Freaky. The pinion gear from my starter broke in two and the pieces spun around and bent my flex plate. It sounded like someone threw rocks in a blender. Nasty. The plate now taps against the bell housing. The motor runs fine (new starter) but it sounds like TINGTINGTINGTINGTINGTINGTINGTINGTING.

Tell me if this makes sense: I think I can do this up on jack stands and just slide the supported tranny back a bit after dropping the driveshaft, then spinning the flex plate so that the bolts are at the bottom so I can access them.

1. Will this work?

2. Is there a proper bolt tightening pattern and how much torque?

The local garage wants $300 labor to do this. Too much.

Any thoughts? Thanks.

CP

 

only one way to find out i guess....
worst comes to wort you just pull the tranny completely, which is tooo hateful, compared to 300

 

I think you are going to be removing the tranny all the way. Just pulling it out a little is a lot to hope for.

 

yeah I think you would have to pull it out since the flywheel bolts are more near the center...

remove the access panel to the bell housing and be sure remove the bolts connecting the flywheel to the torque converter, then remove the tranny and replace the flywheel. I'm sure a bent one can't be good for the balance of the engine...

 

Thanks, guys. I am keeping the rpms low (no freeway) until I replace the plate.

CP

 

I would jack it up and spin it by hand to seeif you can tell where it's hitting. You may just still have a small piece of gear in there. It could also have bent the stiffener plate where the starter goes in. I'm just thinking out loud but, if the flexplate bent, it should have more of a constant rub to it.

 

Carlos, its been my experience that's it's easier to drop the tranny then trying to work around it. as far as the crank bolts are concerned the FSM shows 75-85 Ft lbs . always do circular bolt patters in a star ( like a tire and rim) go up in torque 1/3rds.
JLG

 

Thanks.

I might as well drop the tranny so I can adjust my neutral safety switch as well as tighten up the shifter linkage.

CP

 

just make sure to spray some liquid wrench on the tranny lines and let it sit for a while