Torque Converter Bolts and Tick Sounds

Science and Energy · **Joined:** Thu Mar 30, 2017 9:12 am **Posts:** 246

I have relatively low hours driving a CRD. I had a diesel before and I know they are noisy and have tick sounds inherently.
I sometimes notice a more pronounced ticking and it could match some of the conversations I have read about loose or damaged torque converter bolts. I didn’t find any good references about checking them. I know there exists (have looked for it) a rubber cover access port. If this is removed is it as simple as sticking a wrench in and checking to see if they are torqued down? How many are there?

Has anyone had a tick sound and either retorqued the bolts or replaced their torque converter (retorqued in replacement process) causing the sound to lessen or go away?

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Fri Jan 04, 2019 3:34 pm

Science and Energy wrote:

I have relatively low hours driving a CRD. I had a diesel before and I know they are noisy and have tick sounds inherently.
I sometimes notice a more pronounced ticking and it could match some of the conversations I have read about loose or damaged torque converter bolts. I didn’t find any good references about checking them. I know there exists (have looked for it) a rubber cover access port. If this is removed is it as simple as sticking a wrench in and checking to see if they are torqued down? How many are there?

Has anyone had a tick sound and either retorqued the bolts or replaced their torque converter (retorqued in replacement process) causing the sound to lessen or go away?

To "get at" the TC bolts there are two ways:
1) Remove the starter and access them through the starter opening.
-----or------
2) There is a rectangular silicone plug just above and slightly inboard of the starter that allows access to the torque converter to flexplate bolts, without having to pull the starter.

If the TC / flexplate bolts are truly loose, I believe they would be making a lot of noise.

A few other items to check that can make excess noise on this engine are:
1) Serpentine Belt jumping or bouncing, especially at idle speeds.
---Can be caused by a bad alternator overdrive pulley or a weak serpentine belt tensioner and / or a combination of the two of them. Replace both if this is found to be the issue.
2) Harmonic balancer pulley going bad; the rubber bonding can become loose or the 4 bolts holding it to the crankshaft become loose which can allow the pulley to rattle at times. (front crankshaft pulley)
3) A "Ticking" sound can also be indicative of a small exhaust leak. May be louder when you first start engine up, but grows weaker as engine warms up.
4) Engine mounts bad. This engine has a type of hydraulic mount that can go bad and rattle really bad. Can sound like a loose bolt in a tin can when shaken. :juggle:

Let us know what you find! :wink:

GordnadoCRD · **Posted:** Fri Jan 04, 2019 11:46 pm

Flash pretty much covered everything.

If you don't have an overhead creeper for accessing the silicone rubber plug hole, the plug can be removed from over the left fender, with better access with the battery and tray removed.

Once you have the plug out, if you see any loose TC bolts, I accessed mine by removing the outer grille cover and the left headlight assembly. Long extension through the headlight opening.

vwroad87 · **Posted:** Sat Jan 05, 2019 1:34 am

When I R&R'd my transmission I was shocked at the PITA the TC bolts where to remove. I opted to remove the starter. It was the only way I could see to move the TC into each bolt position for removal. I was expecting to see a access plate on the bottom of the transmission bell housing but I guess that's not "Trail Rated".

As for TC bolts, I've rebuilt tons of transmissions and really have never seen any this small. If yours are loose at all they wouldn't be for long, too much power it transferred and the strength comes from the pressure between surfaces and not the shank of the bolt i.e. they would shear right off.

pulsenpal · **Joined:** Sun Aug 05, 2018 9:53 am **Posts:** 42

30 years ago I drove a Peugeot 504 diesel when it emitted an unpleasant

noise and stalled--motor running
so--I dropped the rear axle, solid drive shaft--no u-joint or spider--
moved back tranny and confirmed fragmented torque plate --bolts were just fine

torque plate of crd is more robust and unlikely to do this--
I concur with vwroad87--smallish and few fasteners in this vehicle binding engine to tc

TKB4 · **Posted:** Wed Jan 09, 2019 8:52 am

gordnadoCRD don't insult WWDiesel like that :juggle:

TKB4 · **Posted:** Wed Jan 09, 2019 8:58 am

to answer one of the original questions there are 4 torque converter bolts

GordnadoCRD · **Posted:** Wed Jan 09, 2019 5:31 pm

TKB4 wrote:

gordnadoCRD don't insult WWDiesel like that :juggle:

Woops!

Torque Converter Bolts and Tick Sounds

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