Align Flywheel and Torque Converter LX450 (1 Viewer)

[MisipLC]

Well I have searched the vast expanse of the forum and internet, only to come away still confounded.

i am trying to mate the engine and transmission, ensuring the flywheel bolt holes and torque converter bolt holes align. My son and I can't seem to crack this particular nut.

1. Is there a special trick to this?
2. Should the torque converter spin AFTER the engine and transmission are mated?
3. Is there some spell, conjuring, magic powder or dance that can be done to make this come together?

We've spent 5 days trying to figure this out with no success. I give. So does my son. We are whipped by this problem.

 

[cruiserfj45]

Your torque converter should spin freely until you bolt it up. There is a chance your torque converter fell out one step and is not all the way seated. If that is the case you need to pull the trans back and get the torque converter to re set.

 

[blkprj80]

Also, there is a nub on the middle of the torque converter that has to enter the tail end of the crankshaft.
Make sure there aren't any boogers or burrs on both parts. It's a slip fit, and needs to be fairly well aligned to go together.

 

[MisipLC]

Thanks guys. Where do i get the special fairy dust to make this all work?

 

[cruiserfj45]

Good advice comes from experience, experience comes from mistakes. I once installed a transmission and forgot the throwout bearing. I also once installed the clutch friction disk backwards. Both times I had to pull the transmission out again. If you need more direct help, pm me and I will give you my number.

 

[MisipLC]

Well, got the engine and transmission to come together. But, the torque will not spin.
Guess I have to open it up and try again.
Any tips on seating the torque converter? Thought I had it, but...

 

[cruiserfj45]

Spin, Spin, Spin. Some times I have to take it off and look at where the grove is to get it to line up. When it finally sets it should spin much more freely. You probably don't need to take it all the way apart, just loosen up the bolts between the transmission and engine and start spinning it while applying pressure.

 

[jfz80]

TC should slide on first set of splines, then spin it to align the second set of splines and then it pushes in further to seat; sounds like you got it this far.

Not sure it will make a difference for you here but, did you use the green bolt first per the FSM on the torque converter? It has an alignment shoulder on it and it looks very similar to all the others.

 

[mod5csi]

Also, you will know the torque converter is fully seated if there is no horizontal or vertical movement, and no room for your hand if you feel under the bottom. Only free spinning.

You should get three solid clunks when seating. First spline, then lightly wobble up and down while spinning should get the second spline, then more light wobbling for the third clunk.

Also helps to have the transmission in a bench about belly high. A lot of the problem most people have is not aligning the torque converter with the input shaft in the vertical plane. Especially when crouching over it with the transmission on the ground.

 

[MisipLC]

I backed up some and separated the engine and trans. Took a straight edge and calipers to measure depth of TC. Found it .075 shallow. Pulled and jiggled, turned and spushed, and spun, spun, spun. Now the TC is down about .800.

 

[cruiserfj45]

Can you get your fingers between the bellhousing and the torque converter?

 

[MisipLC]

I will check and report back.

 

[MisipLC]

i think we got it.

 

[MisipLC]

We finally got the transmission and engine bolted together. First, we jiggled, pulled, pushed and spun, spun, spun the torque converter to get it seated. Then, brought the engine in close and installed 3 guide pins - 4 inch bolts. We installed 2 in the bottom and one up top. It was then just a matter of pushing up the motor. We used a heavy tow strap to "winch" the motor backwards. 5 days to learn the lesson, I think it must be some lesson. Got good at bolting and unbolting bell housing, and aligning the motor. Using the hoist, I had to raise one side of the engine (passenger) with a tow strap, to rotate the ending so the bolt holes would align. Amazing what you can accomplish with a few tow straps. Not just for securing loads....

Also installed the motor mounts.

 

[LandCruisinMy93]

Good thing you didn't do what so many who venture to do their own work donon auto trans... cinche the engine and transmission together with bolts instead of making sure the torque converter is properly installed. Doing so usually destroys the pump of the trans at the very least.