Cracked flex plate

MCourson · May 6, 2003

In the past few days my '94 has been knocking while in gear and at low RPMs. My uncle thinks it may be a cracked flex plate from how I described it to him. It runs fine in park but in any other gear with my foot on the brake it has a very noticeable, almost loud knocking sound. As I start to move the knock speed increases slightly with RPM but then stops and the engine runs fine. Do you guys think it is the flex plate? My uncles shop will do the work so I know they won't gouge me but how much of a hit in the wallet am I looking at? How long will this thing last before it causes major problems? Unfortuanately in HAS to last until friday afternoon which only includes a trip to school and back each day, 4 miles one way and never above 50 MPH.

mark w · May 6, 2003

have you checked your motor mounts?

MCourson · May 6, 2003

Checked them. Still in good shape. I guess I should have posted that because my uncle said it was either the mounts or the flex plate and the mounts turned out to be good.

Wingnut · May 6, 2003

Not that this will help much, but when I lived in San Diego, my 92 was making a similar noise. A mechanic told me (after listening to it, not looking at it) that it was the flex plate.

Turned out to be alternator bearings.

They would only make noises at certain loads, and wouldn't make any noise in park or neutral, no matter what the RPM's were.

Hard to tell where noises are coming from sometimes, aint it?

MCourson · May 6, 2003

Hard to tell where noises are coming from sometimes, aint it?

Yes it is. especially in my truck that is falling apart. I have another noise that has been finally narrowed down to the power steering pump. The noise I am hearing now is definatly coming from under the truck. I can here where it is coming from real good if I open the door and step one foot out while the other is on the brake. It is defintly coming from the area around the rear of the engine and front of the trans.