Flexplate? Stall? what's this ticking!?
 

i have a ticking sound coming from inside my tranny. it sounds almost exactly like an exhaust leak but i am 100% positive that it's not because fixing my exhaust leak is what led me to discover this new ticking:eyes: so me and the tech that was helping me pinpointed that it was coming from in the tranny. we pulled the inspection cover out a little and the sound got louder, and when we pushed on the cover (creating a tighter seal) it got quieter.

i've done some reading and some common causes of this sound is a cracked flexplate or the T/C. i'm just looking for some more opinions as i'm taking it to aamco for their free external diagnosis. in the past whenever i've done this they just say "it needs to be rebuilt". other than the sound, the tranny works fine and the fluid looks good so i seriously doubt it needs to be rebuilt.

thoughts? if it's one or the other i will just replace both since i have to pull the tranny anyway.

sounds like a cracked flexplate,unusual for a 98 as they have the better OEM flexplates.

right? forgot to add that the ticking gets really quiet once the tranny and engine get warmed up. like i can barely hear it from inside the car. thanks for the input

a lot of times a cracked flex plate will sound a lot like a rod knock. if thats the kind of noise your having maybe take the starter off and watch while you rotate the crank with a ratched to see what you see

If its a cracked flexplat you should get a different noise on startup when the started enguages like metal to metal, thats how mine was anyways... Also its easy to check yourself through the bellhouse window It should be cracked from the convertor bolt holes out to the teeth on the ring gear...

yeah, i'm gonna put it up on the lift tomorrow or thursday and take a look at the flexplate. good responses guys, i'll put some pics up if i find any cracks. what else would i be able to see without pulling the whole trans off? could i tell if the t/c is jacked up?

also, i do notice a slight metal to metal type sound right before a gear shift. is that the metal to metal you were refering to?

also make sure the 3 bolts that hold the converter to the flexplate are tight

is that something i can see after i remove the inspection cover or will i have to pull the transmission for that? this is my first time tackling a trans repair on my own. thanks for the help

yeah they can be seen through the inspection cover. you never know, it might be something easy that will fix it, like a loose bolt. its worth a shot before you tear into everything...

good to know, thanks

No never really noticed it on shift's Mine was making a noise like a quick clank noise when the starter enguaged and first spins the plate, Like it was pulling apart the flexplate at the cracks from the starter torque then clanking back together...

ok, couldn't get the time to put it on the lift, i did take it to aamco to see what they would say. after looking at it they told me (without pulling the trans) that they think it's most likely the forward hydaulic pump, and of course, they need to pull the trans and they estimated $1000.00 give or take.

does that sound right? i know anything with the trans is gonna be pricey. is it possible that this could make a ticking that sounds just like an exhaust leak? or does it sound like he's pulling my leg for some extra cash?

1) cracked flexplate
2) loose converter bolts
3) headers/y pipe banging against frame - this is what I had ....it sounded just like it was coming from the trans....

Well if the pump is the problem I did end up paying $1200 to replace my pump and the cracked flexplate when the pump stator grenaded and took it out so that price is close

. But i didnt really have an option as mine was destroyed. yours however is just ticking for now so I'd try to check that out myself knowing what i do now. And what makes him think your pump needs to replaced anyways? you still have gears which means you have fluid pressure which means your pump is obviously working, at the moment anyways. the ticking could be anything under there if you haven't checked it out yet...

Btw shops like aamco will always try to make a quick buck if they think they can get away with it!

BTW Here's what to look for if you do just have a cracked flexplat, this was mine...

http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/j...9/flywheel.jpg
http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/j.../flywheel2.jpg

i will definitely get it up on the lift on my next day off (those are few and far between these days) and look at it. right now i'm just trying to drive it as little as possible, thanks for the replies and i still plan on posting pics on what i find :chug:

Damn my car is doing the same thing. It sounds like an exhuast leak but once the it warms up it not as loud. Since I thought it was a leak I replace my header gaskets and in the processes of doing that cross threaded a bolt:bang: So keep us informed I would like to now what you find. If it is the tranny Im going to :barf: cause now I have to take the head off and fix it when I didnt even need to work on the headers.

yea get that checked real quick because i had the same problem with mine and two of the three bolts were loose and one of the bolts ended breaking off while i was driving. screwed up the flexplate too.:bang: i am currently in the prosess of putting in the trans back in the car also first time i takled a trans problem. :chug:

also if you end up taking your car to one of those independent shops make sure when you get it back that everything is tight because i got screwed over bad, had tourque arm bolts come loose, bolts missing, rounded out bolts, and loose converter bolts:ripped:

well i talked it over with the wife and i came up with a couple of options.

1-if when i get it on the lift this monday (working all weekend....again:() i find that the flexplate and/or torque converter are jacked up it would cost me close to $1k to fix since i would be upgrading both.

2-if neither are messed up it would mean the Aamco guys were not far off and it would cost me at least $1k.

so this is what i got my wife to agree too-if it's gonna cost me at least a grand either way, why not spend the extra money on a performabuilt which would rule out two of those components(torque converter and fwd hydraulic pump).:D i eventually got her to go for it, so if i can't find anything wrong during my visual inspect on monday, i get to buy an awesome new trans!! needless to say i don't think i'll find anything wrong on monday:D

so, Performabuilt guys, any specials these days? looking to keep it as close to $2000 as possible.:chug:

any inputs on Proline's 2500 powerglide and how it compares to performabuilts level 2 4L60E?

they are both comparably the same price but the powerglide is rated at
1150hp while the performabuilt is rated at 700hp. i'm guessing street drivability is the main difference?