Mating up transmission to engine

[musthave]

Yeah, I remember when it dropped into place - it seemed like quite a bit. I seem to remember like several inches. I wish now that I would have taken a picture and documented it, but I was so damn happy when it finally happened that I just started putting things together afterward. I just read over my build thread during that time and I had one post saying that I fought this issue for 1.5 hours before tossing in the towel for the evening. I remember futzing with this for a long time.

I've tossed in the towel two evenings in a row.

 

[TurboDennis]

I will confirm what others have said. I've installed these things dozens of times. I can almost guarantee you 100% that TC is not fully seated, and that's your issue.

I never had much luck trying to seat the TC while spinning it.
Instead remove the TC and note the position of the "keyways". Then look into the tranny input hole and note the position of the "keys" there that are supposed to go into the keyways on the TC. Try to align them and push the TC in. If it doesnt seat deeper than before, then remove it fully, rotate a tiny bit in either direction, and try pushing it on again. Keep doing that until it seats. It doesnt take any extra force to install it once the key/keyway are aligned properly, so dont force it.
You also dont need to measure the depth every time while you are trying to install it. The difference is SIGNIFICANT and you'll know right away when its fully seated.

About 1.5"/4cm depth from the face of the bell housing to the face of the flex plate nut

 

[musthave]

I will confirm what others have said. I've installed these things dozens of times. I can almost guarantee you 100% that TC is not fully seated, and that's your issue.

I never had much luck trying to seat the TC while spinning it.
Instead remove the TC and note the position of the "keyways". Then look into the tranny input hole and note the position of the "keys" there that are supposed to go into the keyways on the TC. Try to align them and push the TC in. If it doesnt seat deeper than before, then remove it fully, rotate a tiny bit in either direction, and try pushing it on again. Keep doing that until it seats. It doesnt take any extra force to install it once the key/keyway are aligned properly, so dont force it.
You also dont need to measure the depth every time while you are trying to install it. The difference is SIGNIFICANT and you'll know right away when its fully seated.

EXACTLY!

That did it, 2nd try. It’s obvious once it’s on correctly. Here are pictures for the next guy. Phew...

 

[musthave]

It’s interesting that they don’t mention the keys in the FSM. @TurboDennis method is perfect. Thank you!

 

[Atomic City]

Awesome! Wish I would have tried the method that @TurboDennis mentioned.

Thanks to the OP for posting the pictures for future reference.

 

[Azca]

It is funny how something so seemingly "easy" becomes a major stressful issue during assembly and can ruin your day or even days. Once figured out and the task completed, we are left shaking our heads in amazement. That is how our cruisers screw with us and give us the Mud salute.

 

[coax]

Yes exactly. Plus I feel like the FSM is a bit misleading as you can get it to meet the minimum setback without it being fully seated.

 

[BDUFPV]

you should feel three solid engagement clunks when seating the converter onto the trans. if you don't then you aren't on all the way.

i put it on and spun and spun it. i got two clunks and thought i was done. i was surprised by the third! it mated with no problems.

 

[Squeegee]

Man this thread just saved me a load of trouble, I’m swapping a blown trans and I wanted to double check the position of the torque converter on the new trans and it’s definitely not in all the way.

But I do have a question, I’m not sure how much fluid the torque converter has in it. Should I remove it and make sure it’s full before I fully install it and mate it to the engine?

 

[BDUFPV]

Man this thread just saved me a load of trouble, I’m swapping a blown trans and I wanted to double check the position of the torque converter on the new trans and it’s definitely not in all the way.

But I do have a question, I’m not sure how much fluid the torque converter has in it. Should I remove it and make sure it’s full before I fully install it and mate it to the engine?

I spilt some out of mine maybe 2-3 ounces. I added some back into the torque converter. However, I was told transmission fluid is pumped into the torque converter from the transmission so what I lost would not have been a problem if I didn’t replace it directly into the torque converter.

 

[Squeegee]

I spilt some out of mine maybe 2-3 ounces. I added some back into the torque converter. However, I was told transmission fluid is pumped into the torque converter from the transmission so what I lost would not have been a problem if I didn’t replace it directly into the torque converter.

Cool that’s good to know, I didn’t know if starting the car with the converter dry would be a problem. I think I’m going to add some just in case regardless

 

[Dave 2000]

Glad it gone done, well done! Something else I would like to add re the comment that the the gap between the engine and transmission at the top was 2 inches and the bottom the two parts were touching.

For the next person fitting a trans and/or engine, at no time should you find yourself in this position with such a large difference in upper and lower measurements. Removing the four bolts holding the anti roll bar and lowering it gives a lot more room to manoeuvre the pieces and maintain alignment, also if your starter motor has a stud and bolt fixing, then remove the stud, this is particularly important if it is a manual transmission and allow more room t rotate the transmission helping the primary shaft splines to align.

regards

Dave

 

[SucioP]

This is the most stoopidly frustrating piece of this whole build…. Been wrestling with thing for an hour and no closer.

 

[SucioP]

After two weeks of swearing, screaming and sacrificing small animals trying to get the stupid TC to drop all the way in, it’s finally back together.

Way too late I inspected the TC, teeth were all good but the stator seemed to float more than it should. Meaning when it was vertical for install, it would sit low and was never going to get over the stator shaft.

I called Precision and they had me a new TC the NEXT DAY! (Big plug for them www.GoPNH.com post Covid we’ve all gotten used to crappy service but these folks were great.)

I came out to the workshop this AM and kerchunk-kerchunk-kerchunk she was fully seated and ready to go back together. I could push the tranny into the flex plate by hand with no gap.

I don’t know if it actually was the stator or the final small animal sacrifice to Mr. T but wanted to put my experience out to the community.