Bellhousing Clanging

[Bodog]

I have a '94 Explorer Limited, 4.0, Automatic. A few months ago I noted a light clanging sound every once in a while from under the truck. Over the months the clanging has become evident more often until now it is there almost all the time. The truck is normal in all ways except for the clanging. Today a mechanic listened and said the sound was coming from the bellhousing. Hmmm. He said he thinks it may be a bolt coming loose and hitting on something. Perhaps one of the bolts that attaches the flywheel to the torque converter. If he is correct he thinks he may be able to tighten the bold through the starter motor opening. Has anyone had this this problem before? Any comments or suggestions?

 

[Oknut]

If the bolt came lose ones it will come lose again. Have you ever seen how small the opening is where the starter is ? he better have some small hands. Why not take the starter off and make sure that it is a bolt, it could be something worse, you never know.

good luck

 

[Bodog]

Originally posted by Bodog
I have a '94 Explorer Limited, 4.0, Automatic. A few months ago I noted a light clanging sound every once in a while from under the truck. Over the months the clanging has become evident more often until now it is there almost all the time. The truck is normal in all ways except for the clanging. Today a mechanic listened and said the sound was coming from the bellhousing. Hmmm. He said he thinks it may be a bolt coming loose and hitting on something. Perhaps one of the bolts that attaches the flywheel to the torque converter. If he is correct he thinks he may be able to tighten the bold through the starter motor opening. Has anyone had this this problem before? Any comments or suggestions?

Update on problem. We found that the starter solenoid had vibrated loose, actually losing one of the attach bolts, allowing the starter gear to move to the point of hitting the flex plate. That was causing the light clanging. We replaced the starter and all is well. There was no damage to the flex plate.

[Edited by Bodog on 12-08-2000 at 12:06 PM]