[dh114]

Hello Everyone!

I have an '89 Dakota 4x4 with a 3.9L motor and auto transmission. The other day I tried to start it and when I hit the key I could tell the starter was turning, but the engine wasn't. It was like the pinion gear, or whatever the gear on the starter is called, wasn't going out to engage the flywheel. This happened about a year ago and I found a flywheel bolt had come out and was keeping the pinion gear from going out to engage the flywheel. Anyway, when I removed the starter it sure sounded like a something fell, I'm assuming another flywheel bolt. It didn't fall to the ground (cement) so I'm assuming a bolt is at the bottom of the bell housing to the transmission. I can't feel anything through the starter mounting hole. Now I'm trying to remove the dust cover for the transmission. I've removed all the bolts I can find and it still won't budge.

Any idea how many bolts I should be looking for. Or, any other suggestions on what to do?

I have a factory service manual for the pickup and it really doesn't show much.

Thanks for reading!
Danny

 

[ImperialCrown]

The cover-to-bell housing bolts and the block-to-bell housing braces have to be removed (the brace bolts at the block can be just loosened). There is one small cover bolt behind the oil filter.