Likely Cracked Flexplate - loud knocking
CF Veteran
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 3,816
Likes: 725
Year: 96
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
-an impact driver got the flexplate to engine bolts out no problem, i only had a ~16" breaker bar but i couldn't get them loose by hand without yanking the engine around too much.
-Get the trans jack as close to the cross member as you can, this would help with the angle and make it easier to bolt back up to the engine.
-when bolting back up, I put the 2 (16? 18? mm) bolts in first that join engine and bellhousing. the biggest beefy ones out on the sides, i can't remember what size. i drew these tight to draw the engine and trans together and then lowered the whole assembly back down to gain access to the E12 bolts up top.
-USE LOCTITE! Can't stress this enough. The previous owner didn't and that's what got me in this mess to start with
- spin everything over by hand once you get it all bolted back up, should sound nice and smooth, no rubbing or grinding.
.
-Get the trans jack as close to the cross member as you can, this would help with the angle and make it easier to bolt back up to the engine.
-when bolting back up, I put the 2 (16? 18? mm) bolts in first that join engine and bellhousing. the biggest beefy ones out on the sides, i can't remember what size. i drew these tight to draw the engine and trans together and then lowered the whole assembly back down to gain access to the E12 bolts up top.
-USE LOCTITE! Can't stress this enough. The previous owner didn't and that's what got me in this mess to start with
- spin everything over by hand once you get it all bolted back up, should sound nice and smooth, no rubbing or grinding.
.
for the newbie (or not so new)
* You can do this job without a trans jack by retracting the trans only a short distance, you would laugh if I showed pics of how I did this
* carefully establish bellhosuing to convertor depth before withdrawing trans, if the convertor becomes unseated, its important
* you can turn the engine to get the flexplate bolts into position with a ring spanner, then tap them free with a hammer on the spanner
* I replaced the Torx bolts with grade 8 hex head
* Using long bolts (or studs made by cutting the heads off) makes relocating the trans significantly easier
* I put marker paint on the bolts
If you do take the trans out, its probably the right time to change out the front torque convertor oil seal, easy and cheap with access to trans
This reply is to make me get back under and check every bolt is tight (from my trans replacement, it would be probably 2 years now)
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