bzoli

I finished my engine build and today I tried to install the engine. Within 6h I was not able to line up the engine and transmission, pulled the engine and tomorrow I will another shoot.
What I did is rotate the torque converter bolt to 12-6 and 9-3 o'clock position, did the same on the flexplate. But I'm afraid that once the TC bolt pushes against the flexplate but not lining up it will just drag along with it, make it very difficult to align the TC bolt to the felxplate

any tips and tricks how to align the transmission to the engine, more specifically to insert the torque converter bolt to flexplate.

Thanks

jprevat

iTrader: (1)

I wish I could help. Hopefully someone who knows more will chime in.

JCR 56

It wouldn't hurt if you had someone to help you.

jkenprice1

I don't think you TC should be tight against the flexplate. I could be wrong, but I'd make sure your TC is all the way seated into the pump gear. I've broken the ears off the tranny trying to install it with the TC not seated. The 12 pack might have had something to do with it too.

Holicori

It's a pain in the ***. I've had to do it about 5 or 6 times now.

You definitely want a small jack or jack stand to hold the engine up higher under the oil pan. If its only on the motor mounts and leans back, it will be too low.

I use a motorcycle jack that rolls under the tranny. And use diff jacks to adjust the angle of tranny in the back. Push it as close as possible. Try to live up the torque/flex plate.

Start threading your bolts to engine/tranny. Turn each bolt together so it goes on evenly. The tc bolts should go in SMOOTH! If its grinding the edges of the threads of the bolt, stop...its not lines up right. Adjust and go again.

Alot of people will say don't pull the tranny to engine with the mounting bolts....they are technically right. But its the only way I've been able to. You just have to watch and make sure the bolts are clear to go through the flex plate smoothly

jstockert

If you don't have a load leveler similar to this one it's worth buying.

bzoli

Thanks for the responses.
I do use a load leveler and have a lift under the tranny to adjust the angle.
Late yesterday I noticed that the tranny slid back as I removed the rear tranny mount bolts when pulling the engine. I plan to pull it back to its original location, bolt it down and make and other attempt.
I understand that getting the right angle is critical, I just haven't figured it out yet. and once I do i'm not sure how to line up the tc bolts.

so any more tips are welcome.

jkenprice1

I think you should be able to spin the TC to get the bolts to line up.

jstockert

I just remembered that I had to put my leveler on sideways to adjust motor left and right rather than front to back.

bzoli

For the third time I was able to install the engine.
Some lessons learned for those who will try to do it in the future.

0 - preset the torque converter bolts and flexplate to 12-6 and 9-3 o'clock position.
1- it is better to loosen up the rear transmission bolts. It makes it easier to place the engine on its mounts.
2- Using the load leveler I tilted the engine almost full towards the back, and jacked up the transmission (do not place the jack under the torque converter rubber plug, later I used it to align the torque converter bolts to flexplate). It helped placing the engine on its mounts.
3- once the engine on its mounts, lower the transmission and tilt the engine back towards the front - until the bell housing and engine are close the parallel. As i did this the transmission slid backwards, so there was a gap.
4 - move, lower and adjust the engine and transmission angles until the alignment pins are in place or aligned. This takes some wiggling.
5 - if the engine and transmission it close to parallel the torque converter should move freely. Aligned the tc bolts to flexlate through the transmission housing hole below the torque converter.
6 - at this point everything close to aligned, but had a significant gap between the engine and transmission which I was not able to close by simple push and pull. So I took Holicori's advice and simply used the bolts to pull them together. Maybe there is better, more proper way but it worked. Just need to be careful not to load up excessively the treads so everything needs to line up well, no forcing should take place.

It took me close to 5h, with some help but mostly doing it alone.

Thanks for all the advice's, it helped me to think it through and getting it done.