Beefed up Flex plate

I gotta wonder how you have managed to rip through 4 flex plates. Is there something else we oughta be lookin at? Torque converter unbalanced, locating pins missing from engine block, something along these lines..... most cars make it to their death bed with the original flexplate.

Jerry

I use the vehicle for long haul and dont need the low end torque; besides, the price was 'right' for a long block GM 2.8L. Ive already broken 4 flex plates in 2 other engines and know that the NHRA spec. uses a 30% thicker plate, but cant find a source for an external balanced of this thickness. Yup, also broke the plate in a internally balanced ..... its a poorly designed flex plate to begin with in either balance configuration . I havent found a salvage yard plate that didnt have micro-cracks so Im looking for at least new made aftermarket one.

So.... if anyone knows of an aftermarket provider who will build a

Nope, the 2.8 external balanced is notorious for cracking flex plates. Its a 'fatigue' thing as the nonsymmetric 'hole' pattern in the plate leads to quite a field of concentrated stress zones at the crankshaft mounting surface. The unsymmetric hole pattern probably causes the plate to strain unevenly .... it always cracks 180deg from the welded-on bob weight.