Loose Flex Plate

I've read about it, but not seen much. I've got an odd rattle at start up and sometimes at idle at a stop light. It's not very loud or hard sounding (if that makes sense). It sounds like it's muffled, so I'm wondering if it's the flexplate.

I've read that the bolts come loose, and that there is an access panel at the bell housing you can open to tighten. I've also read that you can bump the starter to turn the motor over to hit all the bolts. I'm wondering if I can remove the spark plugs and use a 3/4 breaker bar to turn the motor over to check the flexplate bolts. Also, how many are there? This is on my 97 4.0 AW4.

When I checked mine I just used my 1/2" drive Craftsman ratchet to turn the harmonic balancer bolt. Didn't remove any plugs.

How many bolts are there? And if you mark 12:00 on the balancer, can you just rotate it 360 degrees and get all bolts.

6 bolts.

No need to mark the crank/balancer bolt or anything else.

You can reach all the bolts by removing the inspection cover and turning the motor over. If I remember correctly I was able to lay in position under the Jeep where I could deal with the bolts and then just reach up turn the engine with the wrench without moving out of position.

It was probably a 15 minute job. Real quick and easy.

Awesome thanks

very quick and easy to do. mine had 4. it sounds like a rod about to find a new home. do them soon so u dont loose them at taco bell like i did lol. atleast i had food while i waited for the tow truck

When I did mine I had a weird noise. What really made me get to it was one day on start up it sounded like a bolt was getting tossed around in the bellhousing. I checked it. All were tight and present and accounted for. Funny thing was the sound went away and I haven't heard it in about a year since.

when mine let go 3 where in the bottom of the bell housing and they looked like s@#t the one that was in was only in the flex plate and could not be reused so i went to advanced auto and bought a set of torque converter bolts for a gm and they were olny $5 i was happy.