Give me your opion...(flywheel and missing teeth)

[broncoman6524]

My flywheel is missing some teeth.. so every once in a while it makes grinding noises when starting and sometimes the starter wont catch b/c theres no teeth to catch on to. This is pretty damn embaressing. (especialy when your driving chicks around)

What would you do? replace the flywheel or what? The problem is getting worse, used to be once a month now im down to atleast once every 2 days

 

[vortec]

this isn't the easy way to go, but yeah, replacing it is best. you think it's embarrassing when it makes some noise, wait for the embarrassment of it not starting at all. it will need to be swapped enventually anyway. better sooner than later, imo. my friend's car broke the teeth off of about 1/8 of the dif ring gear, and at a light, it just happened to rotate so that the pinion was in the dead spot . i got out and shoved the car until the teeth grabbed. then, he stopped, i hopped in, and he tried not to stop again all the way to his house. now that's pretty lame. you don't want to be like that, do you? ha

 

[b454rat]

Just put a new ring gear on it. I have a 454 and a 400 flywheel, and both have new gears on them. Can even do it yourself.

 

[broncoman6524]

ring gear? you mean like the outer teeth part? i didnt know they came apart!

 

[b454rat]

Are you talking flywheel or flexplate?? Flywheel is standard trans, flexplate is auto. You can replace the gear on a flywheel, but not a flexplate. Flexplates are cheap, you can get an SFI for $50 thru Summit.

 

[broncoman6524]

sorry ya i meant flexplate. Do certain plates go with certain trannys? IE a 350 w a th400 needs a diff plate than a 350 w/700r4

 

[jekquistk5]

My truck is doing this as well... I have all the parts to fix it...

 

[70jimmy]

Definately replace the flexplate.

Also a little trick I was told about that I wouldn't have thought of. Drop the transfer case and use long bolts in the bottom 2 holes of the trans mount to the motor and slide the trans back, replace the flexplate and just slide the trans back to the motor and bolt it back up. Works like a charm. Made too much sense for me to think about.

If you have enough room I have even heard of people leaving the trans and t case connected just support with jacks underneath.