Yeah, I guess getting old beats the alternative.
I had another little scare this week. I was sitting down, going through the stack of receipts I have for parts for this car, and I ran across when I bought the flex plate, it was right after I bought the crate motor about 5 years ago.
When I looked at the receipt, it showed a flex plate for a 1985 and older 350 Chevy motor, and when I went to the Jegs website (that is who I bought the crate 350 from) it showed that this motor takes a 1986 and newer flex plate. All night I wondered if I had installed the wrong balance flex plate on the engine. The engine seems to run smoothly, so I wasn't sure what was what.
So, yesterday I called Jegs and the very helpful tech guy there pulled up my original purchase and informed me that the engine I bought uses a two piece rear seal and the earlier flex plate. The latest ones they sell now do use a one piece seal and a newer version flex plate, but what I have is correct.
Whew !!!!!! Dodged the bullet on that one ! The guy at Jegs said that first of all, the wrong flex plate would not bolt on and secondly, it would shake like mad as it is balanced differently. I was envisioning having top pull the engine and all that it would entail, but that will not have to happen now.
I think I am going to name this car Christine, it seems to be a little possessed sometimes !