Ok, started to put the flexplate on the engine and I think there was an extra piece behind the old one. This sure looks like a busted center section from an old flexplate - and might explain the failure I had.

Here are the parts that came off old engine. The piece ziptied to the flexplate is what we broke out after realizing it was cracked 98% of the way around. The other piece was bewteen the FP and the crank spacer:



It doesn't look like this piece belongs:



Seems like the FP should go directly on the crank, so it fits directly against crank spacer thingy and FP rides on the 'hub' of the crank - like this:



My anxiety level is HIGH, since I really wanna get this thing together TODAY - I need this thing to run so if there are any bugs I can work them out before our road trip to Fla after Christmas!!! Clearly it is toooo early in the day to start using 12oz bottles of 'anxiety relief'....

 

Called Brian. He said the FP goes directly against the spacer.

The 'other' part appears to be a center section from a previously broken FP... Wonder what HACK put this together the way it was???

It lasted over 100k miles that I've had this truck like that. Dunno how many boosted launches I've done in the 30k miles the BTS trans was in there and I've towed the 12k lb Toy Hauler probably 20k miles of that - with the HAMMER DOWN! Not to mention the slam-bang shifts it had for 70k miles with another tooner...

Counting my blessings that I don't have to depend on some schmuck to wrench on my stuff. I may be a dum redneck - but I'm not afraid to read the directions and ask questions when somethin' doesn't 'look right'.

It sure is nice to have resources for all my dumb questions. Thanks FTE!!! (and Brian!!! )

 

Glad you caught that! It goes without saying that it would be a PITA to do that over again.