Need Help Diagnosing Strange (read bad) noise from around bell housing.

[66horse]

Ok here is the deal.

Go out and start up the Bronco and there is a bad noise coming from around where the Torque Converter and Flexplate Matchup.

What it sounds like is something rattling around in the bellhousing behind the flexplate OR like the starter gear not retracting and getting tossed around by the flexplate. BUT I dont think it is either of these.

And here is what is weird for me. If I put it in reverse, the sound totally goes away. I can then put it in park and still no noise. But as soon as I put it in drive again, the noise is back. The noise is not rhytmic I dont think... seems mopre random.


Any ideas? One worry I have is that a bolt has back out the holds the bellhousing to the tranny. This happened to me in the past but with no noise... but came out far enough to bind torque converter and keep engine from even turning over.

BTW - 5.0 and C4

Appreciate any help.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[Steve]

Drop the inspection cover on the bottom and you can look inside.

 

[66horse]

Drop the inspection cover on the bottom and you can look inside.

I have done that... cant see anything causing it. Laid under there and watched while buddy shifted from reverse to drive with noise coming and going.....

sounds like I will be dropping the tranny to try to figure it out.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[Yellow75]

Pull the starter, 100 bucks says the actuator return spring (whatever it's really called) is broken and isn't pulling the actuator back in. I had the same thing but it would only show it's horns when getting on it. It would bounce off the flywheel making a hellacious racket.

 

[70EB]

Pull the starter, 100 bucks says the actuator return spring (whatever it's really called) is broken and isn't pulling the actuator back in. I had the same thing but it would only show it's horns when getting on it. It would bounce off the flywheel making a hellacious racket.

Had the same noise on mine when I put the C4 in. Starter was still hitting the flexplate randomly. Horrible racket. I got a shim at a local autoparts place (Help isle) and it fixed the problem.

 

[bax]

Check the torque converter connection to the flex plate. One of the bolts/nuts may be loose and hitting the motor plate. It's an easy check. Good luck

 

[SteveL]

Make sure your exhaust hanger didn't come loose and shift the pipe near the tranny. It will also get that rattling sound and only in 1 direction depending on motor rotation. Probably one of the above but would suck to pull it out and still have the noise.

 

[cmud]

Check end play in your crank, I just had the same thing, my crank would move forward thus causing the flexplate to hit the engine guard. I hope yours is something easier, I had to put a new crank and bearings in mine.