flexplate replaced now weird start noise (with sound file)

So I just got my Jeep back from the shop after replacing my flexplate. It'd been sitting out for months before than so my battery drained and got bad. Got a new battery put it in runs fine.

The shop obviously took out the torque converter, tranny and t-case to get to it.

So what happenes now when I turn it on is that as soon as the engine starts there's this weird high pitch sound like as though the starter is still goin a couple seconds after the engine runs.

My main concern is to make sure the noise isn't from something being properly aligned after the tranny and others being put back in. Or if it has something to do with the starter or battery.

I'm almost positive it wasn't doing that noise til I got it back from the shop.

i've added a recording of it:

http://k003.kiwi6.com/hotlink/bbpwb96p0q/recording_1052085676.mp3

I can't really hear anything except 1 second of noise during the brief crank.

Is the flex plate new or used?

They did not need to do anything to the TC or tranny, except back them off as an assembly a little, after unbolting the the flex plate from the TC, IIRC. Either way, it is unlikely it it is the TC-Tranny, much more likely to be the starter and starter solenoid on the starter having a problem, such as wear on the stater gear or a bad bendix or solenoid and or some rough spots on a used flex plate's teeth.

Why was the flex plate replaced?

I couldn't hear it either, but based on your post I'm imagining the bendix sticking in the flywheel, can you pull the starter out again, hose it down good with some electric parts cleaner and try again? that might be the easy "fix." You don't want the starter being driven by the engine, you can throw windings that way.

Ecomike said:

I can't really hear anything except 1 second of noise during the brief crank.

Is the flex plate new or used?

They did not need to do anything to the TC or tranny, except back them off as an assembly a little, after unbolting the the flex plate from the TC, IIRC. Either way, it is unlikely it it is the TC-Tranny, much more likely to be the starter and starter solenoid on the starter having a problem, such as wear on the stater gear or a bad bendix or solenoid and or some rough spots on a used flex plate's teeth.

Why was the flex plate replaced?

Click to expand...

First off I apologize, the noise only happens DURING cranking NOT when the engine runs. So yes that one second of noise is that high pitch screeching sound i'm concerned about (hopefully thats what you're talking about)

I hope that they used a new flexplate. I believe thats what I was told.

The reason the flexplate was replaced (or hopefully was replaced and not reused) was that the holes on the FP where the bolts go were worn and damaged from them being loose. I went to the shop myself and inspected it closely and did not see any radial cracks or any sort of cracks on it at all. Just the damanged holes for the loose bolts. They were just worn.

pics can be seen in this thread of worn holes: http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f11/flex-plate-symptoms-pics-1337478/

now.

It wasn't making that noise at all before I got it "replaced". I'm pretty sure the starter just can't go bad sitting there doing nothing (unless i'm wrong).

I just really hope nothing is grinding. There is no hesitation during start up just that really high pitched noise. And again its only happening DURING crank not after startup.

I will take off the starter Monday morning and inspect it as I do not have my tools with me at my place and will have to pick them up later.

[edit]: the sound i'm talking about is in the 9-10 second mark on the sound file, its a little distorted but the best i could pick up with my phone mic.

Hard to draw any conclusions, but it could be the starter bendix inside going bad. They make a god awful sreeching-grinding sound when they start going bad. And they can lead to the starter not engaging but instead grinding teeth on the flex plate, or the starter not disengaging from the running engine. As cheap as rebuilt starters are I would try a new starter, but I might check the flex plate bolts first, make sure they are not coming loose and see if there are any burrs on the flex plate teeth (pull the starter, and turn the crank shaft with a wrench a little at a time at the front harmonic balancer, and if there are any burrs on the teeth, try to remove them. I used a 3 inch steel wire wheel and hand drill, and got the burrs off, and the started that was having problems engaging the flex plate teeth never gave me any more trouble.

But that sound, what I can hear of it, sounded like the one way clutch, called a bendix going bad inside the starter.

Ecomike said:

Hard to draw any conclusions, but it could be the starter bendix inside going bad. They make a god awful sreeching-grinding sound when they start going bad. And they can lead to the starter not engaging but instead grinding teeth on the flex plate, or the starter not disengaging from the running engine. As cheap as rebuilt starters are I would try a new starter, but I might check the flex plate bolts first, make sure they are not coming loose and see if there are any burrs on the flex plate teeth (pull the starter, and turn the crank shaft with a wrench a little at a time at the front harmonic balancer, and if there are any burrs on the teeth, try to remove them. I used a 3 inch steel wire wheel and hand drill, and got the burrs off, and the started that was having problems engaging the flex plate teeth never gave me any more trouble.

But that sound, what I can hear of it, sounded like the one way clutch, called a bendix going bad inside the starter.

Click to expand...

thanks buddy i'll be sure to check that out.