What are the signs of a bad flexplate?

What are the signs of a bad flexplate?

Symptoms of a bad flex plate

• Clunking, grinding, chirping, or rattling noises from rear of engine when engine is idling.
• Knocking noise when engine is shifted into drive or reverse.
• Heavy vibrations felt through the driver’s seat when driving at normal speeds.
• Rough-running engine.
• Loss of power at higher speeds.

How much does it cost to change a flexplate?

How much is a replacement flex plate? The flex plate or flywheel plate should cost somewhere in the region of $50-160, on average.

What happens when a flexplate fails?

A warped flexplate won’t engage properly with the starter motor. So, when you are starting your engine listen for, rhythmic bogging down of the engine, during starting. Consequently, the teeth of the ring gear, can become damaged over time, causing a grinding sound.

Can a flexplate be installed backwards?

It is possible to install a flexplate backwards. If it’s on backwards the starter either won’t engage at all because the ring gear is too far away or won’t disengage because the ring gear is too close.

How do you check flexplate?

Start the engine and let it idle. Slide under the vehicle with a stethoscope, and place the stethoscope probe against the underside of the bell housing. Any noise emanating from the this region indicates a problem with the flexplate and/or torque converter-flexplate combination.

What causes a flexplate to go bad?

The following causes for cracked flexplate failures: 1) Out of balance engine or torque converter. 2) Bad starter drive can cause teeth or ring gear to wear rapidly or break off. Teeth can also break when engine is running and starter is engaged. 4) Some applications may require starter shims to be used.

What causes a flexplate to wear out?

Can a cracked flex plate cause transmission problems?

A cracked flex plate is almost always, a sign of other problems. So, if not properly diagnosed, it will occur again and often damage to the transmission may follow. The same things that caused the flexplate to crack, can also cause transmission problems.

How much does it cost to replace a flex plate?

Also, some cars require several hours to replace the starter and hundreds of dollars, for a replacement part. However, if your car needs a new flex plate, it’s a much bigger issue. Because, the transmission must come out, to replace the flex plate. For instance, it’s $1,500 and up, to replace a flex plate, in most vehicles.

How does a torque converter work on a flexplate?

The bolts are torqued in a crisscross pattern, according to the manufacturer’s specifications. The torque converter used with an automatic transmission, acts like a flywheel, smoothing out engine pulses. The cracking on these flexplates can be seen, either around the crankshaft or torque converter bolt hole patterns.

What happens when a flexplate goes bad on a car?

A warped flexplate won’t engage properly with the starter motor. So, when you are starting your engine listen for, rhythmic bogging down of the engine, during starting. Consequently, the teeth of the ring gear, can become damaged over time, causing a grinding sound. Ring gear problems can damage the starter motor as well.