Flex plate spins freely?

dac44444 · **Posted:** Tue Oct 16, 2012 5:24 pm

My motor made a slight racket and I shut it down. When I tried to restart it would only spin? I thought my starter solenoid went so I pulled the starter. The starter is fine, my flywheel spins freely like it is not connected to the crank shaft? I am not sure what happened? Any ideas greatly appreciated? I should say flex plate instead of fly wheel.

CATCRD · **Posted:** Tue Oct 16, 2012 6:39 pm

Sounds like your flexplate to crankshaft bolts sheared off or the plate broke and it's just spinning with the torque converter.

Glend · **Posted:** Tue Oct 16, 2012 11:38 pm

Can you turn the motor over by hand from the front crank bolt?

dac44444 · **Posted:** Wed Oct 17, 2012 9:50 am

Yes I am able to turn the motor over by hand.

LMWatBullRun · **Posted:** Wed Oct 17, 2012 4:19 pm

When you do, does the flex plate move? Can you feel any interference with the flex plate?

dac44444 · **Posted:** Wed Oct 17, 2012 5:04 pm

No, I am able to move either independently? I am almost convinced the crankshaft is broke?

Glend · **Posted:** Wed Oct 17, 2012 5:50 pm

That would be a pretty rare event. These engines were originally designed (lower end) as stationary powerplants and marine engines; they are very strong in the bottom end. Before you go an spend money or time to take things apart, why not use a LED light flexible inspection camera to have look at the flexplate mount and hub (you can go in through the torque converter bolt window (and you alread you have the starter off). You might have to use the little right angle mirror that comes with some of the cameras. If that flexplate connection looks ok, I'd suggest draining the oil and putting the inspection camera into the lower end through the oil drain hole (there is one in the front of the oil pan that has a hex head plug in it - that can be used as well).

I bought a cheap inspection camera that has been a real time saver on a number of jobs. It's great for lining up cam lock and timing belt flexplate holes, checking the bottom of the airbox hose, findling dropped nuts and bolts, etc etc.

CATCRD · **Posted:** Wed Oct 17, 2012 6:24 pm

There are only 4 little bolts that hold the flexplate to the torque converter. If you remove those and the flexplate falls down, there's your problem. Either way, you're going to be dropping the transmission to fix this, so you might as well do that now and start ordering parts.

dac44444 · **Posted:** Wed Oct 17, 2012 8:37 pm

I can see in the starter hole that the flex plate is tight against the crank and see nor feel any gap. My warranty expired in August it only has 67k miles. The nearest dealer is 60 miles away, he says bring it in and he will see about getting some goodwill from Chrysler. So I will round up a trailer and haul it up Tommorow and see what he can do? Thanks, I will post follow up later.

Miyanovich · **Posted:** Wed Oct 17, 2012 9:47 pm

I just went through the same thing this year. The original flexplate bolts are nothing special, and definitely were not cranked in with something smart, like blue locktite. High RPM activity back two of the bolts out, almost completely, and the other two sheared off. The flexplate could be spun around like a carnival wheel. Had the flexplate, hub, and bolts replaced. Blue Loctite.

I had the same crankshaft fear. The reality is that it would take a hell of a lot to break the crankshaft. I'll put my money on the poopy Chrysler Flexplate Hub Bolts. Check that hub and make sure that those holes havent been worn into egg shapes. That happened to me. You will need to completely replace the hub, if so.

I know your pain, brother.

Good news: it's a simple fix. Just time consuming.

~M~

Flex plate spins freely?

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