2011 Dodge Caravan with 112k miles, starts sounding like my cummins dually when the AC is on. I check all the idlers and such, they all look good, sound is louder near the bellhousing. I pull off the inspection cover and it is so loud I'm afraid to put my head near the opening. Crack and a piece missing out of the flex plate visible from the inspection port...turns out this is a common problem. $550 later (would have been close to $1k at the dealer, and no way was I going to do this on my back, book says 5 to 8 hour job) I get my part. The shop said the replacement was thicker. This steel feels weird, hard to explain, I'm no metallurgical analyst, but WTF? The only thing that kept it in place axially was a large spacer that the crank bolts went thru, otherwise the small chunk (I put it back in the hole, hard to see in the pic) might have did some major damage. Bottom line is make an inspection of this part a regular thing to do when changing the oil, and take a look before your powertrain warranty expires. Just had a customer stop by with a 2015 who had his replaced at 62k mi. Jeeps and others with this same motor can have the same problem.
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OT: 3.6L dodge self destructing flex plates
- Thread starter tomjelly
- Start date
- Replies 18
- Views 13,489
I try to keep in mind that the goal of automakers is to build a vehicle just good enough to sell.
Flexplates are crazy complicated parts. Once you realize that a torque converter is a sheetmetal balloon and just how many tolerances can stack up and effect the area where the flexplate lives you really appreciate them.
Often times, the portions of the flexplate under the most dynamic stress are stress relieved through shot blasting after forming.
Flexplates are crazy complicated parts. Once you realize that a torque converter is a sheetmetal balloon and just how many tolerances can stack up and effect the area where the flexplate lives you really appreciate them.
Often times, the portions of the flexplate under the most dynamic stress are stress relieved through shot blasting after forming.
moonlight machine
Diamond
- Joined
- Nov 19, 2007
- Location
- marysville ohio
Notice the corners of the roughly square broken bit point at the torque converter stud holes. I bet a close examination would show the bellhousing face on the block is not 90 degrees to the crank centerline or the bellhousing face is not square to the shafts in the transmission. This will cause the flexplate to bend right where it is cracked. Dodge disease strikes again.
plastikdreams
Diamond
- Joined
- May 31, 2011
- Location
- upstate nj
Limy Sami
Diamond
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2007
- Location
- Norfolk, UK
Having over the years handled many different types of drive couplings (including a couple auto trans flex plates - not so common over here) my first thought was ''Something's out of alignment''
Mark Rand
Diamond
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2007
- Location
- UK Rugby Warwickshire
But why would the transmission need a flexible coupling if the alignment could be relied upon? It does beg the question of what is the alignment problem and why isn't the flexible coupling designed with a sufficient fatigue life.
moonlight machine
Diamond
- Joined
- Nov 19, 2007
- Location
- marysville ohio
I see very little rust
Dodge disease is more than rust. Endless strange maladies that seldom affect other brands. The flex plate for example not a common problem for other brands. Endless electrical problems are a Dodge issue. I go to fast food drive thrus too often, not uncommon to see someone trying to pay / collect the food by opening the door. 99% of the time a chrysler product.
Mark Rand
Diamond
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2007
- Location
- UK Rugby Warwickshire
Be fair, in Europe we have Renault, and before that we had British Leyland...
john.k
Diamond
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2012
- Location
- Brisbane Qld Australia
A "flex plate" is just a cheap ,nasty ,sheetmetal flywheel......somewhere to hang the ring gear,and stick the outer shell of the converter on.........systems without flex plates also have expensive failures.....the old Clark powershift had a micarta toothed ring,that couldnt hold bolt torque,and would fail at the most inopportune times....the ring cost $1000 in 1970....Borg Warner had a set of moulded rubber bushings that would disintegrate if oil got on the rubber.....and take out the converter with it.
sealark37
Stainless
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2010
- Location
- Davidson NC USA
Dodge has always been years ahead in engineering a concept, as well as years behind putting that concept on the road.
john.k
Diamond
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2012
- Location
- Brisbane Qld Australia
The OP was quite fortunate that the converter was held in alignment......a true failure would have wiped out the converter ,and front tranny components......and filled the whole tranny with metal........probably needing a donor car for economical repair............of course ,the ultimate donor car repair ,is to swap the plates.....not flex plates ,licence plates.
kustomizingkid
Titanium
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2010
- Location
- Minnesota
Definitely not a failure contained to one manufacturer... I have done them in almost every make.
Newman109
Diamond
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2006
Oh yes, I have fond memories of my former 70's MGB. The most fun was wiping the hydraulic fluid off my shoes every morning after driving to work. Then there was the '74 TR6......
ewlsey
Diamond
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2009
- Location
- Peoria, IL
This was a know issue on the older Dodge 4 bangers like those found in the Neon.
On those the center would break out and then wedge tight in a slightly different location. Since the crank position signal comes from the flex plate, you will get a cam/crank correlation code and a check engine light.
On those the center would break out and then wedge tight in a slightly different location. Since the crank position signal comes from the flex plate, you will get a cam/crank correlation code and a check engine light.
converterking
Stainless
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2004
- Location
- Kolding Denmark
High converter fill pressure will push the torque converter against the flexplate and cause early flexplate failure plus thrust bearing/ crankshaft thrust surface wear in the engine.
Oh...please. Dodge has some problems, so do ALL other makers. The flexplate cracked? That's better than filling up the trans with rainwater like Chevy's do, all because they were too dumb to divert it from the dipstick. Year after year.
I've never owned a Ford with seatbelts that didn't suck. Or power windows that didn't creak when they reached the top. Electrical issues? My current F-250 warns me every day with a loud chime that there is a problem with my trailer. Unfortunately, I don't have a trailer.
My wife's Mercedes SUV? Biggest piece of shit ever made. Even when it's not broken it drives like a donkey cart.
My Lexus was babied but still needed expensive-ass air struts every 50K miles.
It goes on and on. I don't wanna hear it.
I've never owned a Ford with seatbelts that didn't suck. Or power windows that didn't creak when they reached the top. Electrical issues? My current F-250 warns me every day with a loud chime that there is a problem with my trailer. Unfortunately, I don't have a trailer.
My wife's Mercedes SUV? Biggest piece of shit ever made. Even when it's not broken it drives like a donkey cart.
My Lexus was babied but still needed expensive-ass air struts every 50K miles.
It goes on and on. I don't wanna hear it.
Timboberonion
Plastic
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2016
Exactly right. Every vehicle is a piece of crap when it comes in my bay!
john.k
Diamond
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2012
- Location
- Brisbane Qld Australia
Not the little Jap pickups.....last Ford (Mazda) Courier 400,000ks ,current Ford (Thailand)pickup.....250,000ks.....replaced the head gasket once ,and cam belts and brake linings...at my leisure,not due to breakage.
