Broken Flexplate

[jeepxj2007]

Well I have my transmission and transfer case pulled from my Bronco II. It has a 2.9L V-6 with a auto tranny. The flex plate first cracked on my friend, and then he put a new on in it, and it recently did the same thing so he parked it. I bought it off him and took everything out this time to see it all. I could see there were cracks coming down the flexplate from the crankshaft. What could be causing this? What do I need to do to reinstall the transmission and everything?...is there a good write up on how to reinstall one, most of the fluid came out of the torque converter and a lot out of the tranny. There is about 145,000 miles on the whole thing, so I figured I'd change out the fluids out of the tranny and transfer case anyhow.

 

[thegoat4]

Flex plates get cracked because the tansmission and engine housings are not well aligned. Check both for damage and make sure any dowel pins are in place and not loose.

When you bolt up the TC make sure you tighten the bolts in a criss-cross pattern, not just a once-around pattern. Tightening the second way tends to shove the flex plate off-center and causes cracks.

If you find no problems there, start checking your transmission and engine bearings for play.

 

[jeepxj2007]

alright, i think the second time it cracked it was because of improper tighetening and not useing locktite, my buddy did it without removing the transmission and just tightened the flexplate up with a normal socket. Also I noticed there were only four bolts mounting the bellhousing to the engine...how would I go about checking the bearings for play?...do I need to remove the oil pan and take the transmission apart or is there a way to do it without that?

 

[Explorin94]

You could have a bad bell housing. The bushing used in the A4LD is finished in place. Because of this the bore that the bushing fits into doesn't need to be in the center of the bell housing, and in many cases it isn't. When you're working on an A4LD you need to check the bell housing bushing to see if it's the original factory bushing. If it is, and it's not worn (no more than .003") converter hub to bushing clearance), Don't Replace It! If the bushing needs to be replaced, you need to make sure the replacement bushing will fit in the center of the bell housing. To do this bolt the torque converter to the flex plate. Turn the engine over and check the run out of the converter hub. Now bolt the bell housing to the engine. If the Torque converter is contacting one side of the bushing excessively, the bushing is off center and the bell housing MUST be replaced. However, a slight amount of contact is acceptable. By checking the bell housing first you can avoid repeated front seal blowout.

 

[jeepxj2007]

on the inside of the bellhousing towards the transmission there are marks where the torque converter was rubbing...is this my problem?...i bought a pretty good flexplate today from a good auto parts supplier

1.) anyone have a bellhousing I can buy?
2.) can someone post up a link to where I can buy this bushing?

 

[Jason]

Maybe you bought it from Jasper and it's all their fault?

 

[jeepxj2007]

lol...no I didn't buy it from Jasper... I bought it off my friend for 500 to make a trail only rig.

Today I climbed under her and started to look at the torque converter and flexplate. The flexplate is loose on the crank shaft, and the torque converter is loose to the flywheel. Both sets of bolts on each loosened up. When I grabbed the end of the crankshaft it seemed fine, I didn't notice any kind of movement, nor did I on the shaft of the input shaft on the tranny...

As for the flexplate, the new instructions say to check the motor mounts/tranny mount, front pump bushigns, starter drive, and torque converter along with crankshaft endplay. How do I check all of those and where can I get hte front pump bushing and seal? I would just like to replace those while I have it out if they aren't too difficult.

 

[goodrich63]

there is a spacer on the end of the crank that the bolts for the flex plate run through, If that spacer is damaged out of round or cracked its self it will keep beaking flexplates. I know this because i replaced several flexplates on my ranger due to the same problem.

also make sure your drive shaft is in good balance because that can also cause you some problems
Mike

 

[Explorin94]

on the inside of the bellhousing towards the transmission there are marks where the torque converter was rubbing...is this my problem?...i bought a pretty good flexplate today from a good auto parts supplier

1.) anyone have a bellhousing I can buy?
2.) can someone post up a link to where I can buy this bushing?

If you want it fixed correctly, I would go to Ford and buy the bell housing from them. If you were to buy a used one you may be in the same boat that you are currently in. If you get it from the dealer the bushing will come already machined into it.

 

[jeepxj2007]

is there a place I can buy the spacer, and a place besides ford that i can get the bellhousing new? I just hate buying stuff from the dealer because it is usually outrageously expensive.

 

[goodrich63]

the only place you can get the spacer is a ford dealer. I paid like 9 dollars for it.
mike

 

[jeepxj2007]

Thats not bad, I just really don't like buying things from them if I don't have to. When we were replacing broken leaves on my dads f250 I can remember it was some ridiculous amount and when I needed a new ignition cylinder for my Jeep Cherokee I think they quoted me at around 70ish or 120ish and I purchased one from autozone from around 18 if I remember correctly. Is it possible to press that bushing out of the bellhousing and purchase a new one from the dealer?

 

[jeepxj2007]

well tonight we pulled the engine and everything to get a better look. The whole torque converter/flexplate was seperatred from the crankshaft. The middle of the flexplate was ripped apart as was the inspection cover. I could not feel ANY play whatsoever in the crankshaft or the input shaft on the transmission by hand, nor could I find any cracks in the bellhousing. The shaft that goes towards the crankshaft on the torque converter was all gouged and eaten up like it was spinning and was digging into something. There are pics down below.

so far I bought new motor mounts and tranny mount, brand new flexplate, brand new spacer from ford, and I am going to get a new torque converter, so what else should I check out?

 

[Will]

God wants it in the junkyard. You fight him at your peril.

Ford is notorious for having millions of unique, similar looking parts that even fit, but don't work.

The cause is all of these people that want options when they buy a truck. If Ford made them one way like Honda does--you just buy it and it works and 20 years from now all the used parts fit that you think should fit.