- Clean the flex plate in solvent.
 
Caution: Refer to Safety Glasses and Compressed Air Caution in the Preface section.
- Dry the flex plate with compressed air.
 
- Inspect the flex plate for the following conditions:
 
| •  | Damaged ring gear teeth (1) | 
 
| •  | Stress cracks around the flex plate-to-crankshaft bolt hole locations (2) | 
 
|     | Important: Do not attempt to repair the welded areas that retain the ring gear to the flex plate. Install a new flex plate.
 | 
| •  | Welded areas (3) that retain the ring gear onto the flex plate for cracking |