My 2003 4runner is at the Toyota dealership right now with a ticking sound in the bell housing where the flex plate it located. my starter is screeching and making a clunk noise on every start the last dozen times i started it. I thought it was the AC being on and causing a struggle during starting but it was the transmission all along (starter and trans struggling together).
They want to remove the transmission to check for flex plate cracking. That rapid ticking/clicking noise is 9.5 times out of 10 known by master mechanics there to be a cracked flex plate, which cracks, then deforms slightly and begins touching on a nearby object. they said even more so if someone brings in a car with a starter briefly shrieking on startup, followed by that ticking noise in the bell housing. They said its most definitely a flex plate, especially with my millage.
Toyota charged me $1778.17 just to remove trans. Then they'll check the front pump for play, flex plate for cracking, check to see if dowel pins are present for proper alignment of bell housing and then see what needs or doesn't need fixing. I requested they check my torque convertor and advise on its condition (they check pieces from the TC that can break off and end up resting in bell housing or filter, if none are present they inspect it and pass or fail it) .
They dont think my starter is going out just yet, but they say its a possibility. They more so think the starter is operating normally and the gear of the flex plate might be worn after all these years and that shrieking is the gears missing each other but just enough to start. The ticking sound appears there right after during idle. I have 284,307 miles on my 2003 4runner SR5 v6 (4th gen) so they said they strongly think thats the part and since that might be it, they will check what else may have caused that such as other play in the parts and heat warping over high miles collectively.
If you hear a ticking or rapid tapping sound in the transmission, you can count on it being a cracked or worn flex plate. if its accompanied by a starting sound, its almost a sure thing its the flex plate.
