Atomic Flexplate Who Has One?

[stee3]

Hey all who here is using an atomic flexlpate?After the failure of my first engine we think we have pinpointed thw issue. AtomicG6e also had the exact same issue as me which was major thrust bearing failure. I have a turbo400 and he has a powerglide we both have atomic flexplates. Flexplates are called flexplates for a reason they are designed to flex under torque converter load.

So who has an atomic flexplate and what transmission have you got behind it?

[needfordspeed]

I am planning to get one for my build, what's your theory behind the failure? Have you raised the issue with Atomic yet?

[possum]

8-9mm thick hunk of steel wont flex and adds alot of mass to the rotating assembly

Edited 24/01/13 08:01 PM by possum

[turbotrana]

So what are you trying to say Stee3. Are you saying that the flex plate is somehow connected to your thrust bearing wear??

Did you run a full block and cap thrust or just a thrust on the block.??

The only way that I could see the flex plate affecting the thrust is if the added thickness of the atomic flexplate gives a negative clearance once the converter and box are bolted up. And that is something you would check on assembly.

[stee3]

This time around I ran a cap and block thrust 360deg. Clearances were checked and double checked. The atomic flexplate has some negative clearance it sits 1.4mm closer to the converter pads but even then there is enough conveter to flexplate clearance (4mm). If there was not enough clearance the pressure from metal expansion would of broken the transmission pump gears as well. We have gone down this path and that's all been checked and double checked by TCE as well at my mates shop.

We now have another transmission builder looking into to it and also spoke to someone who had a similar issue yesterday in WA and one guy in QLD. It's not the atomic flexplate that caused the failure.

Also called Neal chance racing in the US they have a theory of what it is but I wont say until I have confirmed the issue with them.

The automatic has also been checked with in an inch of its life and is being dissembles and inspected piece by piece again especially the oil pump.

We are not new to this speed thing, been around the traps for 20 plus years so in saying that everything is being checked from the crank back with a fine tooth comb.

[turbotrana]

How bad were the thrust faces. Any pics.

So you still had the problem with the full thrust face.

Whilst you have a problem, I have used oil feeds to the face of the thrust to help with wear.

The only way you can do this with the ford is to put a bit of a chamfer on the bearing shell with the groove so that oil can make its way to the thrust face. But only on one half of the edge closest to the rear thrust face.

But in this case you have got a groove on both shells as they dont make a proper full thrust bearings for AU onwards. I'd also look into this as I would question does the full groove take any oil away from the thrust.

But it may be completely transmission related, but extra oil to the thrust is still required in these performance ford engines

Edited 26/01/13 09:23 AM by turbotrana

[stee3]

The thrust was not lacking oil, the failure was so sudden and brutal that it had to to be something else. The motor was fine with the 4 speed behind it for nearly 1000km while I was runnig it in, but when the t400 went behind it with in 500km it was gone.

The face of the thrust bearing facing the rear of the motor was almost completely missing, the face of the crank on that thrust was also destroyed. I would of said it was a thrust issue but the billet backing plate on the rear of the oil pump had so much presure put on to it that the crank almost went though it and also destroyed the oil pump gears as well. This was all force being applied from the rear of the crank from the back of the engine.

The auto builder, converter builder and my mate the engine builder now all agree its an auto related issue but no one wants to take responsibility for it.

I had a talk to Peter Veersma from Welshpool automotive in WA who I have been told is one of or the best auto builder in Australia to have a look at it. He has been more than helpfull and I am now in the process of getting the auto to him and have also contacted a lawyer to sue who ever is responsible as they have had multiple chances to fix it...

[stee3]

This is a good video to show what's happening

http://youtu.be/YEfqKoilLkI

[JVK]

Interesting clip.

Doesnt look like a ballooning convertor looks more like excessive endfloat in the crank or extreme pressure behind the trans oilpump gears pushing forward into the convertor drive.

[RSWEPN]

Im running an Atomic Flexplate with a C4.

No issues at all.