New flexplate doesn't fit

I am in deep sh#¤%t! All my trouble has been caused by a cracked flexplate, and so I ordered me a new one. The plate came, and the mechanics put it in place. So far, so good. But when the car was started, the starter gave out a loud screeching noise for every turn of the flexplate, and I could hear the plate touching something inside the converterhousing. Everything is checked and doublechecked, but the partnumbers are correct. Turns out the new plate is just a couple of millimeters bigger than the old one. How is this possible? My dealer checked another plate, and same thing. What do I do?

Shim the starter outwards?

The starter is mounted on the converterhousing, so there is no shims. The teeth on the new plate is 1.5mm longer than the one in my car. The starter has a partnumber that fits with the original, so it seems that the problem isn't there. As far as I know, there is only two kinds of flexplate for the XJ, one for '87-'90 and one for '91-'97. So why the h#¤%ll doesn't my new plat fit???

Which way is it bigger? Thicker or larger diameter? I was guessing thicker since a bigger diameter would probably hit the CPS sensor.

Muddy-93 said:

The teeth on the new plate is 1.5mm longer than the one in my car.

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The plate fits in everyway, except for the length of the teeth. That makes the diameter a little bit larger, and my starter is the one getting problems. The starter-ring(or what ever it is called) is 10,7mm high on the original plate, and 12,5 mm on the new one.

You may have to track down a used flexplate in good condition.

-Ed Rico