Apparently my flippin torque converter moved forward because I don't have sufficient clearance between the metal plate and the nuts.

Kind of weird because I didn't have a problem spinning the dampener when I was installing the nuts. I must have yanked it loose when I was prying on the side of the engine to get the motor mount pad to line up...

Any way to correct this or do I have to unbolt the engine......?

 

hm... i dont think theres a way to do it without pulling the motor out again. you could try a few pry bars and some slight upward pressure.

 

I've never pulled an engine on these newer body styles {I'm getting older and less entergetic} but in days past, Me and my friends always took the engine and trans. out together, and changed the parts over. Then we'd put it all back in together.
It just seemed to be less hassell. However it does look like balance is more of an issue on the newer ones.

 

If you don't want to pull the motor again,,,you could pull the tranny out and make sure the torque converter is seated properly before you put it back in.

Phil

 

If the flexplate sets the position of the studs, doesn't the flexplate determine the gap/clearance between the stud ends and the splice plate? IF this is true, the torque converter studs will be pulled forward since they extend through the flexplate.

It almost seems like the flexplate/motor is pulling the torque converter toward the front or the motor which leads me to believe the motor/bellhousing interface is somehow unequal/not parallel?

I'm going to remove all the bellhousing bolts and ensure my dowels are properly seated and see what happens.

I'll let you know.....gawd I hate experimenting

 

if the motor is bolted to the trans, NO gap, the STUDS from the torque converter are through there corresponding holes in the flywheel, everything should be fine. . .

 

That torque converter has to be seated through two detents.
It doesn't need to be pulled forward.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Do you mean that the nuts holding the converter to the flexplate are rubbing something when you turn the crankshaft?

 

The stud ends that the torque converter nuts attach to WERE rubbing the thin splice plate. I corrected the issue (I believe - still have more work to do).

I removed all of the bellhousing to engine bolts while supporting the tranny from below. After the bolts were free, I spun to torque converter from the dampener and loosened the torque converter nuts. I then re-torqued the nuts to 30 ft lbs (20-34 is spec) in a cross fashion (opposite sides). Since the engine and bellhousing were "connected" via the dowel rods, I removed the vertical support (from the jack) off the transmission. I then installed and tightened the transmission to engine bellhousing bolts that go through the dowels (one on each side at 3:00 and 9:00) and one bolt on top. This pulled all the gap out of the engine to bellhousing. I put a breaker bar on the dampener and it spun without interference!

Now I'm going to check to see if there is a break-away torque value for spinning the engine from the dampener (by hand). Got some more bolts to put in, but at this point, it looks like a success! Had to take a break to celebrate.....

I'll let you know tomorrow if this worked. Thanks for all your help.