Olds luvr

Ok guys,
I am in need of a little help... ok a lot of help. I decided to do a motor trans suspension and rear end swap and am way past my deadline, budget and my witts end nothing on this project has gone easy and the latest is the converter. It feels as if it is seated but does not look like it is. When I got the trans in it did not have any space between the flex plate. Tc is a new Hughes unit and is in a th400 mated to a 455. Pics below...

Olds luvr

Ok, trying to get the pics loaded but is not letting me from my phone. I guess I will esit to add pictures tomorrow from a computer.

oldcutlass

When you installed the convertor and trans, was the convertor attached to the trans or the flex plate during install?

Olds luvr

Ok...

Here are my poor pictures. TC was put on the trans I even stood it on the tail shaft of the trans. Each time I get it on it feels seated and the slots on the TC match where they should be on the trans as well. But when the trans is mounted to the block there is not the gap that there is supposed to be between the flexplate.

I should add a thread to the major build section as I am sure some will like to see the motor and trans painted as well as engine compartment and all the trimmings....

So bottom line does this look seated and how much space should be tetween the back of the converter and the trans?

70cutty

Judging by the pictures I don't think it's all the way in.

Spin the converter clockwise while slightly pushing it.
There will be 3 "clicks" - the first one is going onto the (inner) lock up shaft. The 2nd is the (outer) input shaft. The 3rd is the front pump. You'll notice the square cutouts on the torque converter. These engage to matching pins on the front pump.
To verify that its all the way in, you shouldn't be able to put your fingers between the torque converter and the tranny where the pan bolts up to.

JohnnyBs68S

With my old Jetaway trans out of the car, I measured ~ 1" between a straight edge across the bell housing to the TC bolt bosses. I used that measurement to be sure I got the new TC seated on my new (200-4R) trans, and when I bolted that up to the engine, there was less than ~1/4" gap between the TC bolt bosses and the flex plate (before I installed the TC-to-flex plate bolts).

Olds luvr

Thanks,

Anyone know if that 1" applies to a TH400? I assume it would and that is an easy way to measure? Any other ways to measure to ensure it is seated or is it all by feel?

pogo69

i wouldnt worry about the measurment...slowly turn it and push back you will feel and hear it seat...then you will have to pull it forward a bit to bolt it to the plate...thats pretty much it if you dont have to pull it forward at all then it didnt seat

Olds luvr

Ok guys... when input a flat edge along the housing and measure from the edge to the mounting pad I only have 7/8ths of an inch. Still wobbles a bit but when I pull the tc off tbe splines the key ways appear to to be lined up... is it possible it is seated but there is a seperate issue?

Olds luvr

Maybe math will help here. Measurements are real close but maybe not perfect

Converter is 6.5 tall

Depth of shaft to the key way is 1.1

Space from edge of pump seal to edge of bell is 5.25

If the converter is seated by taking 6.5 minus the 1.1 leaves 5.4

I have .45 from tip of converter to edge of bell housing which is about the 5.25 minus my .45

So if it is seated and I still have no air gap between flywheel and tc pads am I in trouble?

JohnnyBs68S

I'm having a hard time visualizing your measurement points, but what pogo69 says is correct, you should have to pull the TC forward a slight amount to contact the flex plate once the trans is mated to the engine. You should be able to measure your engine block to flex plate surface and compare that to the setback of the TC bolt bosses relative to the bell housing flange. This latter dimension should be slightly larger than the block-to-flex surface measurement (which would give the desired gap before pulling the TC forward to mate to the flex plate).

The TC instructions that I've seen is that as you rotate the TC to instal it onto the trans input shaft(s), you should feel 3 distinct "steps". I felt only 2 when I did mine, but I verified the bellhousing-to-TC bolt boss measurement compared to my old trans to confirm in my mind that the TC was fully seated.

Oh, and don't forget to fill the TC w/ a quart of trans fluid first!

TripDeuces

The 1 inch depth measurement is a approximate figure. There is no hard and fast rule here.
If you measure how far away the flex plate is from the rear block face you'll get an idea where you need to be. If not enough keep rotating the TC until it falls into place. Is it possible one of the lugs or the slots is nicked and not allowing full engagement?

I always shoot for 1/8 gap between the converter and flex plate and no more than that. If it's more take up the difference with washers/spacer of some kind. Unfortunately too large a gap doesn't seem to be your problem.

Olds luvr

Ok I am back to the converter. I can get it to seat on the th350 but not the 400. I discovered that the 2 keyways on the 400 sit out an extra 8th of an inch past where the sit on the 350 and that is the issue why it won't seat. Why is that? Did the rebuilder put the trans back together wrong or what should I do?