torque converter removal

[madsdad]

If the torque converter bolts need to be undone from the front, through the little access hatch, then how do I get them undone if the engine is seized and won't turn?

Am I just screwed and need to buy a replacement converter and flywheel, or is there some trick that I don't know about?


--barry "about ready just to part this thing out"

 

[2mbb]

Are you in the process of removing the engine? If you are, you might be able to pull the engine with the converter attached to the fly wheel. You would need to pull the engine far enough forward to disengage the transmission input shaft from the torque converter. But if you remove the radiator, support and grill you should have enough room in front. You might also be able to remove the transmission with engine installed, leaving the converter on the flywheel, but you may not have the clearance. This might require first taking the transfer case off.

 

[madsdad]

The engine/tranny are out of the vehicle already. I managed to separate the tranny from the engine w/o problem, but torque converter is bolted to flywheel which is bolted to seized engine. I need to get TC and flywheel off old engine so they can go to the replacement engine.

 

[Wile E Coyote]

How about pulling the crank from the block, w/ FP and TC still attached, of course. Would this give you access to the bolts then?

When it's all ready to go back in the truck, I'd install a new seal on the converter/input shaft.

 

[madsdad]

Thanks! I didn't quite have to go to that extreme, but close. My neighbor's dad is an old-timey mechanic, so a quick phone call resulted in, "drop the pan, and undo the bearing caps and whatever else you need to so it'll turn."

I pulled took all the valuable stuff off of the side of the engine and put it on its passenger side. Pulled the pan, and removed all the new paperweights from when the engine grenaded (spaghetti pushrods, about 6" of camshaft, various other bits), removed all the connecting rod caps and pushed the pistons to TDC, bashed on the one connecting rod which was twisted against the crank and got it free, and then I was able to turn the engine a few degrees at a time. I had to fiddle with the loose connecting rods now and then to keep them from binding with the crank, but I eventually got all the torque converter bolts out, and the converter and flywheel off the back. Yay!

--Barry "in a MUCH better mood!"