Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Broken flexplate??

[BWagnaar]

What kind of noise have you heard when your flex plate was cracked? Is there an easy way to try and see the hub? I had a broken flex plate on an old dart and it sounded the same. When I get on it I hear a loud churping sound like the flex plate is hitting the starter or rubbing on something else. Its the stock unit and with about 10-20 boosting 4x4 launches I think it might be saying #@$%!

 

[Leroy D]

I hate to be the bearer of possible bad news but you may also have a thrust bearing problem inside the engine. In my case the broken flex plate caused the thrust bearing to go out. It was a engine teardown, replace all main bearings, replace crank, replace flex plate with billet flex plate, rebuild vac pump while it is easy to get to, and a few other little things. Scheid Diesel in Lafayette, IN did a very good job on both my truck and on my wallet. I hope you don't have the same thing that I had but it sounds just like it. ----Leroy D

 

[Allnew2Me]

Hey Ben, usually it is the sound of a cash register that you hear!

 

[BWagnaar]

(hands over my ears) LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[OPoole]

Will sound like a rod knocking at 1st then No go or No start after it's broke all the way. There a few flex plates out there now BD, ATS, DTT, the Suncoast seem to be the racers choice still has some flex to it.

 

[Cummins Thunder]

Its sounds like total hell just happened under your truck from my experience.

Lots of rattling and banging.

Call Tony at Dunrite. He has laminated units at a fair price 3606933200.

 

[BWagnaar]

I've been soooo busy I haven't been able to take a look at it yet!! I'll tomo or Tues.

 

[BWagnaar]

Well... ripped into the truck this week. What a pain that was. I ordered a BD black flex plate and figured that when I pull the trany back to look I might as well replace the plate cause sooner or later 600 ponies are coming:-laf



The starter was the last thing I took off before unbolting the transmission. As I did, i found one of the housing bolt had backed out and was ready to fall off. I didn't see any wear marks so I dont know if that was causing the noise or not... I don't think so... .



As I unbolted the torque converter I pried on the flex plate and it would move what seemed to be a lot, so i though it was for sure cracked. As I pull the trany back the stock flex plate looked to be good!? Took a couple pics to show the difference.



Stock plate was . 090 thick and BD plate was . 190 thick, it looks like a big difference. You can tell right away that the bd plate is very stout. The stock plate weighs 6. 7 lbs, the BD plate weighs 11. 9 lbs, so its 5. 2 lbs heavier... . Might give me another 3 FT-lbs:-laf:-laf



Trying to get the trany back together was a pain in arse. Trying to wrestle the trany/t-case into the right place and bolt in together was #@$%!

I tried for about 3 hours to get it in. I got a couple bolts in and thought it was going in good but then I couldn't turn the flexplate. I ended up calling it day.

The next day I tried for another 1 hour to get it right, I thought the coverter had come out a little and was holding me up. I tried for 45min to spin and push and spin and push that 75lb conveter :{:{

Finally I called a friend who I knew wasnt working and came over. We had the trany bolted up properly and flex plate turing in 10 min. Oo. Oo. I just couldn't get the right angle by my self to get the trany on the alignment dowels. He helped me the rest of the day to get it all back together.



I had sold the jammer 3 injectors a week ago and hadn't put the stock one back in until today... . My truck is slow now:{



I can olny spool the HX-40 to 30-32 lbs and in the lower setting of the TST it wont even burn out!! Oh well, got another project for that though:-laf

 

[BILLVO]

So what was the noise? I didn't see what you found was the cause for it.

 

[BWagnaar]

Well I guess it was the starter? Or I wonder if the flexplate was getting weaker and when I hammered hard on the throttle it flexed enough to rub on something? I took it out and beat on it and it doesn't make the noise...



I also found a couple other things wrong with the truck. I'm missing an exhuast bolt for the #6 cyl and the block looks a like its wet on the back. I need to have coolant check with one of those gas analysers.

 

[BPINE]

Ben Ben Ben you sure are hard on your truck !!! Before you put that trany back in make sure you find that coolant leak could it be the rear freeze plug? Looks like it is time for an exhaust manifold if you want to make some real power might as well get that stocker off there and put a real manifold on.



BP

 

[BWagnaar]

I know... Sometimes I feel sorry for my vehicles. The transmission is shifting rock hard! Getting on throttle its barked 2nd almost every time. And driving it around town it holds the gears a lot more and snaps your head back when it does shift. I think it was pretty dialed in for those injectors. Now I have to give a lot more throttle input and its changed the driving characteristics.


Any body have an extra exhaust bolt and spacer?

 

[OPoole]

I have a few bolts & spacers here in the shop. You may want to check your TV adj. after having the trans out.

 

[Huff N Puff]

Using a thicker flex-plate can cause a failure in the front pump

The drive slots in the converter can push on the drive gear in the trans front pump causing premature pump failure if the flex plate is . 100" thicker the drive slots need to be . 100" deeper also.