1996 Exlorer V8 AWD - flywheel turns motor does not

[grade_t]

2 days prior to the horrible clanking noise from the engine area, this vehicle was vibrating badly at idle up to about 10mph. Ok at 30mph. Also, metalic flapping sound past few weeks, loose bolt at exhaust is what I was thinking. Then one nite, on a surface street, all of a sudden, hard clanking from within the engine. Engine stopped power steering went out. Coasted to a stop, and the CEL did not come on. Tried to start the engine, could hear the starter gear turning but sounded like it was not engaging the FW.

Replaced the starter (with a unit which I personally inspected to insure correct operation), ensured the flywheel does turn by pulling off the cover (no shavings or metal parts to be seen there), however, the engine pulleys and balancer at front of vehicle just barely move. Connected another vehicle to the battery of the Exlorer to give a bit more current at startup, issue persists.

Im thinking:

timing chain broke
flywheel bolts sheered off
crankshaft broke

Any input is welcome....

 

[5.0B2]

if the balancer is not moving and the flywheel/flexplate does, it's not the timing chain. More likely the center of the flexplate broke out or crankshaft broken at some point. of those two the flexplate is the most likely component.

 

[grade_t]

yeah, flexplate blues

Hi,

thank you very much for the excellent tips. After further reading, it looks like several others have experienced the:

1. metallic flapping clicking noise
2. engine vibration

that would be coincident with a failed flexplate.

Since removing the transmission is required, I wont even begin to dream of doing this repair, but at least Ive got a better idea what is involved if I pay somebody to do it.

 

[Turdle]

I just happen to have a 98 flex plate laying around. Let me find it and you can have it.
Call me a hoarder but I just knew this would be needed some day.

I have stored it inside. It is perfectly fine. You can have it ----if you pay shipping and strongly consider supporting the site

Send me a private message if interested.

 

[grade_t]

re: free part

Hi Turdle,

thank you very much for the extremely generous offer. Im weighing my options at the moment, looks like the transmission will definitely have to come off to repair this flexplate/spacer issue (if thats what is truly wrong with my vehicle).

As I dont work on cars for a living, its a daunting task to attempt this myself since I dont have the space, tools, or years of experience.

Easier you say to just leave it to a pro ? Yes, however, I would love to save $500-700 in labor charges if possible.

It would appear removing a transmission is quite a process and requires full access from below, I cant pull that off in my driveway.

 

[grade_t]

flywheel replace - tools needed

ok after checking around with various mechanics and with a couple of informed friends, Im starting to wonder if I cant do this myself.

So - wondering if anyone can chime in with tips and tools needed.

I dont have a lift but do have a jack and stands. Can buy some tools but dont want to interrupt the job to get more. Have crescents, 1/2 Craftsmen kit, tons of various screwdrivers, and many more hand tools.

Im told a fairly long socket extension may be needed to access the top of the transmission.

Guess I will need a few buckets to hold fluids, rags, and what else ?

TIA to all for this awesome forum, cant wait to drive my car again.

 

[grade_t]

BUT - if flexplate is all that is bad, why wont it start

thinking on this problem a bit more, the failure of the flexplate strikes me as irrelevant to why this vehicle wont start. Shouldnt this failure only keep the vehicle from moving and have nothing to do with its ability to start ?

 

[Turdle]

no
if it is broken from the crank shaft the starter is not turning the engine.

 

[Rudy602]

Maybe you're right about hiring someone - just kidding - glad to hear you're at least considering doing it yourself, the flex plate's job is to provide a connection between the crankshaft and the ring gear which is what the gear on your starter engages when you turn the key. The ring gear is the toothed edge circumference of the flex plate and the crankshaft is bolted to the inner center of the flexplate. If you had a standard transmission, you would have a flywheel with the ring gear on it, but with an automatic, you need something to hold the ring gear. [as well as an attachment for the torque converter]

 

[grade_t]

bell housing cracked

it's true - at the starter about 4 inches diagonally.
Crack appears to be ONLY at starter housing.

Not sure if crack happened before or after ( breakdown on surface street )

The flexplate is def bad but now this

Can I just R and R the plate and fix the bell housing later ?

anyone here think I can limp along even if I do replace the bad flexplate ?

Otherwise - I'm fairly down for now

 

[joe doe]

bell housing should be aluminum .find someone that can tig weld with aluminum and it can be welded .then just replace your flexplate.

 

[grade_t]

awesome tip about TIG welding

thank you Joe Doe ! This may save me alot of time and money, I read up a bit on the TIG process.

The flexplate is defintely AFU slides with finger touch. Could the loose flexplate be cause to crack the bell housing ? The car was vibrating HARD last two days before it conked out.

 

[grade_t]

how to remove the torque converter so that welder can get clear access ?
TIA to all

a weld and a replaced flexplate should fix this !

 

[jimmyfloyd]

I know this isn't a V8, but this is the cracked flexplate in my 95 4.0 Sport:

You can see where it is cracked clean around the center piece. The starter would not start the vehicle, just whirrr because it uses the teeth on the flexplate to turn the motor over. Since the outside of the plate is no longer in contact with the inner, it just spun.

I removed the trans in my driveway, but had a heck of a time with the exhaust. If planning this yourself, start soaking the exhaust manifold to y-pipe bolts with PB Blaster. I couldn't get mine, and got the trans out without removing it, but it was 100x more difficult.

Also, there is an access panel under the center console that makes getting the top transmission bolts off easier. requires splitting the carpet, but it is covered by the console anyways.

I found a motorcycle jack to be a useful tool when dropping the trans as well. You will also want to get your truck up high enough so that you can lower the trans and slide it out.

 

[grade_t]

Mine looks similar ! The vibrating was due mostly to cracked bell housing
Yes - I used the awesome PB BLASTER makes quick work of testy bolts and nuts

How do you upload pics here

 

[grade_t]

pics of repaired transmission housing

Thanks to all for the awesome help on this forum. As of yesterday, I was able to get the cracked bell housing repaired, see pics in this URL:

http://s1034.photobucket.com/albums/a425/mercnuts/1996 Ford Explorer AWD problems/


Also, just bought the replacement Pioneeer FRA-214 flexplate, but it is amazingly underweight (at least to my semi-educated eyes).

Now, to put it all back together without a hitch.

This flexplate part is barely thicker than a pizza oven tin, why the heck does such crap ever see the production line ? The part looks like somebody bought some aluminum foil and stomped on it a dozen times. Geez, unbelieveable, makes me want to slap a Ford executive daily.

 

[joe doe]

how much did it cost to get it welded?that was a big,big crack,wow.almost fell apart on ya i see.you must have taken a bottom hit or something.

 

[explorinitup]

my 96 4.0 broke apart around the crank. i just replaced it about 85 bucks and a good weekend

 

[grade_t]

Hey Joe,

$120 to weld here in West Los Angeles. We'll see soon how robust that weld actually is, but it looks very competent to my eyes. Yeah, it did nearly crack off !

Fortunately, the welder I used has pictures where he has repaired even that level of damage.

I didnt realize what was actually making the "vibrating noise" until I rolled the tranny on a custom made dolly I have, over a semi-rough concrete floor. Only then did the specific sound reoccur. It was the exact sound I heard the couple days prior to the vehicle's breakdown. The sound of the bellhousing "chunk" flapping in the breeze.

Also, my flexplate did tear apart, very similiar to JimmyFloyd's pic above, but the flexplate evidently did NOT touch the interior of the bellhousing / or contribute to its cracking. SO, in the end, Im not sure what started this crack. Considering the sardine can construction of some of the interior components - its now amazing to me that the thing runs at all.


Used three jacks to reinstall the tranny/transfer case, all bolted in, still need to complete the exhausts, and a few other tasks, should be tonite, this baby will roll again.

 

[Rudy602]

flexplate issues

I know this isn't a V8, but this is the cracked flexplate in my 95 4.0 Sport:

You can see where it is cracked clean around the center piece. The starter would not start the vehicle, just whirrr because it uses the teeth on the flexplate to turn the motor over. Since the outside of the plate is no longer in contact with the inner, it just spun.

I removed the trans in my driveway, but had a heck of a time with the exhaust. If planning this yourself, start soaking the exhaust manifold to y-pipe bolts with PB Blaster. I couldn't get mine, and got the trans out without removing it, but it was 100x more difficult.

Also, there is an access panel under the center console that makes getting the top transmission bolts off easier. requires splitting the carpet, but it is covered by the console anyways.

I found a motorcycle jack to be a useful tool when dropping the trans as well. You will also want to get your truck up high enough so that you can lower the trans and slide it out.

Any ideas on what causes the flexplate to fail? [Besides the fact that they're made of tin foil] A friend had his replaced about 6 mos. ago and now it's making similar noises - uh-oh. He said the mechanic said he must have been towing something heavy but he hadn't. Torque converter?