front clutch, money pit

[webconnect]

Once apon a time 9 months ago I spun a rod bearing. Having no cash, but a heart to try, my friends and I rebuilt it. I installed the tranny, installed the motor, fired it up, and wow it was an amazing feeling. However I didn't install the torque converter right so it destroyed the transmission oil pump.

$410 later I get a new transmission pump. I then install it onto the trans, then I take the converter and mess with it for about 3 hours trying to get it to seat onto the transmission pump. (I didn't want to do this again!).

Although the writeups say to turn the torque converter clockwise while pushing in, and you will feel 2 drop ins... NONE of that happend. So I though i was doing wrong - not hard enough. So I pushed harder. And then I failed again: the front clutch pack just broke.

Here goes another $350 down the drain.

Am I making this too hard? It seams like it would be a simple process!

 

[almostquick]

How far were you able to get the Torque Converter inside the bell housing? I believe the converter is suppose to sit about half an inch inside of the bell housing once its fully in. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong (Im still in the process of converting over to auto).

 

[webconnect]

The starter ring was sticking out of the bell housing still.

 

[420a-t]

I just went through this, its supposed to sit about 1/4"-1/2" inside the bellhousing. Push it in, them as you install it onto the flexplate (when tranny is bolted on the motor) it supposed to adjust itself where it needs to be, unless your flexplate is out of specs.

 

[webconnect]

I did push it in. Thats why things broke...

 

[tenn-gsx]

Usually a converter goes in with just a steady but firm push and twist. Its not like you have to shove on the thing hard. one hand in the middle while twisting should be able to do the trick. I bet you got it up there and were pushing too hard and the outside was spinning but you had the splines pushed against eachother in the wrong angle with too much pressure to let them slide and mesh correctly. Sometimes you have to jiggle up and down as well to get the outer shaft to seat in the converter.