suchconquest Posted July 4, 2009 Report Share Posted July 4, 2009 (edited) Hi All Shelby i was reading a section about auto tranny installs and i am about to install a engine into my son Starion and its and auto. the converter is still connected to the motor and i saw that you said this was a total no no can you please gave me a link to the right way to do this as i have never installed a engine onto an automatic before. Any help will be appreciated Thx Bill Edited July 4, 2009 by suchconquest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie88TSi Posted July 4, 2009 Report Share Posted July 4, 2009 The torque converter needs to be installed into the transmission first. As you push the torque converter in, you need to spin the torque converter to engage all the splines. You'll feel three different "steps" as it slides into the pump. Now, before you install the torque converter, carefully inspect the spines on the torque converter, as well as front pump seal and look into the front of the transmission where the torque converter goes into the pump for damage. Removing the engine with the torque converter attached is a big no-no and should only be done if the engine is completely locked up and you can't turn the flex plate to get to the bolts. Removal of the engine like this almost always damages either the front pump seal, the front pump in the transmission, or the torque converter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suchconquest Posted July 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2009 The torque converter needs to be installed into the transmission first. As you push the torque converter in, you need to spin the torque converter to engage all the splines. You'll feel three different "steps" as it slides into the pump. Now, before you install the torque converter, carefully inspect the spines on the torque converter, as well as front pump seal and look into the front of the transmission where the torque converter goes into the pump for damage. Removing the engine with the torque converter attached is a big no-no and should only be done if the engine is completely locked up and you can't turn the flex plate to get to the bolts. Removal of the engine like this almost always damages either the front pump seal, the front pump in the transmission, or the torque converter. So it is possible to get to the flex plate bolts while the engine and transmission are being separated? or being mated? it seems as though you wouldn't be able to get to them. Maybe i need a step by step taking them apart and putting them back together i have always done 5 speeds. maybe you can just give me a quick lesson on removing and installing the tranny. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vbrad511 Posted July 4, 2009 Report Share Posted July 4, 2009 You just spin the motor over so you can reach all the bolts one at a time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikec Posted July 4, 2009 Report Share Posted July 4, 2009 The correct procedure is to remove that flimsy metal piece at the back of the engine/lower lip of the tranny bellhousing. That small piece allows access to the torque converter bolts, one or two at a time. Loosen a bolt a bit, then turn the engine crankshaft pully bolt with a long socket wrench, until the next bolt is visible. Loosen each one a bit (6 total bolts), turning the engine as you go. Once all are a little loose, do one more engine rotation taking the bolts out this time. Oh, always turn the crankshaft pully bolt in the tightening (clockwise as you face the front of the engine) direction only; otherwise you can screw up the timing chains inside the engine. Trying to "bump" the starter motor is probably a bad idea, especially when you have only one or two bolts holding the flex plate together. When re-assembling the torque converter to the tranny, as Ernie said, there are three sets of things that engage. When done correctly, there should be at least 1.03 inches (26 millimeters) of space between the bellhousing edge and the highest bump/protrusion on the torque converter itself. Lay a straightedge across the bellhousing and measure down from that. If you don't have that minimum distance, the torque converter is NOT installed correctly and you'll mangle stuff when it's bolted to the engine. mike c. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suchconquest Posted July 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2009 The correct procedure is to remove that flimsy metal piece at the back of the engine/lower lip of the tranny bellhousing. That small piece allows access to the torque converter bolts, one or two at a time. Loosen a bolt a bit, then turn the engine crankshaft pully bolt with a long socket wrench, until the next bolt is visible. Loosen each one a bit (6 total bolts), turning the engine as you go. Once all are a little loose, do one more engine rotation taking the bolts out this time. Oh, always turn the crankshaft pully bolt in the tightening (clockwise as you face the front of the engine) direction only; otherwise you can screw up the timing chains inside the engine. Trying to "bump" the starter motor is probably a bad idea, especially when you have only one or two bolts holding the flex plate together. When re-assembling the torque converter to the tranny, as Ernie said, there are three sets of things that engage. When done correctly, there should be at least 1.03 inches (26 millimeters) of space between the bellhousing edge and the highest bump/protrusion on the torque converter itself. Lay a straightedge across the bellhousing and measure down from that. If you don't have that minimum distance, the torque converter is NOT installed correctly and you'll mangle stuff when it's bolted to the engine. mike c. OK here we go after all that i have heard this is where i am at. The engine that was removed was locked up because of a badly spun rod bearing. So it was removed with the converter still on the engine. So now i have learned this is a no no . But i could not have helped that. well i guess i could have by removing that rod bearing so i could spin the engine. but i didn't. Ok now after all that i did install the motor with the converter attached to the motor because i didn't know what i was doing. So right now im at the point where i have the short block attached to the tranny and have not gotten any further. So i have not attempted to start the motor. Now my Question guys is now how @2$^g am i . i really hope that this isn't a disaster. I'm not a bad mechanic except i didn't do my home work on automatics. I just hope it dose not cost me to dearly Thz for the help. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ernie88TSi Posted July 10, 2009 Report Share Posted July 10, 2009 Yeah, if the motor is locked up, that's about your only option is to yank it with the torque converter still attached. The torque converter MUST be installed in the transmission as Mike and I described above. If you don't let it sink into those three indents, when you bolt the engine and transmission together, you will crush and ruin your front pump, and possibly damage the torque converter. OK here we go after all that i have heard this is where i am at. The engine that was removed was locked up because of a badly spun rod bearing. So it was removed with the converter still on the engine. So now i have learned this is a no no . But i could not have helped that. well i guess i could have by removing that rod bearing so i could spin the engine. but i didn't. Ok now after all that i did install the motor with the converter attached to the motor because i didn't know what i was doing. So right now im at the point where i have the short block attached to the tranny and have not gotten any further. So i have not attempted to start the motor. Now my Question guys is now how @2$^g am i . i really hope that this isn't a disaster. I'm not a bad mechanic except i didn't do my home work on automatics. I just hope it dose not cost me to dearly Thz for the help. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelby Posted July 12, 2009 Report Share Posted July 12, 2009 sorry i miss''d this but looks like the guys have it cover'd for you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suchconquest Posted August 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2009 sorry i miss''d this but looks like the guys have it cover'd for you All is WELL Thanks all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdough Posted June 22, 2025 Report Share Posted June 22, 2025 dammit. that's exactly what I did then. I installed the motor with the converter on it. the car ran and drove and shifted fine for over a week. then one day it just started dying when out into gear. I feel like maybe I effed up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdough Posted June 22, 2025 Report Share Posted June 22, 2025 and it took me 4 days to get the motor and tranny to seat together. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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