Need to drop tranny?

[PFFlier]

I'm trying to fix my son in law's 92 Pathfinder. This is the same one that I did the headgasket and timing belt a month or so ago. It started with some occational tapping which came and went. It later became a banging noise and we had to toe it home. It sounds like it is coming from the bell housing and could be a loose or cracked flex plate or loose bolts on the torque converter. It is hard to tell where the sound is really coming from for sure. When you run it (parked) and change thru the gears it seems to do it in all gears, but the sound isn't constant and its like the varying load causes someting to start flopping around in there. Sometimes when you start it up it sound almost fine. Give it a little gas then it gets banging/clattering even when you drop it to idle.

 

Does anyone know if you can look through the starter hole to see if the flex plate or torque converter are loose? Or maybe feel throught the hole with your hand? I't like to get some verification of the problem before going through the hassle of dropping the tranny.

 

Does anybody know if there is a well documented tranny removal with pics or video? I do have the factory manual PDF files already but the troubleshooting they give is more for things not working or slipping, not sounding like they are going to fall apart!

[madhornet]

remove starter

then there is a bracket that the starter went through that has 2 bolts into the block

once u remove it it will give u enough axcess to the flex plate bolts (4)

i recommend getting new ones as they are prolly all ready damaged

also thread lock them in

 

i had this happen to me 3 times till i put new ones in then it lasted for good

[Kingman]

From the other thread - yes you can tighten the bolts from the starter hole. You have to. Alignment of the torque converter bosses is done by feel, with a philips screwdriver. Spin the torque converter until you can feel the boss touch the tip of the screwdriver, then slowly work the tip into the hole. After that you take great caution not to move anything the slightest bit and thread the bolts in. They are 14MM, and are very short. Easiest way is to lean over the fender and reach down into there with your hand. There's usually only enough room for your fingertips to feel what's going on. I highly suggest getting the support brace and oil filter out of the way.

 

I doubt they are loose unless someone has tampered with the transmission before. They are torqued down to an astronomical amount from the factory. Same with the front differential carrier, which, needs to be removed for the transmission to come out if it comes down to it.

Edited January 12, 2011 by Kingman

[Precise1]

Same with the front differential carrier, which, needs to be removed for the transmission to come out if it comes down to it.

The front diff needs to be removed to drop the tranny?? That is incorrect...

 

B

[adamzan]

The front diff needs to be removed to drop the tranny?? That is incorrect...

 

B

X2 When I helped 4x4path94 do his we did not remove the front diff.

[Kingman]

The carrier, not the differential. Made things a lot easier.

[Precise1]

 

B