88 Cherokee Piston Slap? Nope, Cracked Flexplate

Could be loose bolts wallowed out the flex plate holes allowing the TC to walk back & forth a bit- I looked for that in the earlier videos but did not see it.

 

Duh! The video wasn't Fockers'.

 

Ok...I saw those due to the flexplate cover being off. I can easily get to them, but they're tight. If I jerk on them, I can create the sound I get from rocking the crank pulley.

So what next...?

Remove the drive lines, the transmission cross member and drop? I've never pulled a transmission before.

 

1st step- buy/beg/borrow/steal a FSM.

 

X3

This is what i do at work. Soooo much easier when im standing under the vehicle...
Ive got a fsm i think for a cherokee too. Ill see what year it is tomorrow

 

My wife's giving me a hard time for trying to get it going so quickly. She is was hoping it would drag out for months.

 

Today's research:

I cleaned the flexplate with brake cleaner to inspect for cracks. What I found is the inner collar (which probably has about 6-ish bolts) doesn't seem to be "one" with the larger plate. If I hold a wrench on the crank and another wrench on any of the 4 flexplate to torque converter bolts, and move either one of the wrenches (as if tightening the bolts) the flexplate moves, knocks, then the collar moves too. It works in both directions.

Maybe the collar is perfectly cracked along its circumference where it mates with the flexplate? Shouldn't they be one piece?

 

sounds like your getting closer to figuring it out - now off I go to learn about flexplates. Never touched an automatic transmission.

 

There is a collar so to speak, almost like a big washer that the bolts all go thru. That and the flexplate should not move in relation to each other. If the flexplate moves a hair and that collar doesnt you have something going on with the flexplate.
Ive seen a few minivans lately with cracked flexplates and they are cracked all the way around. But the way they are sandwiched in there it will still spin the torque convertor.

 

She thinks that I'm most happy when I have a project like this to work on...But now that you mention it, she did bring up wanting a Mac Book because her HP laptop is acting up.

My wife doesn't ask for much...Never has. I could get her whatever she wants 3 times over and it wouldn't come close to what I have spent on tools, guns, guitars, cars... I better stop just in case she were to see this.

 

Did you mean to say "not"? Because then you say...

I totally get the sandwiched concept. I think mine might be like what happened in the picture you posted. I'm actually hoping for it...Then I know it's not a larger problem.

Next plan is a tranny drop.

 

Yes, the collar and flex plate should not move seperatly. Once the crank bolts are tight they basicly become one.

 

I'm going to use my motorcycle/ATV jack and some hope.