Sounds like my flexplate is going out, has anyone used the atp z342 flexplate since the ford one is no longer available?

 

If you have the E4OD trans I think you need the Z344 flexplate. The z342 is for the C6 trans They may interchange?

 

Z344 is for the trucks with the crank spacer, a z342 is the old cast iron flexplate without the torque converter plate.

 

 

I've replaced both of mine,in my trucks with the ATP Automotive Z-344 and they've been good.It's those with the factory turbo blocks who have it hard,as they don't make an aftermarket one.I suppose if a feller was smart he could buy the NA flexplate and take both the new and his turbo balanced in somewhere,to be reballanced to the turbo specs.Those of us with the more common N/A blocks though,have the Z-344 bolt in option.

 

 

I wrote a little about the differences between my '94 E4OD Flexplate and my '88 C6 Flexplate on my blog a while back when I did the rear seals.




There were SUBSTANTIALLY different. The C6 was probably 5x the weight of the E4OD flexplate. Also, the E4OD had this odd spacer plate that was something like 1.25" thick that pushed the gear out a bunch. I suppose that was to move the teeth closer to where the starter could reach them (the C6 flexplate was just really thick all around, so it didn't have a thick spacer. It has just a thin 1/16" spacer, shown in FORDF250HDXLT's photo above.).
. I don't know if that thick spacer impacted the distance to the TC for the E4OD, but I suspect it does. I'd wager that if you tried to swap the flexplates, you'd have to swap out the TC's as well, and ultimately, that wouldn't work with the other transmission anyway. Also, I'd wager that different TC's have different 4-bolt mounting locations, just to make it impossible to install the opposing Flexplates or TC's, but I never measured that.

Here's a picture of the E4OD spacer:



The flexplate mounting bolts went through the holes on the spacer into the crankshaft.

Here's the crank and rear seal with the E4OD spacer removed:

 

some one is selling the plate that you need near boston on craigs list but he has it listed as a zf5 flywheel I do not know how to post a link on here

 

The junk yard is right. It is a flywheel. The flexplate attaches to it. This part was used on C6 and E4OD trannys until 93. Then Ford switched to the stamped flexplate.
You can use the aftermarket stamped plate in place of the early flex/flywheel. There is a catch, you need to find the spacer. This part is obsolete. so its back to the junkyards, or try a transmission shop.

 

The Ford stamped flexplate is $200 from the dealer, I bought mine last year

 

I have a 1994 F250 7.3 idi (originally normally aspirated) with E40D. Last fall I heard a noise that I suspected was a cracked flexplate. Since It's a summer vehicle only, I wasn't in a rush to fix it. Now I am, but I am running into trouble with parts not being available. I had been trying to get one from Justin at IDI Performance, but I've given up after hearing him say watch the website, they'll be up within 2 weeks (since last October). Anyway, I did buy what is supposed to be a NOS F3TZ6375B from an eBay vendor, but it is not a direct fit as it is much shallower than my assembly (maybe with a spacer?).
I'll attach some information; the pdf is from Ford. My assembly is the middle one pictured with a cast iron flywheel with the ring gear pressed on it, along with a stamped steel flexplate to bolt the torque converter to. Also in photos will be my assembly along with the NOS flexplate I got. I'm wondering if this NOS flexplate will work if I get a spacer machined to space it away from the crankshaft flange. I'm not sure what the balance is on this.
I've also just talked to ATP performance tech support, and they say that neither the Z-342 or Z-344 flexplates mentioned earlier in this thread will work. ???
Thoughts? Solutions? I've scoured used parts/recyclers and new machined flexplate companies, but these parts appear to be made of unobtanium.

 

Pretty sure you need the thin flexplate with the spacer. If you need a spacer, I have one that I can sell cheap. I have a flexplate, too, but mine may be for a turbo IDI with a different balance; have to check.

 

Hi Scott, thanks for the reply. I will keep your spacer in mind. I was hoping to find the correct flexplate so I can keep using my heavy cast iron flywheel; I like the inertia factor of it, as I am looking for torque, not fast revving. And amazingly, after I posted today, I might have found a source with the help of a Ford parts manager that was willing to dig for some obscure part numbers. If it pans out I'll post the info here for others.
P.S. I checked out your first video; nice! Now I am going to have to go back and see more.

 

I hear you on the inertia. Good luck with it and thanks for checking out my YT channel.

Scott