Is there any short cuts in moving a flexplate on an 85 S10 Blazer 2wd?

Any special tools required?

Pics of our new project:

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2548460

 

I used to have an '85 S10 4wd and had to replace the flex plate in it. It's much more difficult with a 4wd than a 2wd.

Start by lifting and securely supporting the vehicle. Disconnect the negative battery terminal.

Basically, you'll disconnect everything to the transmission, drop the drive shaft, pull the dust cover, and remove the bolts holding the flex plate to the torque converter. Remove the bolts at the rear transmission mount, then lift the transmission with a jack & 2x4 against the trans pan. Remove the transmission cross member. Slightly lower the transmission and start removing the bolts on the transmission bellhousing. Before you get the last ones out, lift the trans back up a bit and slide a jackstand under the engine oil pan again with a short 2x4 to spread the weight. Then remove the rest of the bolts holding the trans to the engine and remove the transmission. From there, just remove the bolts holding the flexplate to the crank. Reassemble reverse of install.

Some tips: Have quite a few rachet extensions handy for accessing the upper bellhousing bolts. You'll also want to make sure that you don't lower the trans too far and end up hitting the distributor on the firewall. I put some threadlocker (blue loctite) on the bolts when I reinstalled them in my old truck.

Good luck!

 

Kyle,
Thanks for the tips sir. It's always good to know what you're getting into before you're knee deep init.Will tackle it this weekend.

Keep up the good work

04Trailblazer
90 Silverado
89 S10 Blazer 4x4
85 S10 Blazer 2wd

 

Short cut.
Pull the tranny.

 

Like Kyle said but if I can I get a couple of longer bolts (like 3 to 4") I cut the heads off and install those in place of two of the outer tranny bolts, so I can just slide the tranny back enough to get my hand in to get the flex plate bolts.I leave the tranny cooler lines hooked up and all the wiring.
This way the tranny is still lined up and I don't take off more than I have to.

 

I started out like that when I pulled the tranny on my old S10, but I then realized that it was more difficult to hold the flexplate from spinning while I removed the bolts. It wasn't all that much more work to just drop the transmission/transfercase and then I had enough room to get an air impact gun on them. Still needed to hold it for the final torque, but that was much easier.

Ofcourse, if you have the proper ring gear tool (can't remember exactly what its called), then that isn't a problem.

 

Thanks for all the tips gang. Pulling the tranny will probably be the easiest for now. My son and I challenge an S10 V8 conversion in Oct and the results were amazing. 350 Chevy w/350 trans, B&M shifter, 373 gears, ladder bars and 20 alumimium fuel cell. The install was easier than expected and at times challenging. The key was we had it down to the framewhich made it easier to add all the stuff.

Here's a link tothe S10 build up:

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2445283/1

 

Nice truck.
I am so tempted to drop a V8 in my '00 S10-Blazer when the time comes for a new engine.

ChevyLover,
I like the idea of the longer bolts and just slide the tranny back on them. Good tip.

Kyle,
I use a long pry bar to hold the flexplate still while I remove and install the bolts.

 

Yeah, Tim, I would have too if my dad had a decent pry bar set back then. Seems anything I needed when I did mine was in a tractor. LOL Impact gun took those things off without a problem.