Flex Plate Questions

[blash]

Took my 2001 Discovery to the dealer because I broke a U Joint, Highway driving is so rough, anyway they just called and told me I have a broken Flex Plate. I am a no nothing about cars but what the hell is a Flex Plate and what is the issue if it is broken? Is it worth the $5,000 estimated repair cost to fix it?

 

[Disco Mike]

That is the ring gear between the tranny and the engine that the starter uses to start the engine. Have you been having any starting problems. Why did you take it to the dealer for u-joints, they can't won't rebuild the front shaft as it should be?

 

[roverman]

When mine broke I had no problem starting the truck, just had no gears. It was a P38 RR, but I think they have the same setup. I was quoted about the same from the dealer, but went to an independent for about $2000 or less.
How did a U Joint turn into a flex plate anyway? What was the symptom that led to this diagnosis? FWIW, mine had a loud ticking for a while before it snapped. It sounded like really loud valve tappet ticking.

 

[antichrist]

If the drive plate is cracked then I expect you have more wrong than just that, since that's inside a housing.
I suppose it's possible the propshaft destroyed the starter in suck a way it cracked it, without cracking the flywheel housing, but it would really surprise me if it did.

 

[RobertColunga]

If the drive plate is cracked then I expect you have more wrong than just that, since that's inside a housing.
I suppose it's possible the propshaft destroyed the starter in suck a way it cracked it, without cracking the flywheel housing, but it would really surprise me if it did.

Hi bro! I'm also experiencing no gear in my truck and I am thinking that it has the same issue with yours. Did you already resolved this problem? What specific truck parts did you replaced or fixed? I don't want to bring my truck to the dealer and give me a very expensive service.

 

[Disco Mike]

By no gears, what do you mean, how did it happen? My money is on one of the diff.s or cv joints breaking. start the truck and put it in gear, at the same time have some one look under the truck at both drive shafts, I will bet one will be spinning, if so look at that diff as the problem.
By the way, what year is your truck?

 

[griffker]

I design torque converters and the flexplate is the mounting plate on the front of the converter. They can crack at the welds of the lugs on the TC cover. If that happens your engine will crank but there will be no mechanical connection to your driveline.

 

[socalrovershop]

the flexplate is what attaches to the rear of the crank to the torque converter the starting ring is on another plate. if the flex plate cracks or breaks it wont go anywhere. you have to remove the transmission out to replace the flex plate.