I picked up some 7/16 and 3/8 torque converter bolts for a 32 Ford we are building. With the 350 Chevy were are using a 350 turbo transmission. When I went to install the bolts in the converter, the converter is a BOP type utilizing nuts and 3/8 bolts. The flex plate is for 7/16 bolts. Do they make a bolt for this mismatch of flexplate to converter, a bolt with the 7/16 head, but with a 3/8 thread?
BOP converter is a B1-A it has the nut welded to the converter. The converter that uses a bolt and nut is a B-3 that is Chevrolet. They swap but the B-3 is chevy and B1-A is BOP. All the bolt is doing is turning the converter..it's indexed with the hub. Run the 3/8 bolts.
My mistake, apparently have a Chevy converter 3/8 with a 7/16 flex plate. I understand that the flex plate just rotates the converter, and that the 3/8 bolts are sufficient in strength. The problem is the head of the 3/8 bolts almost passes through the clearance hole for the 7/16 bolts in the flexplate. If I use a washer, the 3/8 bolts have insuficient length for complete thread engagement in the nuts.
Are we sure we'er on the right hole. ????? The torque converter bolt has a washer type head. Don't see how it could pull thru.
some aftermarket race style convertors have the bigger bolt holes. is the flexplate a sfi approved deal? also what size convertor are you using?
Might be that you're using a "late model" type flexplate (or a replacement for it), they switched to metric bolt some time in the 80s (?) and used 10mm bolts, which are between 3/8 and 7/16". The metric bolts have a flanged head, sort of like a built in washer. The mid 60s Buicks used a neat 3/8" bolt with an 11/16" head on it. Washers were never used on GM converters that I know of. The best solution for you would probably be to find some flanged head 3/8" bolts and cut them to exactly the right length...full thread engagement in the nut, but not long enough to contact the converter housing.
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