I think that the noise that I am getting when the truck is idling is probably the flex plate rattling. How do you tighten it and check to see if the bolts are appropriately tightened. I have seen several threads saying to do this, but I can't find one saying how to go about doing it.

Thanks

 

have to drop the trans.......

Are you sure the plate isn't cracked?

 

Ick!!

what I have is a loud rattling noise that sounds sorta like a heat shield or something. It is there when I rev the engine in park, but it seems to go away when I rev the engine in neutral. I haven't really noticed it when I am in gear.

Oh yeah I also have noticed over the last couple of weeks that when in park there is a funny tick type noise. It doesn't speed up when I rev the engine. It might just be that I can't hear it when I rev the engine. I can't seem to figure out where the noise is coming from. I don't hear it the front of the engine.

Searching through the threads a loose flexplate was the only thing that seemed to fit the bill. I didn't realize that tightening it would require dropping the tranny.

I did do a tune up on it a couple of months ago. That was my first time changing wires and cap and button and such. It is not misfiring or anything, so I don't think that I did anything that would be causing all of this.

 

You can check the flexplate to tc bolt's by removing the inspection plate from the front of the tranny, but you will not be able to check the flexplate to crankshaft bolts unless you remove the tranny. Have you looked at the heatsheilds under the exhaust manifolds to make sure they are not the rattle?

Edit: Have you checked all your belt pulley's? IE water-pump, alt, power-steering, belt tensioner, harmonic balancer,

 

New belt and everything seems to be turning okay. In futzing around with it I noticed that the transmission going up to the radiator vibrate like crazy when I rev the engine in park, but are quite when in neutral. I can't tell what they are rubbing on that mightbe causing such a racket.

 

Good find, Have a look at the top bolt on the starter there is a tranny line clamp/bracket sort of that holds those line's in place. If those lines are vibrating bad they can wear/caffe through and that would not be good.

 

Thanks! first thing in the morning I'll pull it up on the ramps and take a look.

 

Checked the flexplate inspection cover for tightness?

 

I know that his sounds stupid, but I am not exactly sure where the darn thing is. I am assuming that hit is the plate at the front of the bell housing of the transmission and bumps up against the starter. If so it seems nice and tight. I checked all of the tranny line clips and they seem to be nice and tight. They still vibrate though.

Between the stress of the recent death of my last parent and the price of gas I am ready to let it go.

If you know of anyone down here in NC interested in a 2001 dodge ram 4x4 122,000 miles have them drop me a line.

 

Yep, that's the one. Just wanted to make sure you've ruled out the simple stuff.