Flexplate issues 2001 3.4 auto

I've had a ting in my tacoma for a couple years now. We'll recently the ting has gotten really bad and after doing some searching I'm fairly positive my flexplate is loose or broken.
Is there a walkthrough with pics or even better a video of the process of checking/changing the flexplate

 

Bump it up

 

Wow thought I would have had some kind of bite by now...I guess I'll try a different forum

 

Sorry homie. I have no idea on this, or any user who I could ask for you. Great forum here, just unlikely many have experience with that specific procedure on the Tacoma. I'd think a YouTube video about any 4x4 truck going into the flex plate will give you a good idea of what to be looking for.
Well I take that back, I have an idea about this, but I'd be kind of winging it as I went along, if it was me in your shoes. But I don't have tacoma specific advice.

 

@gearcruncher ???

 

Oh yeah, good call. He definitely seems to be THE transmission guy around here. He knows his stuff.

 

Hey guys .
Its not a common problem in comparison to a General Motors product but it can occur .
You can inspect the torque converter bolts through the dust cover to see if the bolts have loosened holding the converter to the flywheel .
Do you get the noise all the time or only when under load .
Hold your foot on the brake and load the engine up with the transmission in drive or reverse by hitting the gas pedal .
If the noise changes in pitch while loading , you can expect a cracked flywheel .
You can check YouTube for a walk through , but its a self explanatory job and the transmission will have to be backed away from the engine to get the flywheel bolts off .
I have some step by steps listed in the diagnostic pages here
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...sions-write-up-your-4-speed-automatic.325531/

 

Yes it ticks always but when I put it in a drive gear and hold the brake it sounds like it's getting ready to explode it knocks so loud...
Also, thanks for the link

One more thing, do you think it would be a bad idea to change the tranny fuild when I do the repair?
It has 219,xxx miles on the original fluid I'm sure.
I know a guy that went a long time before changing his fluid and when he did the tranny started slipping really bad, but it wasn't a Toyota. It was a jeep I believe

 

.
If it has never been done , do a pan removal , check the screen style filter and replace the fluid . Change it again after 4,000k
Sounds like your Jeep buddy didn't follow regular transmission maintenance . They need servicing at regulated intervals
For a second opinion , take it to a reputable transmission shop for a free road test . Those guys know their stuff when test driving and it eliminates the missing sound effects that those of us on a keyboard cant hear

 

Thanks for the help guys! It was the flexplate...it only lacked about 5/8" of being completely broken. I went ahead and changed my rear main seal and my front pump transmission seal and swapped the fluid

 

I have to finish tomorrow, I'm going swap the fluids...will mobil1 3309 be ok to put in my tranny...I know I'm s'posed to use toyota fluid but we have plenty of the 3309 at work and my boss told me I could it if it would work

 

I wouldn't mix fluid in the transmission. I would use only 100% dealer fluid or 100% of another comparable synteric. Never mix transmission fluid

 

Never mix auto trans fluid yes, as in the OP's case I would agree. But manual trans fluid can be mixed without issue as it's just gear oil, so long as it of the same grade.

 

Well apparently I'm my attempt to drive my truck to the mechanics to get it fixed and it not making it before my flexplate give up the goose, I must have bust the front pump in my tranny. We got it all back together started it and was adding fluid when.I looked under it and it was pouring out tranny fluid...so I nees to know what exact transmission my truck has.
It's a 2001 4x4 v6

 

ARGHH !!!!
That sucks big time .
Anyhow , here is a link for ya https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...sions-write-up-your-4-speed-automatic.325531/

 

I'm just trying to verify that I put my flexplate in correctly. ..the angled side of the teeth of the starter gear on the flexplate are for the stater to engage, right? Hence they need to be turn toward the front of the truck?

 

do a google search of your year of truck flywheel installation in the images section of google

 

I dont think you could have accidentally installed your flywheel backwards if this is what you are asking .
When the transmission was bolted up flush with the engine block , did the torque converter spin free so you could line up the bolt holes in the flywheel or did you have a difficult time bolting the torque converter back up ?

 

When re-installing the transmission in these trucks , It helps if you grease the pilot hole in order for the torque converter to mate with the hole in the center of the crankshaft . Sometimes you have to use emery cloth and clean the pilot journal on the torque converter and emery cloth the female journal on the crankshaft to get the converter to spin . Toyotas are a tight install

 

Yes it spun freely...I think I have it in correctly