Front plate/water issues

DILLIGASDAVE wrote:

HorsinAround wrote:......keep having trouble with the bolts working loose and water leaking.........

Are you using travel limiters along with the front/mid plates?

Not sure what you call travel limiters, but I do have frame connectors that go from the frame to a plate where the oem motor mounts go. Has heims ends at both ends. This limits front to rear travel, but allows for frame flex under load.

HorsinAround wrote:

Lem Evans wrote:Alan, what is the front plate made of and how thick is it?

1/4" Aluminum

If properly torqued grade 8 bolts are loosening the plate may be flexing and letting the bolts relax.

Lem Evans wrote:

I use a gasket....I glue...not silicone... the gasket to the front cover and TA31 the plate to the gasket.

Thanks for the pic Lem. I'll pick some of that up.

I think I'm going to try loosening the plate up enough to squeeze some sealent in to get by until I take the motor out at the end of the season.

Lem Evans wrote:

HorsinAround wrote:

Lem Evans wrote:Alan, what is the front plate made of and how thick is it?

1/4" Aluminum

If properly torqued grade 8 bolts are loosening the plate may be flexing and letting the bolts relax.

Does anyone make a thicker front plate that is 39-40 inches wide?

Keith will make what ever you need. He's a member here
http://www.keithfulpmotorsports.com/

Alan,
I can make just about anything that you need for motor plates and mid plates for BBFs. My normal laser cut plates are 6061 T6 1/4" aluminum. The only application that reportedly needs a thicker plate would be something like a monster truck that sees lots of G forces in many directions. Other members have mentioned lateral limiters and that is important.
If your plate was not connected to the heads, and you correct that and make sure all of your fasteners are top notch, you should be OK.
One point to consider....one of the passenger side timing cover/water pump bolts on a BBF block is not a blind hole, and is exposed to the water jacket. If you do not apply some sort of sealant to the threads of that bolt, you will experience a leak that looks like a timing cover gasket.....but is not. It is the bolt directly below the water pump passage at the front of the block. The leak comes out of the small channel on the gasket surface.
That is a common problem. Folks who use lots of RTV on their cover gasket automatically get some on the bolt, and it is not an issue. More than one experienced racer has pulled the front cover to replace a "leaking gasket" to have the leak reoccur...and then learn about the bolt deal.

I hope all of this helps. Call any time. 678-458-2033
Keith

Thanks for the tips Keith. My motor hadn't leaked since I freshened it over a year ago. The leak seems to be coming from the bottom of the drivers side water pump hole, and the very bottom. Tightening the bolts again seems to have stopped it at the pump hole, but not the bottom.

I do have the lateral limiters going from the old motor mounts to the frame, I just didn't have the bolts/spacers from the plate to the heads.

jbozzelle wrote:I use the "right Stuff" grey stuff in the can by Permatex. Dries good and doesn't turn to slime like the older Permatex RTV stuff does. I noticed my bolts were loose when I pulled the engine out of the dragster. I might try using some studs on all of it next time.

This is what I use with my 1/4" aluminum motor plate. And I'm bouncing the truck all over the place in a mud hole. Been working this way for the last 2 years with no issues.

HorsinAround wrote:Thanks for the tips Keith. My motor hadn't leaked since I freshened it over a year ago. The leak seems to be coming from the bottom of the drivers side water pump hole, and the very bottom. Tightening the bolts again seems to have stopped it at the pump hole, but not the bottom.

I do have the lateral limiters going from the old motor mounts to the frame, I just didn't have the bolts/spacers from the plate to the heads.

If you need the spacers, I can whip some up...or you can see my buddy Gary Agan (Gary Agan Race Cars) up there in Indiana. I think that that addition will make things better along with some of the other tips from our pals.
Thanks,
Keith