I have a 2000 Cherokee, which I just put a new engine in. After starting it I immediately noticed a clanking sound from the bell housing. The noise is definitely metal on metal, increase with RPM's, at idle speed is about twice a second and is louder on the driver side. The sound is not in the engine or in the transmission, just the bell housing. The flex plate bolts are torqued correctly and the dust shield is clear of any obstruction. I also pulled the starter, and it appears to be working correctly.
I took the jeep to the dealer to have the camshaft positioning sensor set and they looked into the noise, but did not have any useful info. The sound has faded a little but after 40 miles of driving between home and different "knowledgeable friends", but has not gone away. Any help would be appreciated

In my f250 I didnt know that you couldnt just crank down on the flex plate bolts. Its need .005 i think? anyway it needs the little play just because nothing is ever perfect and not ever round. In my case it made a noise kinda like what you are describing, I just figured it would wear itself in like a new pair of brakes. WRONG, needed to replace the trans pump. I hope that in your case it isnt anything but it is easy enough to recheck the torque.
Good Luck, Jeremy

When I had it at the dealers they checked the torque on the flex plate bolts and said they were correct. The sound is very mechanical and not a rattling like a loose bolt in the bell housing. Thanks for the help though.

I had the same problem... check the tranny bolts (the ones that hold it to the engine. One of mine had come loose (or come out...I can't remember) and the top shield had slipped down and was touching the flex plate.

hope this helps
k

I don' think it is coming from the dust shield because even if a bolt was loose there are several others that wold hold it in place. Also, whatever is hitting to make the sound, seems be hitting every complete turn of the flex plate.
I double checked again and the sound is definitely coming from the diver side, half way up the bell housing.

Thanks for the reply posts so far.

Did you lopk over the flexplate while you had it apart? The flexplates on 4.0s crack around the crankshaft and can make kinds of noise.

The flex plate looks ok, but I will check it again. There was no noise from the bell housing until I put the new engine in.

You're gonna keep digging until you actually drop it and look at it (if it sounds bad enough to worry you this much), so I'd just drop it and take a peak. Maybe the motor and trans are bolted in too close to the floor pan or some body part and are making that noise. Maybe you cracked your housing or left something in there when you put it together, but your best bet would be to look at it again.

So I took the jeep to a transmission shop and they looked it over pretty good and said the clicking sound was normal valve noise echoing out the bell housing. They also said the engine and transmission were running fine and if it was there jeep they would do nothing. This is the same advise the dealer gave me, but I still find it hard to believe since the sound was not there with the old engine and is so pronounced.

[ I know from experience the dealer does not give a crap and the traney shop does not want to mess with it untill it f*@#'s up and they can rebuild it .they just didn't tell you that. your smart enought to put the stuff together take it apart and check it yuorself .:



QUOTE=53guy;7617805]You're gonna keep digging until you actually drop it and look at it (if it sounds bad enough to worry you this much), so I'd just drop it and take a peak. Maybe the motor and trans are bolted in too close to the floor pan or some body part and are making that noise. Maybe you cracked your housing or left something in there when you put it together, but your best bet would be to look at it again.[/QUOTE]