Baffled?

[Rick]

I need some expert advise from my friends out there. I finally took out my AS for her maiden voyage today. Drove for about 15 minutes and all hell broke loose with a loud rattling noise from the trans. Managed to limp home and when I went under the trans I was shocked. 3 of the 4 TC bolts were LOOSE. I think the backing plate bolts on the flexplate broke off- because they wouldn't tighten. I made it home on 1 TC bolt.  When I assembled the TC to the flexplate I was very careful in torquing and putting the TC bolts in. The TC fitted properly on the shaft and the TC and flex plate lined up- but when I was tightening the TC bolt the last bolt had about 1/4 inch space between the flexplate and TC- the other 3 were flush. They all secured with no problem-with the last being a little tighter. No matter what, I have to pull the engine out this week. Can I pull it out with the TC attached-if I can't get the bolts off? Any suggestions. Also what could possibly cause this. I just had the engine, clutch and trans rebuily by Joe at EVW. Everything looked fine. Initially she started right up and drove a few blocks before the God Forsaken noise. Thanks Guys

Rick

[Bookwus]

Hiya Rick,

....TC fitted properly on the shaft and the TC and flex plate lined up- but when I was tightening the TC bolt the last bolt had about 1/4 inch space between the flexplate and TC-the other 3 were flush.

Whoa Nellie!  There's something wrong right there.  All the flexplate holes should line up evenly and nicely with the torque converter.

.....No matter what, I have to pull the engine out this week. Can I pull it out with the TC attached-if I can't get the bolts off? Any suggestions. Also what could possibly cause this. I just had the engine, clutch and trans rebuily by Joe at EVW. Everything looked fine. Initially she started right up and drove a few blocks before the God Forsaken noise.

Well, if worse comes to worst, you can pull the engine with the TC attached.  But I'd strongly recommend that you do everything you can possibly do to get the engine out without the TC.  Trying to remove the engine with the TC will be a messy hairpulling kind of job



Rick
[/quote]

[singlecab61]

Hello there!

Damn! Sounds like you are having one of those days!

I agree with Mike. I would personally try all possible options for removing the TC bolts from the flex plate. If worse comes to worst, yes you can yank the TC with the engine, but as Mike already said, that is a hair pullin' task!

If you have to do it that way, get another TC seal. You will end up totally destroying the one currently on the tranny during removal. Also, If you have to do it the hard way there is one more option for removing the TC bolts: Slide the engine back as far as possible, now you should be able to get to the TC bolts from between the bell housing and the engine (gives you a little more room to get some bigger tools in there). If you get the bolts off in this position, push the TC back into the tranny and drop out the engine. You will still most likely damage the TC seal so have a new one ready!

Most likely the cause for the mishap: the flex plate bolt hole threads were probably boogered up or a TC bolt thread got mashed somehow. As far as the other ones that came loose, there is a possibility either the bolts or the flex plate threads were stripped and they only felt tight until they were subjected to load. The TC bolts are not the easiest fasteners to get to, especially with heater boxes!

Do what you can and give us an update!

-Evan.

[68autobug]

I thought this sort of thing only happened to Me....

If the nuts have come off the flexplate...
there is no way possible to undo the bolt/screw...

I even used high tensile bolts cut to size at one stage....
then allen key headed bolts....
all these worked OK...

I had no problems until I used Loctite to hold the bolts ON...

but when undoing... one of the nuts came loose..

When you pull the engine with the torque converter still attached
place a dish under the torque converter
as a lot of ATF will come out...

cheers

Lee


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