Flex Plate Auto Transmission

JKRicky

Member
Wanted to share this in case someone else encounters this problem or noise. I have a 2014 JK Rubicon Automatic with 104k miles. (Of course just past my 100k powertrain warranty).

Couple weeks back, I began to notice a “ticking” sound which for some reason sounded like it was on the passenger side of the motor. Just figured it was the normal loud lifters in the JK or maybe a failing rocker bearing.

It started to get louder which made it easier to track down to the bottom side of the motor. It was loud now and sounded like a hard “knocking” and at this point didn’t sound good at all and feared the worst.

After some more digging underneath and using a stethoscope, was able to pinpoint it to the bell housing.

You can see inside by removing the two small round rubber pieces on the bottom, removing a small plate on the passenger side of bell housing (one bolt) or removing the starter (three bolts)

The dealer had replaced the torque converter several months back so I was thinking maybe a bolt backed out and was hitting or just loose. You can get a socket on the flex plate bolts that connect to the torque converter if you remove the starter and use a sockets to turn the crank from the front of the motor to rotate it.

All bolts were still tight so I had to keep digging. I was able to get a small camera inside and long and behold I saw this.

IMG_8694.JPG

IMG_8688.JPG

The flex plate was cracked at the center where it bolts up to the crank on the motor side.

I was surprised at the noise this crack can make and really sounded like a knocking rod.

So if you get this noise underneath, don’t freak out yet, it could be this!!

Hope this helps. I’ll try and add a video of the sound it was making.






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Bear_JT

Hooked
Wow that’s crazy. Your luck you were able to find that instead of looking into and tearing everything on the motor apart.


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JKRicky

Member
Wow that’s crazy. Your luck you were able to find that instead of looking into and tearing everything on the motor apart.


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Yeah I definitely didn’t want to tear into it and drop the transmission without having a good idea on the problem. I was def relieved it was this though and nothing inside the motor or transmission. $50 part but it’s just a pain to get too.


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Noble Woodsman

New member
Any chance this was caused by the dealer's work on the torque converter? The first pic almost looks like the bolt on the flex plate might have been over torqued.


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JKRicky

Member
Any chance this was caused by the dealer's work on the torque converter? The first pic almost looks like the bolt on the flex plate might have been over torqued.


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I had the same thought but the work was done about a year prior so wasn’t going to hold my breath. I did call dealer and they would only cover the work if it was the torque converter specifically that was bad. With that info, wasn’t worth the hassle.


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