Flexplate replacement - any advice?

[napstermike]

Flexplate replacement - any advice? now with a pic!

goint to dive into a flexplate replacement due to the ticking noise from the bottom rear of the engine. gonna do the rear main seal since im there. i have read a few things around saying just to separate the trans from engine. any helpful advise from anyone that has done this? ive been wrenching subarus for 16 years so i know my way around a hammer! haha. thanks for any advise in advance.

 

[rjaudi]

When does your make the noise and how noticeable is it? Mine makes this slight noise when it is in gear and I am stopped idling. Sounds like it is coming from the bottom rear of the engine. It has bothered me for the past 80k miles.

 

[napstermike]

same time as mine. idling and at a stop. started as a faint ticking noise. getting a little louder as time goes on. i dont really drive it that far. maybe 50 miles a week.

 

[rjaudi]

Well great, let me know how your replacement goes. I am replacing my front and rear axles now so I will take a look at the inspection plate when I pull the front diff. I read you could just pull the trans back like 8 inches and do the plate that way.

 

[agloukhoff]

I seriously would not touch it until you absolutley have to.

Follow the guides that deal with removing the engine:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/104654-5vz-fe-removal.html

They go into great detail in what you need to do to seperate the trans from the engine.

Also, if I were you and your timing belt etc was getting close to needing to be replaced - frankly I'd go the extra 3 or 4 steps and just yank the engine out and do all the work you could ever want on it once it's on a stand.

Once you've seperated the trans from the engine - you've done the hardest part of the removal anyway.

 

[theizzardking]

i think i had this before, but am unsure as to what exactly was causing it as i had it fixed by the dealership a number of years ago, the way it was explained to me was it had something to do with the connection between the bendix of the starter and the flywheel, mine almost sounded like a card in a bicycle spole or something after xxxxxx's of miles, i got it fixed for i think it was around $800 (around 2002) and then it broke again about 2008 or so and i just said the heck with it and drove it as it was as the dealer said it wouldn't hurt anything but was just annoying to put up with.....

 

[napstermike]

i dont really want to do it. i have a trip planned to vermont next week and i dont want to be left stranded when it breaks for good. i have already done the t/b, water pump, radiator, hoses, filters, plugs, wires, tentioner and pulleys. so if it was doing that before hand, i would have just pulled the motor. darn. my parts are in at the toyota dealer so i will be starting the project wed morning. ill let you know how it goes! thanks

 

[nissanh]

Flex plate is bolted to the crank and I do not think it is these bolts that are lose. I might remove the bottom cover and inspect the bolts attached to the converter. I suppose these bolts can get lose.

Wonder you can push the trans 8 inches back because of the levers attached to the trans. I might lower it a bit, but still a big job. Hope you have some support. IS yours 4x4? Man that trans is heavier then the engine!

 

[napstermike]

well, i'm glad I bought a new flexplate and replaced the old one!

 

[EuroFreak]

Old post I know but curious how this replacement went and if its still holding up with the new flex plate. Contemplating doing this myself as well.