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Replaced flexplate, bolts tight, still ticks

88 Wagonman

88 Wagonman

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Boise, ID
A while back I noticed a ticking\knocking sound coming from the bellhousing so I pulled the inspection cover and checked the bolts and all were tight. I thought that I saw a crack in the flexplate so I decided to change it, once I got it out I realized it wasn't. So I put in a new one anyway. I was sure to loctite the bolts and properly torque them (TC). Started it up and the noise is still there! :bawl: Any ideas? Torque converter? Trans pump?
88 4.0L AW4
 
Do I finally have a problem that stumps the experts?
 
My guess would be that your piston wrist pins are loose in your pistons. they will make a "tapping" noise that sounds like it would be the flexplate, and/or possibly the bolts. Being that yours is an '88, i would imagine it has a few miles on it. My '97 has 164,000 miles on it, and you would swear that the flewplate was about to fall off it, but it isnt the problem.
 
286,500 miles. I used a mechanics stethescope and it definately is coming from the bottom rear of the engine. Sounds can be misleading that way. As long as I limp it along until the 300,000 mark I'll be happy. I have decided that it is going to be a dedicated offroader at that point without having to worry about getting to work the next day.
 
...any more ideas on this? I'm in the middle of taking out my flexplate right now due to this noise. I can't see any cracks on it anywhere in the Jeep, and the four bolts weren't 'loose'- they came off easily, but didn't seem loose at all. So, I'm taking it off to see if there are any cracks up near the crank that I can't see. Previously, i had dropped the oil pan and check the bearings thinking they may be the culprit- they looked ok. Replaced the rear main and the oil pump while I was at it.
Anyway, if I get this flexplate off and there's no cracks, what else do I look for?
-96 w/4.0, aw4 and 93,000 miles
 
citRon said:
...any more ideas on this? I'm in the middle of taking out my flexplate right now due to this noise. I can't see any cracks on it anywhere in the Jeep, and the four bolts weren't 'loose'- they came off easily, but didn't seem loose at all. So, I'm taking it off to see if there are any cracks up near the crank that I can't see. Previously, i had dropped the oil pan and check the bearings thinking they may be the culprit- they looked ok. Replaced the rear main and the oil pump while I was at it.
Anyway, if I get this flexplate off and there's no cracks, what else do I look for?
-96 w/4.0, aw4 and 93,000 miles
Click to expand...
Piston slap sounds very close, and is hard to track down. A 96 has a high possibility of that being the problem.
 
I don't think its piston slap, sounds more like rocks in a can tumbling. I used a stethascope, and it is definitely coming from the bottom rear- which was why I suspected the bearings at first.
 
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