Soo first off i am a new guy to the Forum, and i think this is great. I have already spent a couple of hours reaserching my problem, but have not found a definate answer.

Just bougt a 1990 Cherokee 4.o 5 speed. 250,000 runs great, new tranny, taken really go care of and bought from OG owner. But the starter went out the other day. easy fix Spent an hour and a half replacing it.
But now there is a loud slapping clacking sound coming from the backend of the motor where the tranny meet up with it. Sounds like there is a bolt or something in there banging around on the fly wheel.

I saw similar issues with the automatics and a flexplate cracking issue, but a 5 speed dosent have one of those.. Right?

Its real erratic and seems to get worse as the engine temp comes up to operating temp.

Any ideas?? Could i have put the starter in wrong???

Thanks

 

Any ideas would be super helpful. ??...

 

Sorry, wish I could help ya out but I have never experienced anything similar to that and have no idea what it could be.

Hopefully someone will be able to come up with some suggestions for ya.

 

i just recently had that noise on my 97 xj. my flywheel had been replaced a few years back. i started it one day and there was like a clicking, almost metallic sound coming from the same spot you are speaking of. i took my starter off and took the plate (not sure of specif name) gaurding the bottom of the flywheel. using a flash light i looked up in there and the bolts holding my flywheel on were almost completly falling out ( about 2 1/4 turns) i tightend them up and bam. problem solved. better get that checked out soon tho... good luck

 

Sweet so that plate will come off?? i just take out the starter and the three bolts on the bottom. No need to remove the tranny?

 

no. no need to remove the tranny. remove the inspection cover and you can access the bolts with a wrench. you may need someone to hold your harmonic balancer from moving while you tighten the bolts

 

Sounds like it may need to be shimmed

 

I had this similar problem. Take the Inspection plate off and make sure the flywheel is good. No cracks and the bolts are tight. Mine was all good, so I ended up putting a couple washers on the top bolt of the starter and that made the noise from stopping. That's what worked for me at least.

 

and if you can use loc tite because those bolts are a bit%$ they're common to come loose on our automatics too.

 

thanks for all the help. I'm going to crawl under that baby tomorrow and take a look.

 

Don't know if i'm a retard or what, but i couldn't get the inspection plate off. I took off the starter and the 3 bolts on the bottom of the tranny, but that inspection plate wouldn't come off.
My buddy and i pryed it back enough to look up there a little and we could see that the teeth on the flywheel looked like they were hitting something. That was it... we greased the starter to make sure the teeth weren't getting stuck out in the starting position. (if that makes sense).
Plus he thought i was crazy because it wasn't making any noise the whole day. ???

 

Ok... looked around. so i take off the spacer plate by removing all the bolts around the tranny off, and i have to slide the spacer plate down? and then inspect these bolts on the flywheel?

 

when i took my plate off i only took the 3 bolts out at the bottom and i ended up having to bend it to get it to come off. no need to unbolt the tranny. ( i have a automatic so mabey theres a difference?)

 

Just had this same issue and She's an auto, took of the 3 bolts one{4th} was backwards so it made it odd, just took the nut off that one .I looked up and one of the bolts was hanging out <\\\\(+). used a breaker bar on front and wrenched the flywheel bolts down . the problem went away . Phew .. That noise was killing my heart... Peace