Question about Torque Converter Install - '94 FZJ80 (1 Viewer)

[Mad4Rnr]

Been working on installing a lower mileage '96 1FZ in my '94 FZJ80. Yesterday I mated the engine and trans together in my garage. It slipped together pretty easily, maybe resisted a little the last 5-6mm so I decided to use the bolts to draw the two halves together. The odd part was that once I got it to the point where there was about a 2-3mm gap between the two I heard a single loud "clunk " sound. I finished tighten up the bolts with out any resistance what so ever.

Not thinking to much about the "clunk" sound I went and got the FSM to check the bell housing torque specs. That’s when I remembered you have to check the position of the torque converter before installing the trans (Step 1 shown below). I had just installed a new input shaft seal on the trans and I know for sure that I remembered to push the torque converter in hard and turn it couple times when I slid it in, its made a couple "clunk" sounds which I took to be it seating into splines. But... I didn’t measure for the 15.7mm inset. Do you think I need to pull it all apart and check this measurement? What happens if it’s not installed correctly?

Any advice to help out with my concerns is much appreciated!

 

[cjmoon]

I would to be sure. Does the whole assembly spin freely? I did something similar using bolts to draw everything together and snapped the torque converter alignment pilot. Could just be an alignment dowl that caught but your in an easier spot than in the vehicle. There are 3 engagements on torque converter with the last only being 3/16-1/4”

 

[bigredmachine]

I would take the trans back off and check the seal, sounds light the converter wasn't fully seated when you sucked the trans in. seals probably ok but finding out that it got cut before everything is back in the truck will make replacing if necessary so much easier

 

[Mad4Rnr]

Thanks guys, I'll rip them apart and double check the input seal and torque converter inset measurement. My back will hate me for it but not as much as if I have a problem and need to pull everything apart again...

 

[duggy]

The measurement is mainly there to ensure the TC is properly seated onto the double splines of the output. There shouldn't be too much (if any) resistance when mating the engine and trans back together, especially doing it while the engine is out of the vehicle.

 

[SucioP]

FSM is silent on the matter and the interwebs has differing opinions on adding AT fluid to the torque converter before installation. What says MUD?

 

[Squeegee]

FSM is silent on the matter and the interwebs has differing opinions on adding AT fluid to the torque converter before installation. What says MUD?

I put some in when I did mine

 

[SucioP]

I guess the only downside is the mess that I was hoping to avoid….

 

[Squeegee]

I guess the only downside is the mess that I was hoping to avoid….

ATF has a lot o detergents in it. Think of it as cleaning your floor

 

[SucioP]

Advice from @Malleus for the community

"The advice I've been given is to put in half what the TC will take (about a quart or so). Any more and it leaks out during installation, and makes a mess. I've been told transmission shops don't even do that, but they have a pump to get fluid into the unit., so that may be why.

When you drain the transmission, the TC only drains down to the level of the output shaft, so that's all you can get in until the unit's sealed.

Filling it half full ensures the bearings don't run dry."