Torque Converter rattle?

canadianwheeler said:
I get a very load rattle from near my torque when my xj is in gear. In neutral or park it makes no noise. Any clue? Somthing loose?
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Hmm, sounds kinda like what mine is doing right now. Does yours only rattle when you're completely stopped and in drive then go away as soon as you start driving again?
 
It just happened to my neighbor, we thought it was a rod knock. It turns out that the bolts that hold down the torque converter were just loose. He tightened them and no more knock.
 
Big DaveXJ said:
Hmm, sounds kinda like what mine is doing right now. Does yours only rattle when you're completely stopped and in drive then go away as soon as you start driving again?
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It comes and goes but only in gear. Its the worst when i am stoped at a light.
 
It could be just the bolts loosening up ... or it could be a cracked flex plate. Try the bolts first, because you can do that just by removing the inspection cover. If that's not the problem, you'll have to slide the tranny back a foot or so and replace the flex plate.
 
Eagle said:
.......you can do that just by removing the inspection cover. QUOTE]
I don't know much about tranny and such. What/where is this inspection plate? Is it the 1/16" (or there abouts) sheet metal bolted "in front" of the tranny, where in one corner a exhaust pipe hanger plate is bolted?

Thanks _Maz
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Yes, the inspection cover is that light sheet metal piece. If the bolts are all tight on the convertor then most likely you've got a cracked flex plate. Happens on 4.0's, 2.5's and more commonly on 2.8's.

One suggestion, fill out your public profile to include year, model, engine, tranny, etc. If you tend to forget to post it up with your question, we can at least find the info there. Not flaming you, just trying to make it easier on the 10,920 of us that may have had the same problem and can help you with yours if we have all the info in front of us. :D
 
I just removed the inspection plate, but I really have no idea what I'm looking at. Are the bolts on the flywheel ( that the starter engages) the ones that come loose and create the rattle? What should I be looking for?
 
Ha, yeah I figured that out right after I posted. All of the bolts on the flywheel were very tight and it was not cracked yet I still get the rattling, could this be the actual torque converter going bad? When I put a wrench on the flywheel bolts to make sure they were tight, as I tried to tighten them I was able to rotate the entire flywheel, seems to me that it should not be so easy to rotate the entire crank from the flywheel bolts ( I thought you had to do that by putting a breaker bar on the harmonic balancer), is this a bad sign? 89 XJ 4.0 185k miles.
 
Chech them to see if they are loose,,also check flexplate for cracks, most likely in the area of the bolts, if you do not see any use a long screwdriver or prybar and pry against the flexplate and look for cracks in it.
 
Big DaveXJ said:
Ha, yeah I figured that out right after I posted. All of the bolts on the flywheel were very tight and it was not cracked yet I still get the rattling, could this be the actual torque converter going bad? When I put a wrench on the flywheel bolts to make sure they were tight, as I tried to tighten them I was able to rotate the entire flywheel, seems to me that it should not be so easy to rotate the entire crank from the flywheel bolts ( I thought you had to do that by putting a breaker bar on the harmonic balancer), is this a bad sign? 89 XJ 4.0 185k miles.
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When I was replacing my 2.5 inline four I could turn the flywheel by the bolts on both engines. I found that to be normal since both engines were able to be turned over at the flywheel by the bolts that hold it on. When I was working on my engine by myself I had nobody there to hold a ratchet on the crankshaft pulley so I could loosen the bolts on the flywheel to seperate them so I had to get the ratchet and an open end wrench on opposite sides and push on one side so I could pull on the other side and loosen the bolt. It was hard but it worked when trying to replace an engine yourself.

Kim.
 
Grizzley said:
You have more leverage with a wrench on the convertor bolt than you do with a breaker bar on the harmonic balancer bolt.
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Yes Grizzley, that is true. But on some of my bolts they were pretty tight and needed two hands to break them loose when I didn't have a breaker bar so my friend held a 1/2 ratchet on the balancer so I could get the bolts loose. That was my first time replacing my own engine with my friend only helping me with the labor part of it and me getting to know my jeep alot more. Hands on experience is a great way to learn. You figure out easier ways to do things as you go on.

Kim.
 
Sorry, Kim, I was replying to Dave.
Big DaveXJ said:
When I put a wrench on the flywheel bolts to make sure they were tight, as I tried to tighten them I was able to rotate the entire flywheel, seems to me that it should not be so easy to rotate the entire crank from the flywheel bolts ( I thought you had to do that by putting a breaker bar on the harmonic balancer), is this a bad sign? 89 XJ 4.0 185k miles.
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I should have been more explicit. Have been in your situation before and it isn't a lot of fun though.
 
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