REALLY? BROKEN FLYWHEEL?

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B'cuda

B'cuda

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This is a non-mopar but it's mainly a rant anyway: I have a 2008 Ford Ranger with a 4 cyl. w/Automatic 5 OD. 248,000 miles. Transmission went out, lost 3 forward gears and reverse.
I don't have the time to work on it so I took it to the most well known tranny shop in the country. Paid out the *** for rebuilt trans and converter. 30 days it's leaking and slipping, they fix the leak but still missed a gear now and then, so brought it back and they replaced the trans and converter under warranty. Two months later about 5,000 miles, (I drive 100 miles a day) I hear a noise that sounds like an exhaust leak followed by a complete loss of forward motion while at speed. Engine still running but trans just spinning. Tow in to trans shop and the diagnosis is a broken flywheel from "normal wear and tear". I knew the flywheel or somthing had broken, but I feel it has to do with the rebuilt trans or the installation. What do you guys think? Thanks in advance for your input
 
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I would have thought that the people that replaced the transmission should have inspected the flywheel/flex plate. They , better than anyone, know what would happen if they install a good trans on a bad flex plate. They should have also properly installed the TC bolts. Those people like to find everything wrong so that can can make more money, if the flex plate was damaged they should have said something. Maybe you can get them to split the price of replacing the flex plate if you raise enough stink? I would first try to get them to eat the whole bill!! Treblig
 
You need to talk “tranny” with them.
Let them know there was a big shutter before the noise. Rattled your teeth. Then you lost power and “bang.” Let them know you are blaming the transmission locking up on the highway and you know that cracked the fly wheel... I mean if they did the transmission and they forgot to inspect a 248k flywheel? It had to crack from all the in and out of the transmission. Your lucky your not hurt.
Also mention your uncle works for the department of motor vehicle and he was concerned for your well being. You guys are close- fishing buddies.

I rebuilt a lot of GM transmissions when I was a dealer mechanic. Saw lots of stuff and fly wheels break for two reasons. Loose bolts or stress from engine or transmission failure or driver induced failure (roll back burnouts, rev drive drops or fwd to rev like in the movies.)
Joe
 
I had a flywheel crack in a 73 formula 400 Firebird at around 88K miles. No work had been done prior. I bought it at 50 some K miles. Don't know how the previous owner drove it.
Maybe your new TQ pushed on this flywheel a little bit differently but mechanical/metal things do just break with no reason other than stress over time. I've seen crank shafts broken diagonally through a bearing surface, firewall cracked at the clutch master cylinder, a tiny crack in a brake caliper, and those just the first few examples I recall.
At a quarter million miles, I think you got your moneys worth out of that flywheel.
 
They should have inspected it while they had the transmission out but you should have told them it was cracked and all it would have cost you is the price of the part. The phrase "while you're in there" comes to mind. You will be lucky if they will split the bill 50/50 with you. Other than the fact that they didn't inspect the flywheel, they have no responsibility for a failed part with a quarter million miles on it. "It wasn't that way when I brought it in" doesn't work here because you knew it was broken. Get out your checkbook.
 
Let me rephrase that, I knew when the truck motivation stopped and the motor was still running and the trans was spinning and after a shut off it would not re-start and the crank wasn't turning but the starter was, I felt sure the flywheel was broken or the flex plate was broken or the bolts had backed out. Prior to that I had no reason to think about the flywheel. Since I never removed anything myself I would not know the flywheel condition I would assume they checked it the two times they had the transmissions out.
 
B'cuda said:
Let me rephrase that, I knew when the truck motivation stopped and the motor was still running and the trans was spinning and after a shut off it would not re-start and the crank wasn't turning but the starter was, I felt sure the flywheel was broken or the flex plate was broken or the bolts had backed out. Prior to that I had no reason to think about the flywheel. Since I never removed anything myself I would not know the flywheel condition I would assume they checked it the two times they had the transmissions out.
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You might get lucky.........if the bolts backed out and the flywheel is intact then the monkey is on the back of the person that installed the bolts, new TC bolts usually have locktite on them from the factory, at least that's the way the ones that I've bought were. You have a 50/50 chance of getting it replaced for free??
 
I don’t want to steal your thread. I feel your pain. We have a 2005 Hemi Durango all real drive with 78,000 miles. I got hell of a deal since sunroof leaked and it flooded the car. Was great for a couple years after ripping out interior and kill the mold. So driving along and like it was shifted into neutral. I pulled pan decided the transmission was toast. Took it to local tranny shop been in business for over 30 years. Needed full rebuild $3K and dealer wanted $4.5K. Anyway 3 months and 7 rebuilds and finally fixed. Is there any true craftsman out there anymore ?
 
67cudafb said:
I don’t want to steal your thread. I feel your pain. We have a 2005 Hemi Durango all real drive with 78,000 miles. I got hell of a deal since sunroof leaked and it flooded the car. Was great for a couple years after ripping out interior and kill the mold. So driving along and like it was shifted into neutral. I pulled pan decided the transmission was toast. Took it to local tranny shop been in business for over 30 years. Needed full rebuild $3K and dealer wanted $4.5K. Anyway 3 months and 7 rebuilds and finally fixed. Is there any true craftsman out there anymore ?
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Apparently not in your neighborhood. Damn, That's a story with a unhappy ending.
 
B'cuda said:
I would assume they checked it the two times they had the transmissions out.
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We really can't assume a close inspection of flywheel is the norm' in the case of automatic trans. Of course the flywheel comes into play in manual trans service. If a vehicle has a history of particular part failure there are typically YouTube videos related, God and everybody knows about. That sort of thing would be looked for. Does this Ranger have a known flywheel issue?
 
Well if it wasn't broken before, if the shop looked at it they might not have seen a problem. They probably didn't remove it from the crank so other than a quick look they didn't see a issue. It will be interesting to see where it's broken at and why if there's a obvious problem. If it's broken on the transmission side and the bolts were left loose you have a leg to stand on. If it's broken on the crank end and was never removed, good luck.
 
RedFish said:
We really can't assume a close inspection of flywheel is the norm' in the case of automatic trans. Of course the flywheel comes into play in manual trans service. If a vehicle has a history of particular part failure there are typically YouTube videos related, God and everybody knows about. That sort of thing would be looked for. Does this Ranger have a known flywheel issue?
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according to the service manager at the local Ford dealer, there are not any known issues with that trans or flywheel. He agreed with an earlier post that brakes in the flywheel are usually caused by abuse or incorrect installation.
 
Local Ford dealer says no known issues with those flexplates. I do a lot of those A4LD and 5R55E and I have never heard of that problem. A small claims judge would side with you since it was only two months and 5,000 miles. I bet the bell housing bolts were loose.
 
B'cuda said:
This is a non-mopar but it's mainly a rant anyway: I have a 2008 Ford Ranger with a 4 cyl. w/Automatic 5 OD. 248,000 miles. Transmission went out, lost 3 forward gears and reverse.
I don't have the time to work on it so I took it to the most well known tranny shop in the country. Paid out the *** for rebuilt trans and converter. 30 days it's leaking and slipping, they fix the leak but still missed a gear now and then, so brought it back and they replaced the trans and converter under warranty. Two months later about 5,000 miles, (I drive 100 miles a day) I hear a noise that sounds like an exhaust leak followed by a complete loss of forward motion while at speed. Engine still running but trans just spinning. Tow in to trans shop and the diagnosis is a broken flywheel from "normal wear and tear". I knew the flywheel or somthing had broken, but I feel it has to do with the rebuilt trans or the installation. What do you guys think? Thanks in advance for your input
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With 248,000 miles on the car, one would think that the re-and-re guys would look at it. As a matter of fact, with that number of miles on it, to me, the service adviser should have told his guys to inspect it. Stuff does wear out. It should have been inspected the first time the transmission was out.
 
Thanks for all the input guys, I agree that at 248k, the truck dosnt owe me anything, and like I said this is basically a rant, I just hate to give these clowns any more of my money.
Each time I've gone to their shop, you can't even park on their lot, so many cars ahead of you it takes a solid week before they bring yours in. Then another solid week before they do the work. Their first trans slipped once on the drive home. It took them another week to agree that it would slip. They claimed the tech drove it an hour several times. Finally they said flooring it from a dead stop it would slip 1-2. Took another week to replace it under warranty. Transmission #2 lasted less than 2 months and you know that story. These are reman trans and converter done outside vendor, who knows where the parts are made.
This time, because it wouldn't start, they acted like it was a case of engine shut down /won't start, no problem pointing to the trans, well get to when we can.
Now if I take my truck out of there I have to pay them 650 for dropping the trans.
Getting old sucks, I've allways done my own work, but this came up during our busy season and I don't have the energy to work 7 days a week and pull a non mopar trans!
 
B'cuda said:
Thanks for all the input guys, I agree that at 248k, the truck dosnt owe me anything, and like I said this is basically a rant, I just hate to give these clowns any more of my money.
Each time I've gone to their shop, you can't even park on their lot, so many cars ahead of you it takes a solid week before they bring yours in. Then another solid week before they do the work. Their first trans slipped once on the drive home. It took them another week to agree that it would slip. They claimed the tech drove it an hour several times. Finally they said flooring it from a dead stop it would slip 1-2. Took another week to replace it under warranty. Transmission #2 lasted less than 2 months and you know that story. These are reman trans and converter done outside vendor, who knows where the parts are made.
This time, because it wouldn't start, they acted like it was a case of engine shut down /won't start, no problem pointing to the trans, well get to when we can.
Now if I take my truck out of there I have to pay them 650 for dropping the trans.
Getting old sucks, I've allways done my own work, but this came up during our busy season and I don't have the energy to work 7 days a week and pull a non mopar trans!
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Wow are you in north Florida. That shop is as bad as the one that rebuilt my Durango tranny. They kept blaming bad torque converter comming apart. Must be same converter rebuilder.
 
Let's not lose perspective here we're talking a Ford Ranger of any year... IMHO
As fellow Mopar enthusiast our advice collectively should be to take this thing to the closest boat ramp, aim it towards the water, put a brick on the gas pedal and drop it in Drive!
 
j par said:
Let's not lose perspective here we're talking a Ford Ranger of any year... IMHO
As fellow Mopar enthusiast our advice collectively should be to take this thing to the closest boat ramp, aim it towards the water, put a brick on the gas pedal and drop it in Drive!
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Read back, it dont run. Have to find a steep boat launch.

Cant say i have ever seen a ranger flywheel fail. Its just not that common.
And there is a whack of rangers around here.
A few things to consider, transmission shops employ parts changers to to do the R&R on them, low man in shop. Not much different than oil change guy at wal-mart.
Loose bellhousing bolts will do this also.
 
j par said:
Let's not lose perspective here we're talking a Ford Ranger of any year... IMHO
As fellow Mopar enthusiast our advice collectively should be to take this thing to the closest boat ramp, aim it towards the water, put a brick on the gas pedal and drop it in Drive!
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Ease up Jpar, I need something to haul my trash in!
All jokes aside, in the past thirty years I logged over 800,000 miles on three Ford Rangers. Total cost to buy all three $16,125. I resold my last two in running condition for a combined $850. One of those two I still see daily as the new owner lives nearby. I used them for hauling tons of trash, lawn service, mopar parts, boat towing and years of daily driving at 100 miles a day to work. If one of my Rangers is on a boat ramp, it'll be hauling something in or out. I can't knock a Ranger, most recognizable truck on the road still after being discontinued more than 7 years.
 
B'cuda said:
Ease up Jpar, I need something to haul my trash in!
All jokes aside, in the past thirty years I logged over 800,000 miles on three Ford Rangers. Total cost to buy all three $16,125. I resold my last two in running condition for a combined $850. One of those two I still see daily as the new owner lives nearby. I used them for hauling tons of trash, lawn service, mopar parts, boat towing and years of daily driving at 100 miles a day to work. If one of my Rangers is on a boat ramp, it'll be hauling something in or out. I can't knock a Ranger, most recognizable truck on the road still after being discontinued more than 7 years.
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Well you just went up a notch in my book for sure because obviously you know how to take a jab which so many on here can't. I had a 98 Nissan given to me by a customer who no longer wanted it. Anyways I had the truck for quite a number of years and it actually came at a great time in my life when I needed to get good milage. I personally just don't like riding around in small vehicles. I would drive one once in awhile, but for every day or traveling I prefer not. I've ate gas mileage most my life but drove what I liked.
What are they saying about the flywheel?
 
j par said:
Well you just went up a notch in my book for sure because obviously you know how to take a jab which so many on here can't. I had a 98 Nissan given to me by a customer who no longer wanted it. Anyways I had the truck for quite a number of years and it actually came at a great time in my life when I needed to get good milage. I personally just don't like riding around in small vehicles. I would drive one once in awhile, but for every day or traveling I prefer not. I've ate gas mileage most my life but drove what I liked.
What are they saying about the flywheel?
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Thanks for the compliment J par, you would think having thick skin goes with driving a mopar. As far as the flywheel, I gave them the go ahead to fix it, but want to inspect all the replaced parts. I live out in the sticks and the shop is 35 miles from me, so I can't just pop in on them as I would like to. I was hesitant to put a reman trans in it this late in the trucks life and now I can't get that money out of it unless it drives, so I'll bend over and open my wallet again.
 
UPDATE: Okay, after telling me my truck broke the flywheel under normal wear and tear, when I called today after it being in there for 15 days the owner said they where waiting for another trans (3rd) to come in. I asked him what's my bill going to be?--$1104.
So he's still charging me for the flywheel and probably RnR.
Now if the flywheel breaking was normal wear and tear, why would he be replacing the trans under warranty again? Should I pay or should I feel lucky to be getting another trans?
 
I asked for him to cut you a break on the price because if they had inspected the flex plate correctly they could have identified the problem in advance???
 
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