Monty noobie

I know this should be in the Montero area of the site, but that whole thread looks pretty dead, so i'm putting it here hopefully for a fairly quick responce. A guy that works for me has a 95 Montero that he will take $250 for. Overall the truck is in great shape except for the motor. It sounds like a metal coffee can full of nuts and bolts being shaken. Sounds like its coming from deep in the motor. I believe it is the 3.0 V6. What options would I have as far as what other year engines or types of engines could be swapped directly into this rig? It has a manual trans. Any info would be greatly appreciated as I know absolutely nothing about these vehicles. Thanks in advance.

To the best of my knowledge, any of the 90-96 3.0's will work from any of the Mitsu products including the MM's, D50's, Monteros, and cars as well.

If it's an automatic I bet the flex plate is broken. Does it idle OK but just make a crap load of noise? If so flex plate.... They can sound from a ping ping ping, to a knock, to a spray paint can being shaken.
When you hit the starter it will make a clack. Then when shutting it down it will make a clack-A-T-clack a couple of times from the compression of the cylinders being forced over TDC. and the converter wanting to keep moving from innershia.
At times you can think it is a rod knock........

I thought it was a manual trans. but i was mistaken, it is an auto. Started looking around the web and found some youtube vids of vehicles with broken flexplates and thats exactly what this thing sounds like. Only problem is, I can't find one for sale anywhere. None of the popular parts houses or online parts distributors carry it. Not sure why??? I have never worked on an auto. trans before, but what I have learned in the last couple of days has me kind of confused. Some describe the flexplate as almost identical to a flywheel, while others say it is more of a stamped steel plate of sorts. Which is it? Where can I buy one? preferrably new, or this going to be a junkyard quest? I just bought the Monty for $200 and would really like to get it fixed.

Call these guys. http://www.pdqparts.com/. I called them and they will look on Monday. Just use the name mightyram50.net. Talk with Billy.. If they can't find it call these guys. http://www.ccbparts.com/ If not there then the dealer. There going to want to know if it's a sport or not.

Flex plate It's a stamped steel plate that is allowed to "flex" forward and back. As you hit the gas and spin things faster the trany wants to push the torque converter out just like a turd. The flex plate allows for changes in the hydraulic pressure behind the converter. See the UTI manuals on auto transmissions for pictures and details. I think we have the manual for that trans in the over 216 manuals thread. You just need to know what model it is. It should cost about $40 bucks new with the ring gear. Also google up torque converter re-builders. They have the source to find them. It can't be that rare as they still make them. I think.

I just threw away a Auto Flexplate from an ill fated project, not cheap either, $200 It was to be the starter Ring gear for my twin-disc Clutch.

Does anybody think It would hurt anything to drive it 11 miles to my house without hurting anything? The guy I bought it from said it started making the noise while on the highway, and he drove it at least 15 miles into work making the noise the whole time. Could I tear something up by driving it 11 miles further?

The worst thing that would happen is it will brake off completely and stop running. Drive it slow if you must. If you can get a car dolly pull the drive line and tow it. If you do pull the trans or engine make sure to remove ALL the torque converter bolts first, before pulling the two apart. Then insure when pulling it apart you don't separate the converter from the trans. Otherwise you will need to RE-INDEX the converter into the front pump. Please Please Please, see the UTI manual on converters and indexing them so you have an idea on what is involved. It's not hard to do, you just need to make dam sure it's done correctly before mating the two back together. Other wise you can bust the front pump. I think there was a thread in the archive on a guy and his son I was helping to get it back together. You will feel it go back together in 3 stages. #1 stator, #2 input shaft, #3 pump drive. The pump is driven off the flat spots on the converter housing.
When mating the two back together they should come together easily WITH OUT FORCE. If they don't want to then there is somthing wrong. NEVER FORCE IT.