Working on my 01 SCREW. It's a 4.6 auto. I am getting about 90% ready to pull the engine, but am having hell with the TC bolts. I got a slim wrench and socket to slide up between the oil pan and the back of the flywheel (it's easier because all the 4x4 drivetrain crap is in the way of the access hole on the side of the bell housing)

It has a good tight fit, but it rounds the bolts off. I tried one with a box end cheapo and it started to round. So I went and bought a nice $40 flex head ratchet and fitting socket, it fits perfect on the bolt - and it took some muscle, but rounded a second one!!!

I did PB blaster on both about 10 minutes before trying...

So - there are 4 total right?

What should I do for the other two to not round them?

What can I do about the already rounded ones?

Much appreciate the help - I really need to get this running, the city code compliance is on my *** now!

 

you might end up pulling the motor with the converter attached-it can be done. dont really have advice as far as getting em loose. Should come off..

 

weird. They are only 22-30ft/lbs... which isnt much at all. You must have used the wrong size and a cheap wrench? I'm not sure what you can use now... as there isnt much room.... If the wrench fits the way it should, it's tough to round them off. You may have to pound a wrench of a different size, possibly a standard size on there. What size are those, 12mm?

 

go in through the access hole on the drivers side and use a socket.

 

Nothing to really add but I argue with my guys about this all the time, since the trucks we have in the Army are all mixed up with metric and standard.

 

Weird. Ive owned 2 99 F150's and a 98 exped. Done a 5.4 swap, had the whole front end apart, interior pulled apart, drive line out.. etc. and I have yet to come across a standard bolt that I remember. Maybe there were a few I don't remember? But the TC bolts were not one of them

 

metric standard mixtures were more common in the early days of the changeover. I dont recall any standard bolts on my 99 but it does seem like there were some on earlier trucks I've had. 90 f-150 and 86 f250 had mixtures. My carpet cleaning equipment is all standard..

 

I have a set of wrenches that are somewhat "universal", but the way they are made, the harder you pull the tighter the wrench grips. There's no way you can round a head. As Toyz said, either someone lightened 'em with a breaker bar or something is desperately wrong. TC bolts should NEVER be that tight.
As GottstoBMe said, if you can go in through the access hole, Harbor Freight has a great set of sockets that will absolutely deal with rounded off bolts or nuts, even made in Taiwan, NOT China.