98 F150 4.2. Is there any difference between motors with manual trans and auto of the same year? I threw a rod on my engine and am having a bear of a time installing a different 4.2. Engine and tranny will simply not drop together (in the truck). Did all of the swapping, removed the pilot bearing, removed the flywheel and installed the flex plate etc. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Ii7

 

Not an expert on the 4.2 and its transmissions but I've done other makes. You need to describe what, exactly, is not fitting. "Drop together" is not enough.

The clues suggest that you're trying to fit an automatic and torque converter on to an engine that used to have a manual transmission. Did you attach the torque converter to the flex plate first or is the torque converter on the transmission and you trying to get it bolted to the flex plate? The manual describes having the converter and transmission preassembled before installing them on the engine. They even have a "special tool" to keep the converter from sliding off until it's ready.

Describe the steps up to where you get stuck. What's not fitting?

 

With the engine as close to the trans as possible is there a gap between the flex plate and the torque converter? If not maybe the torque converter-transmission input shaft splines aren’t fully engaged so the converter can slide all the way on.

After trans is bolted to the engine, converter should slide back forward tight against the flex plate when bolted to the flex plate.

Or might be flange alignment pins aren’t quite lined up with corresponding holes. Sometimes jiggling engine around while pushing back will get the deed done.

I’ve never worked on a 4.2 either

 

I am using the original tranny/converter from the truck, motor is a donor. Same year. I exchanged the flywheel (donor had a manual) for the flexplate and removed the pilot bearing. I made sure the converter fit the crank, and put it back on the transmission. Measurements showed that the converter was recessed slightly over the amount that the flex plate measured from the back of the block. Lowered the engine in and when close enough, spun the converter so the bolts lined up with the holes in the flex plate. But, the last little bit (less than 1/4") will not slide together as it seems like the alignment pins won't seat together. I have wiggled and giggled many times but still won't slide together. Just wondering if there are some offset pins or something else that I wasn't aware of going on here. Thanks for reading this everyone. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I am doing this in my driveway with the truck blocked in the air so not exactly shop conditions.
Ii7