95 Impreza AT - flywheel clanking noise

[Remco]

Hi all

My daughter's 95 impreza started to make noise. Initially, I thought it
was related to the water pump but after some looking around I've
pinpointed it to the flywheel.
When she told me what it was doing, I pulled the car in the driveway,
noise and all - didn't seriously look at it until today. At this point
it won't crank. The starter turns but the belts do not.

Putting a socket on the crank pulley, the engine can be turned by hand.
Looking through the inspection hole, I see a thick gauge plate that
appears to be bolted to the flywheel. One of the bolts must have fallen
out because this plate is bent up in one spot - it must hit the case so
makes clanging noise.
On an automatic, what is this piece called? What is its function?
Any good links with pictures anywhere that might describe it all?
The engine has to come out for this, I take it? Would it need to be
lifted out all the way or can it just be pulled away from the
transmission?

Thanks!
Remco

 

[Michael Pardee]

Hi all

My daughter's 95 impreza started to make noise. Initially, I thought it
was related to the water pump but after some looking around I've
pinpointed it to the flywheel.
When she told me what it was doing, I pulled the car in the driveway,
noise and all - didn't seriously look at it until today. At this point
it won't crank. The starter turns but the belts do not.

Putting a socket on the crank pulley, the engine can be turned by hand.
Looking through the inspection hole, I see a thick gauge plate that
appears to be bolted to the flywheel. One of the bolts must have fallen
out because this plate is bent up in one spot - it must hit the case so
makes clanging noise.
On an automatic, what is this piece called? What is its function?
Any good links with pictures anywhere that might describe it all?
The engine has to come out for this, I take it? Would it need to be
lifted out all the way or can it just be pulled away from the
transmission?

Thanks!
Remco

It sounds like you are describing the torque converter. It will be bolted to
the flywheel at several (usually 4 pair) places, and if there is a bolt
missing it really needs to be replaced. If you can do that through the
inspection hole, more power to you!

Sometimes the flywheel will lose teeth (lack of proper dental care? Where
does the floss go, anyway?) and the starter will just spin. If that is the
problem there, it should crank normally now that you have moved the
flywheel. If the starter still makes a horrible metallic grating sound now
that it has new teeth to engage, suspicion falls on the starter. Some people
whack the starter with a hammer (no fooling!) to get it to work one more
time... and once more... when what it really needs is a good cleanout and
relubrication.

If the flywheel has lost teeth, the tranny will have to come off and the
flywheel will need repair or replacement (depending on whether it is easier
to get a whole flywheel from a wrecker or if the ring is available). The old
ring is heat fitted and is removed with a few blows with a cold chisel
between the teeth. The flywheel is laid flat on a workbench and the ring is
heated with a torch. The ring is then dropped over the flywheel and voila!
Unless the flywheel is actually one piece on that engine, of course.

Mike

 

[Remco]

It sounds like you are describing the torque converter. It will be bolted to
the flywheel at several (usually 4 pair) places, and if there is a bolt
missing it really needs to be replaced. If you can do that through the
inspection hole, more power to you!

Thanks, Mike.
So the flywheel and the torque converter are both part of the
transmission in this case? If I lift the engine out, I should have
access to it on the transmission side, right? I am used to the flywheel
being on the engine side so this is different, then?
I think the water pump also is on its way out as it appears to be
weeping. Will do that and the timing belt, etc as well.

Sometimes the flywheel will lose teeth (lack of proper dental care? Where
does the floss go, anyway?) and the starter will just spin. If that is the
problem there, it should crank normally now that you have moved the
flywheel. If the starter still makes a horrible metallic grating sound now
that it has new teeth to engage, suspicion falls on the starter. Some people
whack the starter with a hammer (no fooling!) to get it to work one more
time... and once more... when what it really needs is a good cleanout and
relubrication.

Haven't seen any floss, but did find a bolt that fell out of the
bottom (must belong to the torque converter).
I also took the starter out. It looks normal and certainly seems to
behave normally. There's a little hood on the starter. Is the gear on
this starter supposed to retract all the way into the starter (in other
words, not half way in the hood). I could take a pic to describe what I
just babbled, if it isn't clear
I think the bent up part of the torque converter is being banged
against something making noise and possibly stopping the engine from
turning properly.
If the torque converter is toast as described, would that cause the
crank to not turn?

If the flywheel has lost teeth, the tranny will have to come off and the
flywheel will need repair or replacement (depending on whether it is easier
to get a whole flywheel from a wrecker or if the ring is available). The old
ring is heat fitted and is removed with a few blows with a cold chisel
between the teeth. The flywheel is laid flat on a workbench and the ring is
heated with a torch. The ring is then dropped over the flywheel and voila!
Unless the flywheel is actually one piece on that engine, of course.

I have a Chilton manual but that doesn't cover very much at all. Do you
know of any sites or manuals that might be of use?

Thanks!
Remco

 

[Remco]

Just making sure this is clear: when I look into the inspection hole,
the mangled metal is on the engine side of the flywheel. That metal
piece is the torque converter, then?
Thanks!
Remco

 

[Remco]

A TC, any TC, cannot be bolted directly to an engine/crankshaft. The TC
bolts to the flexplate and the flexplate bolts to the crankshaft. This is
the only function of the flexplate. The TC fitment problem will become
clear to you when you separate the engine and transmission. The input
shaft is hollow and has a much smaller spined shaft. This "inner" splined
shaft is what drives the oil pump. If you remove the transmission without
the TC moving forward, you probably won't have a problem. If the TC
slides forward or you remove it completely, that small splined shaft will
usually come out of the transmission. What I have learned to do is to
take a measurement before the engine and transmission are separated.
just use the bellhousing as a reference point and note the distance
between it and the undisturbed TC. The potential problem is only 1/4".
If you discover the TC has moved forward about 1/4" this means that small
splined shaft has not fully engaged whatever it engages inside the
transmission Your only option is the twist and turn the TC until it
slides backward that 1/4" . The important point is if the transmission
and engine do not fully seat (no gap between the bellhousing and engine
block) then do not tighten any of the bellhousing bolts.

Thanks, John.
Sorry about asking the million questions but when I unbolt the engine
from the transmission, do I also have to unbolt this flexplate from the
TC going in through the inspection hole? (basically turn the crank,
unbolt, etc until all four are out)
Looking at the drawings, it looks like that's what I have to do.
The TC ideally stays in the transmission, do I have that right?

 

[johninKY]

That is correct. The flexplate will stay with the engine. Once the engine
is out and separated from the transmission you will see the bolts that hold
the flexplate to the crankshaft.

You stated in an earlier post the engine turns but the TC does not. It
also sounds like 3 of the 4 TC/flexplate bolts are still there. This
means the hub of the flexplate that bolts to the crankshaft has broken
free of the flexplate.

Keep the posts coming. I'd like to know how much damage you find.

 

[Remco]

That is correct. The flexplate will stay with the engine. Once the engine
is out and separated from the transmission you will see the bolts that hold
the flexplate to the crankshaft.

You stated in an earlier post the engine turns but the TC does not. It
also sounds like 3 of the 4 TC/flexplate bolts are still there. This
means the hub of the flexplate that bolts to the crankshaft has broken
free of the flexplate.

Keep the posts coming. I'd like to know how much damage you find.

Thanks - that makes sense, looking at the drawing.
I'll have to get my hands on an engine lift and will probably do the
serious work next week (I'm off that week). Will post here as to what's
going on.

 

[johninKY]

I noticed in another of your posting that the engine in this car had been
replaced. Dollars to doughnuts whoever did the work did not use the
correct torque on the flexplate bolts. A dab of Locktite and the correct
torque would have saved you a lot of work.

 

[Remco]

I noticed in another of your posting that the engine in this car had been
replaced. Dollars to doughnuts whoever did the work did not use the
correct torque on the flexplate bolts. A dab of Locktite and the correct
torque would have saved you a lot of work.

Yup - that had occurred to me as well.
Firestone is really batting a thousand, right?