Torque Plate

[Randy Bobandi]

Brothers...All machine work for my current project motor has been completed. My local machine shop, and many others, will not bore and hone Jeep/AMC cylinders and main tunnels without a torque plate. Getting someone to machine a torque plate for any engine other than a domestic V8 or Import 4/6 cylinder is nearly impossible. If you do find someone who is willing to tackle the job, they're going to put a 4 figure price tag on it. I found all of this out the hard way and decided to make my own.

It's just a 1" slab of 6061 with 4.100 bores. It does accept the locating dowels. I also have 1.5" tall, 1.5" OD aluminum spacers to mimic the cylinder head height and allow proper length head bolts/studs to fasten down the torque plate. If anyone finds themselves in the position in which a torque plate is required, feel free to let me know. I would be happy to ship it out as a rental.

[Brianj5600]

What region are you in?

[Randy Bobandi]

New England. I don't think it would cost more than $40 to ship it anywhere in the 48.

[Russ Pottenger]

Also made my own torque plate similar to yours.

With that said the greatest benefit of my torque plate is to keep my honing oil out of the water jackets as I’m honing the block in my Sunnen CK-10.

While I probably have 15- 20 Different torque plates that I have used to hone cylinder blocks over the years you should keep in mind that depending on multiple factors not all cylinder blocks receive the same benefits of a torque plate hone.

Your typical Chevrolet will have five bolt holes around the cylinder bore much closer to the circumference compared to a Ford similar to our Jeeps that have upper and lower head bolt holes spread much further apart and farther away from the cylinder.

I’m only posting this just to make a point that you shouldn’t feel that your quality of your block machine work is compromised if your machine shop isn’t utilizing a torque plate during the cylinder block honing process.

[Randy Bobandi]

you shouldn’t feel that your quality of your block machine work is compromised if your machine shop isn’t utilizing a torque plate during the cylinder block honing process.

Of course. Billions of mass production passenger vehicle engines were not honed with a torque plate, yet every shop within 50 miles of me would not machine my block without one. They even wanted the dang water pump, just in case it effected any of their measurements when bolted up. My block was line bored and honed for billet mains. That's obviously the most crucial clearance in the motor so maybe that's why they all demanded a torque plate. It's also a turbo motor that will be asked to hold well over 1000 PSI of cylinder pressure.

Either way, we have one available if you see fit or your local shop requires it.