Hmm its almost closer I guess I could say to a "clattering". Its hard to describe. I'll see if there is any way I can get a recording of it.

 

tighten the torque converter bolts

 

OK so bear with me here....he rotated it around as we were standing in front of the car and he tightened up about 4-5 bolts that would be going to the right of the flexplate where the torque convertor is. Those were actually all tight and I assume are the bolts you are referring to? He wondered though if it has "thrown" a weight or some how come unbalanced? OR if a bolt on the crankshaft side is loose maybe? He's never steered me wrong in the past so I'm probably just gonna let him tear this down and see whats going on.

Is it possible to put in the flexplate the "wrong" way? We changed this thing out (me and a buddy) about a year ago. When my nephew looked at it he thought the weights should have been on the torque converter side? They are actually on the crankshaft side? Is it possible it was put in wrong when we did it a year ago?

 

iirc, you can only install it one way, otherwise it would rub.

in the pic below, the tq converter is mounted to the 3 holes with the red arrows

 

OK he couldn't remember if it went on only one way and yeah those screws were all tight. One thing my nephew noticed was he had a special tool to turn the flexplate with kind of looked like a roofing nail puller with a notch but thinner and it kept slipping off which he said was unusual. Basically he had to turn it with a REALLY long screwdriver as his tool kept slipping off and he said that was not normal. I'm wondering if one of those center bolts has backed out and is hitting something? Or is broken off? Or if the flexplate is maybe cracked in that center area and has warped?

I'm planning on just letting him tear this down and see what he finds. He's fair so he's cutting me a hell of a deal on the labor and if what he does fix doesn't fix it he'll work something out with me until it is fixed right.

 

Wish you Good Luck on getting it repaired.

Maybe a few of these will help
Thanks Member's for trying to help a member

MCF = Member's Helping Member's

 

if you undo the tq conv bolts, you can push it towards the transmission and free up some space to look.

you "can" fit a wrench up there, but you may have to "modify" it to work, ie, grind it down to make it flatter and weld and extension to the wrench to get all the way up there. i would use a closed end 12pt box wrench if i were doing this.

the only other way to check is to detach the engine and trans from each other to make the room.

 

when you tightened the flex plate a while back, how did yo tighten it? what did you use to keep it from rotating?

if you put anything in the flexplate holes, like a screwdriver, to brace against the trans to keep it from rotating, then you could have "warped" the flexplate, which is where the "wiggle" in the plate could be coming from.

i would put it back up on the lift, start the car, get under the car and listen carefully. get a stethoscope prob tool (or long screwdriver with your hand "cupped" around the top with your ear pressed on it) and prob around until you find the very loud ticking in your ear. that will get you close to where the sound is and it can be better diagnosed then.

 

You know we might have its been too long ago to remember.

It was such a nightmare last time me and my buddy did it that I am just letting my nephew do it this time. He says he can get in there and replace it without even dropping the tranny OR raising the engine. So I told him if he can do that then do it. LOL

 

it is possible to get the flexplate out, however, you need some special tools from what i have read and mentioned before, and i am sure it sucks to do. but if he can do it, i am sure its a lot better than pulling the engine/trans out.