273 for years. All American made and trouble free. I had quite a collection of outdated ones on the wall.

As I've had good luck with them and figured I'd just buy another. Well, what I got was a Mexican made piece that was warped at the crank flange. Thanks TCI. A toddler could have done better welds than this one had.

I ordered an ATI last week to install. As soon as UPS finds it and the Mark Williams driveshaft I bought, I'll install both.

Thanks for the heads up on the TCI-399273 flexplate. This is the exact same TCI flexplate that I’ve used for years. Just saved me from making a poor purchase as mine is dated 11/2019.

What ATI model # did you purchase for replacement? Please give us a heads up when replaced for fitment opinion.

I’ve run an ATI flexplate for 3 decades and never broke one meaning no failed welds, no cracks. I have knocked teeth off due to back fires. Unless you need or want a Meziere billet flex plate, there is none better than a made in the USA ATI flexplate.

quote:

Originally posted by dusty_171:
X2 ATI

ATI 139 for us also.

quote:

Originally posted by 1leg:
The solid JW flexplate will flex, The Meziere HD ProMod Flexplate will flex. Meziere makes a near solid version for the Baja 1000 race teams guess what they also flex.

I have tried to find a video that went around that showed how much a flexplate flexed when in the car running but have not been able to find it. I should make one some day.

FLEX plates Flex. Hmmm. Yes they do.

Most all of us have lost teeth on 168 tooth Flexplate. Do not know of anyone who has knocked teeth off a 139 tooth one.

I know I will never go back to 168.

I sent in a product review to Summit. They've declined to post it as it contains "inflammatory" language. TCI called full of apologies this morning. They want it returned.

I sometimes have to purchase import parts. I want the choice. Do or do not. In this instance I purchased the TCI part with the expectation that it was historically American made.

BTW, if you're knocking teeth off your flexplate you've got some other problems going on.

quote:

Originally posted by TD3550:
^^^ Man that is strange. Do you think it was a balance issue or a harmonics issue? How bad was the thrust? Maybe because of the weight of the solid piece??? OR a balance issue with the plate it's self?

*Converter pressure*. Anything over 135 psi is at risk of hurting the thrust.

They're all different not specifically according to line pressure, but also according to input shaft and stator tube configuration (design).

Anytime you change a input or pump, check converter pressure at the out cooler line.

You should know what you have for converter pressure, before and after any change in that department - pump, input and or line pressure.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mike Rietow,