Technical Intermittent squeak from flywheel area

I am replacing my mini starter and I have an intermittent noise that sounds like a squeak or metal hitting the dust cover.

The cover is off I'm just trying to describe the sound.
Starter is shimmed down and used both internal shims.

Noise comes and goes esp when I hit the throttle. I've been under when its running and the starter gear looks just like it does in the pic.

 

I had the same thing. After some Google searching, it seemed the most likely cause was a cracked flex plate. I removed the one from my car and ... yuppers, it was cracked (right near where it bolts to the crank). The cracks were extremely hard to see, even with it removed and in my hands so, if you remove yours, look VERY closely at it. I doubt you'll be able to see anything with the flex plate still in the car. I bought a new one rather than use any random old one I had laying about. Pain to change, didn't want to do it twice.

I should add, my noise was definitely a squeak, it didn't sound like metal on metal.

 

Your ***le says flywheel, is it a flywheel or flex plate as mentioned from "borntoloze"?
If it's a flywheel then i'm ***uming it a manuel trans.
Could it be a T.O. bearing making that noise?

 

Flex plate. It’s an automatic

 

Crack in Flex

 

I know this is straying just a bit from what the OP was asking but I had to laugh when you asked about a flywheel vs a flex plate. When I was looking for a flywheel for my 322 nailhead I had numerous, numerous people ask me if I was looking for a flywheel for an automatic transmission or a flywheel for a manual transmission..

Larry

 

Another Vote for Flex Plate

 

36 ford flex plate noise - YouTube

 

Okay, now I would think it's a possible flex plate.

 

Yep, sounds like a cracked flex plate to me.

 

this one is a little better for the sound.

36 Ford sound.

 

Did it make noise before you changed the starter?
Make sure the converter bolts are tight.
Is there a lot of run out in the flexplate (wobble) while running?
Push the crankshaft endplay forward and see if the ring gear gets too close to the starter.
Could be the ring gear hits the starter gear drive under a load.
If all that is is good, look for a cracked flexplate.

Bill

 

Noise started when I changed starters last summer.
Changed to a new one this year because I borrowed one from Swade41.

Made noise with both.
Thought it was the dust cover but it's not

I have a video of the car running and the fkex plate does not move.

Sound goes away when under load.

I was under the car when running and the fkex plate does not touch the starter gear.
Converter bolts look good but I didn't wrench them I could try that.

 

April 15, 2025
here is a video same day without the noice..... it clears the starter gear.

 

Well..started the journey to pull the motor.

Torque converter bolts were tight.

 

@Dooley , Like @Moriarity said,
Its slow & little of pain to do ,
Use 2 ,,, 3 or 4 inch longer bolts as guide
To hold transmission from falling / wedge sliding trains p*** dowel pins ,
You can do with 1-1/2 gap between bell & block , More of gap makes it easier
Some times you can do with out taken drive shaft out ,

 

No way to remove the glide from the frame...I wish.
Need to remove the grille and inner fenders as well as radiator. Then motor up and out
Motor is too close to radiator and firewall

 

All needed is to be able to slide transmission back from block about 2 inches
No need to remove transmission from vehicle,
If no room to do so , It sound like it was built with No wiggle room Close tolerances. Bummer to have to R& R engine ,

 

No room at the Inn.
Also need to change oil pan and gasket while out.

 

squeeks usually happen in mouse motors

 

Well engine is out and flexplate off and no crack.

Thinking that the flexplate was intermittent hitting the starter gear.
Need to clean and repaint the engine and change the pan.
New flexplate ordered.

Maybe I need a flexplate shim?

 

Ain't hot roddin' fun?!!!!!!

 

Think it's def the starter..i bought a 168 tooth flexplate thinking that's what I had but I had the 153.

So for giggles I tried the bigger one because the starter works with both and still way to close

 

Tried what I think is my new but stopped working jegs you can see the difference

 

Flex plate didn’t look like this

 

Nope

 

@Dooley
The first pic does not look to been touching,
The Jegs looks not to be engaging correct , Teeth to Teeth , & deep into teeth ,plus looks to have tips knocked off / chipped
If bendex spring weak it will make a
Digging noise bouncing off the flywheel Not a squeak,
You can take starter (first pic ) mounting block off & add a shim ,
My tilton is close like your first pic.
The converter pad / hump ,
Is it facing the converter, ? Hard to tell by picture.

That looks to be a SFI Flex , hard to crack one under 500 tq ,
Does welds look good No cracks,?
Ring to Flex .
Look & check bell of Transmission,
When start to crack usually on the p***enger side /right

when I install starter I snug bolts enough that I can pull Bendix out
Into teeth on ring gear , ajust so no grabbing then lock bolts down .

 

I had a flexplate do this running 70 mph down the highway in an OT Exploder. Talk about a weird feeling! The engine had trouble understanding what had happened with all the computer stuff checking this and that. It idled really crazy with no converter to push around.

 

This is the jegs mini starter extended
You can see the wear marks on the teeth of the old flexplate

everything else looks good on it.

The gold one in an earlier pic is new and never used.