I have the engine out and the transmission separated. It’s an automatic, how does the flex plate come off? There are two pins that are securing the plate. I don’t know how to remove them.

 

It has been 12 years since I took mine to pieces but from what I remember the studs you are referring are just that locating studs. A lever behind the plate should release them but should they be stubborn a bit heat from a hot gun should help. Below are a couple of before and after photos as I removed my plate unfortunately I don't have a during photo. The second photo shows that they are just locating studs though.

 

I saw the flex plate being removed from my 4.2 and those two pins were moved very slowly by rocking the plate left to right until they were out enough to insert a "fork" type of tool under them to pull them off.
I suppose everyone has their own way of removal but they are a pain to remove.

 

I don't thin those are the original dowels. Mine had a small threaded hole that a bolt could be put into. A combination of a bolt, washers and a socket would pull the dowels out of the crankshaft.

 

Maybe I wasn’t patient enough. I’ll give it a go with the heat gun again. I just don’t want to screw up the flex plate. I can’t imagine why there would be no visible means of removal. Oh well back at it today. Thank you.

 

Now that makes sense. I’ll try drilling a hole in the center, threading it a use a knocker to pop it out! Hopefully the steel is not too hard. Thanks.

 

heating the area around the OUTSIDE of the locating pins will enlarge the hole and possibly break up the years of accumulated corrosion between the pins and the plate that is probably preventing the plate from falling off as it should with gentle rocking. a light tap, tap, tap with a metal hammer will tend to disintegrate corrosion too. ...but there's a limit to that, a limit that ends well before mushrooming commences.