Problem with plastic shroud dragging on flywheel

[ethanseth]

Hey I'm having a problem with my son's 2010 impreza. We replaced the pullies, timing belt, water pump, etc. But in the midst of trying to tighten the harmonic balancer nut, we were told to just stick a big screw driver down the access point on top of the engine right near the point where the engine connects to the trans. Well we did that, but a plastic shroud in there bent and now drags on the flywheel, making his vehicle sound terrible but it runs great. So my question is this - what is the plastic piece? His car is an automatic.....is it just a cover like a pressure plate or something? Am i going to have to remove the trans to replace? Is this plastic piece vital to car operation? Help!

[bakedpotatoechips99]

Hello,

    It may very well just be the plastic debris/dust/etc cover for the flywheel and torque converter, that got bent and fell into the flywheel torque converter housing/bell housing of the transmission and engine.

 I am not too familiar with the 2010 models. Technically, most likely the noise will go away over time, and you could forget about it, but a loose piece of plastic subjected to friction from a rotating flywheel and torque converter is quite possibly a hazard of sorts. So, I would put some effort into trying to locate and remove the loose plastic if possible, but I would not remove the transmission to do so. Taking a flashlight flexible tiny extending flashlight and a telescoping flexible tiny mirror might be of some assistance to get a visual on

the piece of plastic in the bell housing. There are even flexible extending probing video cameras these days available for vehicle repair use. Because, worst case scenario, it catches fire from friction, possibly even igniting oil and or transmission fluid residue/coating on or around most drive trains past a few years old.

 Also, YOUR BEST BET is, if you can't get at the loose plastic from the top inspection window (where the offending plastic apparently came from), there might be a flywheel inspection/access plate on the bottom of the bell housing which is secured with usually a couple of small screws/bolts, sometimes needing the starter motor to be removed as well but probably not on a Subaru though. And occasionally, part of the exhaust needs to be removed to remove and or access the lower flywheel access/inspection plate, maybe say a pipe, and or catalytic converter needs to be unbolted because it's in the way.

 The removal of that might allow better inspection and or possibly removal of the plastic piece, or pieces by now. I doubt you would need to replace the transmission. However, you MIGHT want to CARRY A FIRE EXTINGUISHER in the vehicle until

things are sorted out, just in case of the extremely slight possibility of the plastic igniting and spreading fire, especially since it is now summertime.

 I personally would not go crazy over this, but I also would not simply dismiss it either, in the least, I would carry a fire extinguisher in the vehicle for a while, even though that sounds nutty, in the summer, something like that could end up causing an under hood fire while stuck in traffic or something. But trying to peer in and locate the loose plastic piece, and then hopefully grabbing it with an ultra extended needle nose pliers or something of that sort could alleviate having to be concerned about what it could cause later would be optimal. And, you might get it to drop out from he bottom bell housing inspection plate if there is one on that vehicle. But you would need to jack up the front of the car to access that under the engine and trans bell housing.

Edited June 24, 2017 by bakedpotatoechips99

[ethanseth]

Thanks for the reply. This really helps. I'll be diving in on Saturday next week to see what I can do to solve the problem. i'm really aggravated with myself for fouling this up and bending the plastic into the flywheel. I don't think it's a loose piece though. Do you think it could be doable for me to try and cut the belt part and remove it from the bell housing? Are you sure there's an access window on the bottom I can access for a better view? Where would I find the tools you mention? Harbor Frieght? Thanks and I'll keep you posted.

[Gloyale]

I am wondering if you cracked and bent the Seperator plate?  That is the only plastic anything inside the bellhousing if it is not the inspection hole cover itself.

 

If that is broken yes the engine (or trans) will need to come out to access and replace it with a metal one which is better anyhow.

[ethanseth]

Ok so what's a separator plate? Is it necessary for operation or is it a "dust/debris" cover. Can I access the piece from the inspection hole and cut away the bent part? Or will I absolutely need to drop the trans and remove it? If the latter, then what am I ordering to replace it?

[forester2002s]

By 2010, the separator-plate (behind the flywheel) was no longer made of plastic.

And in any case, a broken separator-plate would leak copious amounts of oil.

So IMHO that's not the plastic that you are seeing.

[Gloyale]

By 2010, the separator-plate (behind the flywheel) was no longer made of plastic.

And in any case, a broken separator-plate would leak copious amounts of oil.

So IMHO that's not the plastic that you are seeing.

 

Nah there's plastic ones still.

 

And if cracked at the top it would be seeping vapor, but not actually leaking liquid oil.

 

It cannot be just cut and removed if thats what it is.  it seals the crankcase and has baffles that are part of the PCV venting system.

[ethanseth]

Could it be a debis cover/dust cover? If it is a plastic separator plate, once the trans is dropped is it fairly easy to replace?