Finaly got my other gar up and running today so I started working on the jeep. I have had a major knocking where the trans meets the engine. I took the inspcetion plate off to find the torque converter bolts were loose but tightening them didnt make the knocking go away. I was in the process of removing the trans to see if I have a cracked flex plate and was wondering if some one can tell me how many bolts are holding the transmission on to the engine. There were two bolts under the engine one by the starter and one up by the exhaust. I am sure the are more but it had gotten dark out and I couldn't find them with a flashlight. I some one can give me a clue as to how many more bolts there are and where there located Ill be more than happy to buy you a few beers. If any one can supply pictures Ill get you a keg of beer!

Thanks O Yea Auto transmission with 4x4

 

I can not say I know how many exactly, but I did a write up with pics, maybe you can count them. If no one else chimes in.

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f51/au...emoval-121763/

 

I want to say eight bolts altogether but I can definitely tell you this:

I had to loosen a motor mount and jack the engine/tranny up together a little bit to get it to twist enough to get my hand in there and start the bolts, then I used alot of extensions to get the right angle and tighten them down good

 

Hope this helps.

 

I just pulled my trans and there were two on the top, two on each side followed by two smaller ones on the sides and two on the bottom! Hope this helps!

 

Usually a 3 foot extension and a universal makes this job much easier. I have never done it on an XJ though. The 3 foot extension and universal can be had at Auto Zone for not a lot of money. Or you could buy a 2 foot extension and use a 1 foot that you may already have. The 2 foot works well for things like shock bolts, motor mounts, and the belt tensioner. A 3 foot works best for bell housing bolts and the crankshaft position sensor.

 

Why not do this first?

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f51/ch...xplate-172081/


If you decide to remove the trans, loosen the top 2 bolts FIRST. They are E12s.

 

Ill will try out the cracking checking method in that thread first. Thanks for the heads up on the e-12 socket. I was looking up at them tonight and with my busted up eyesight I thought they were 12 point bolts. Good thing it started raining and I had to rap things up before I wasted any time trying to get a socket on there.

 

Not looking good. Followed the method shown to check for cracks and I didn't seen any. I am going to drop the transmission to make sure there are no cracks but if the flex plate is good any suggestions as to what is causing the knocking noise? It is not constant. It is a come and go situation. The noise is coming from where the trans bolts to the engine.

 

I may have overlooked it, but how many miles on your engine?

When you say 'it is a come and go situation', under what conditions dose it come and go? at idle, at intitial acceleration from a stop, while in cruise, hot engine, cold engine?

 

I like using this:

 

The jeep was sold to us by a gas station that said the put a "new" engine in it.
The odometer say about 230k. If it is the origanal engine it has 230k. If they put a junk yard engine in it the mileage is unknown. It has never started knocking while cold. Other than that it has started to knock while sitting at a stop light then go away as I am driving. There were times I was doing 60 with no problem then the knocking would start and I would have to back off the gas to try to get it to go away. One time as I pulled into my driveway it started knocking so I put it in park got under it and the knocking was definitely coming from where the trans bolts to the engine. Just took the flexplate out and no visible cracks. Going to put a new one in and see what happens.

 

What brand of oil filter is on the engine?

 

vavoline. Oil pressure will drop to 10 when warm but like I said the knocking comes and goes.

 

Wanna try an experiment?

Put a Mopar filter on it.