BD Diesel Flex-Plate 4R100/E4OD - 94-03 Ford Powerstroke 7.3L
If your 1994-2003 F-250, F-350, Excursion or E-Series van with the 7.3L Power Stroke has started making a metallic knock at idle that comes and goes with rpm, or a click from the bellhousing area when you shift into gear, a cracked factory flexplate is one of the first things to rule out. The BD Diesel 1041241 is a bolt-in replacement for the plate that sits between the 7.3L crankshaft and the torque converter on both the E4OD and the 4R100. It is CNC machined in one piece from quench and tempered 100ksi steel, roughly 1.5 times the thickness of the stock plate, with integrated counterweights and a black oxide finish.
The flexplate bolts to the back of the crank and the torque converter bolts to the flexplate, so every bit of torque the 7.3L makes passes through it before it reaches the transmission. It also carries the ring gear the starter engages. On the 7.3L the plate is part of the engine's rotating balance, which is why BD builds the counterweight into the plate and balances it tighter than the original specification. A diesel delivers heavy firing pulses at low rpm, and a truck that tows, or one that has been tuned for more power, puts those pulses and the shock of hard engagements through a plate that was sized for a stock engine. Stamped plates fatigue and crack around the crank bolt circle or at the converter bolt holes; a thicker machined plate has more material where those cracks start.
None of these are transmission faults, and that is the point: a broken plate can send an owner looking at the transmission for a problem that lives in front of it. If your truck also has shift complaints, run through our E4OD common problems and fixes guide so you are not treating two separate issues as one.
Pull the inspection cover or the starter and look at the plate with a light while a helper bumps the engine over by hand at the crank bolt. Check the area around the crank bolts, the converter bolt pads and the spot welds or rivets that join the ring gear. Cracks often show up as a dark line with rust staining. Check every converter nut for tightness, because a loose converter can make the same knock. Count the ring gear for chipped or missing teeth where the starter normally stops. If the plate is clean and tight, look elsewhere before spending money here.
This plate is listed for 1994-2003 Ford pickups, SUVs and vans with the 7.3L Power Stroke and an automatic: F-250 and F-350 (including the 1999-up Super Duty), Excursion 2000-2003 and E-Series vans. It fits behind either automatic, so a 1994-1997 truck with the E4OD and a later truck with the 4R100 use the same part. It is a 7.3L-only part; it does not fit the gas 5.4L or 6.8L V10 versions of these trucks, and it is not for a manual transmission. If you are unsure which automatic you have, our 4R100 vs E4OD differences guide covers how to tell them apart. BD states the plate works with stock and most aftermarket converters. Send us your year and VIN if you want us to confirm before ordering, and see everything we stock for these units on the E4OD and 4R100 parts page.
The transmission has to come out to change a flexplate, which is why most owners replace it during a rebuild or converter swap rather than as a standalone job. If the transmission is coming out anyway, it is the right time to freshen it with an E4OD master rebuild kit or a 4R100 overhaul kit. Clean the crank flange and bolt threads, use the crank bolts and thread treatment called for in your Ford service information, and torque in a cross pattern. When the transmission goes back in, make sure the converter is fully seated into the pump before the bellhousing is pulled to the block, then check that the converter can move slightly toward the plate before you start the nuts. Refill with Mercon V, since you lose the fluid in the converter when it comes out, and check the level hot after a drive.
| Brand | BD Diesel |
| Part number | 1041241 |
| Fits | BD Diesel Flex-Plate 4R100/E4OD - 94-03 Ford Powerstroke 7.3L |
| Vehicle fitment | Ford Powerstroke (1994-2003) |
| Type | Flexplates |
| Condition | New |
| Ships | Same business day (in stock), from the USA |
| Warranty | 1-year |
Doing this repair right usually means replacing these at the same time. Same transmission, ships together.
Yes. It is listed for 1994-2003 Ford 7.3L Power Stroke trucks, SUVs and vans with either the E4OD or the 4R100 automatic. It is a diesel-only plate and does not fit the gas engines in the same trucks.
BD states the plate fits the stock converter and most aftermarket converters built for the E4OD and 4R100. If you are running a unique billet converter, confirm the bolt pattern with the converter builder.
Pull the inspection cover or starter and inspect the plate around the crank bolts, converter pads and ring gear while turning the engine by hand. Also check the converter nuts, because a loose converter can make the same noise.
Because the transmission has to come out, most owners pair this with a rebuild kit or converter service. At minimum, use correct crank bolts per Ford service information and refill the converter and transmission with Mercon V.
If the transmission is already out and the truck tows heavy or has a tune, a thicker machined plate is cheap insurance against a second teardown. On a stock truck with a healthy plate, it is optional.
