I have a Honda Passport, I have replaced the transmission. About a month after replacing the transmission, I noticed a loud clicking noise coming from under my vehicle. I took it to a nearby shop and they told me that the flywheel was warped and that it would be just fine to drive, that it would be annoying. My question is, would this make my transmission work improperly? It is a little hesitant when I first start out, and when it comes to drive up hill it does not have the power that it used to. I have tried finding a new flywheel, however, it is almost impossible to find one. I just need to know if it is truely possible for me to drive it with a warped flywheel or will it eventually mess my entire vehicle up?
Does the vehicle have a manual or automatic transmission?
Tester
The tags say your vehicle has an automatic transmission. I think that might rule out a flywheel problem. See below.
I have no idea how the “nearby shop” diagnosed a warped flywheel, but unless they removed the transmission and measured the run-out on the flywheel, they’re full of it.
You can’t tell if a flywheel is warped by listening. Loud clicks have nothing to do with a flywheel. The flywheel doesn’t make any noise, even if it’s warped. It would take hours of labor, and lots of money, to correctly diagnose a warped flywheel.
If there’s even a flywheel. I’m thinking the torque converter takes the place of the flywheel. If I’m wrong multiple people will correct me (PLEASE).
You need to find a better shop. I may be wrong about the torque converter / flywheel thing, but unless the “nearby shop” did some serious disassembly of your Passport, there’s no way they can tell if the flywheel is warped.
The whole idea is crazy. It would take some serious abuse to warp a flywheel. If your Passport even has one.
With an automatic transmission the car will have a flexplate, which is where the torque converter bolts up.
A ticking noise from this area could be caused by one of several things.
One is that a converter bolt is coming loose and striking the engine block.
The other could be that the flexplate is distorted from the installation procedure and causing the bolts to hit OR the converter was not fully seated on the splines during the installation.
In the case of the latter this can lead to a cracked flexplate, which means back out with the transmission.
So who did the transmission installation, and just as importantly, was this replacement transmission a remanufactured one or one from a boneyard?
Knowing if the prior transmission was trashed and if the fluid cooler and cooling lines were flushed might help also but there may be more than one issue here.
Automatic
As others have stated, with automatic transmission there’s no flywheel, but instead a flex plate. A stamped out thin piece of steel.
If this flex plate is distorted, the torque converter attached to it can cause noises, the transmission might not shift right because the torque drives the transmission pump, and the torque converter clutch can be damaged.
So take it back, and demand they replace the flex plate.
Tester
I have had all of bolts checked where I had the transmission replaced, my usual mechanic, they said that everything seemed to be alright.
The replacement transmission was infact one from a “boneyard.”
This issue has been on going since May 2010, it is not September. I have been driving my vehicle, and besides it being hesitant when I first take off, it drives great. I am actually very proud of my vehicle, just would love to find exactly what is wrong therefore I can fix it.
Thanks!
Could it help anymore if I said that when driven a long period of time that the floor board on the driver’s side gets very hot?
Oh, and I have also replaced the starter not a month ago.
“I have had all of bolts checked where I had the transmission replaced”"
Did he detach the trans from the engine to check the drive plate bolts inside?
Or did he just check the bolts holding the trans to the engine?
just checked the bolts holding the transmission
Sounds like you have a warped or cracked flexplate which can cause a lot of noise sometimes sounds just like a rod knocking take the inspection cover off your trans and start it up get under and watch the flexplate and see if it looks like it’s bent it should not have any wiggle or wobble to it when running