The V12 flex plate is bolted to the crankshaft. In addition there are two inserts for the bolts holding the "bar" for the nut used to twist the crank by hand. these two inserts are holding the flex plate onto the crank shaft, or so it seems. Any idea how to release the flex plate?

 

Yep.

1) Find some long fully threaded bolts (we call them set screws) that fit the threads, and NO, my memory is simply not that good.
2) Find something to slide between the crank flange and the cylinder block, I used a piece of wood.
3) Thread those bolts (setscrews) in and slide the wood in, and keep winding. The end of the bolt/s will contact the wood, keep winding, the thread thingy will come out. They will be TIGHT, so patience will be your friend.

There may be other ways of doing this, but that worked for me many times.

 

So if I understand you correctly the inserts are simply a tight press fit?

 

YEP, and TIGHT is sometimes an understatement.

 

Thanks, brute force then .....

 

NO WOOD, no sliding behind crank anything, stay out of the period.

Take 14 mm socket and thread that puller bolt through that socket, into the pilot bushing. This should pull that bushing out and into socket very easily.

 

guys if you take bolts with long threads and twust them in they push the flex plate off. its how I did it