Engine installation

So, i rebuilt by 4.0 and installed a new head (thank you whoever designed the 0330 head casting! ) Im having a hell of a time getting the new engine to mate up to the tranny, 2 of us spent 3 hours under the thing trying to get her to go. I reused the TC and flexplate, so spline engagement shouldnt be a problem if any changes were made.

Any tips on getting my new 4.0 into its home?

Please don't tell me you're trying to drop it in with the torque converter bolted to the engine..

Ok, major big thing is getting the torque converter's pump driving "ears" into the pump. If you don't and try and force things you will damage the pump or torque converter.

We used to keep some 35 gallon grease drums (steam cleaned of course) around the shop just for setting the converters. With the trans heads up in the can it was very easy to turn the TC and recognize the solid "clunk" when it would set in.

Grab a straight edged and measure the distance from the face of the bellhousing to the front of the torque converter, and then just keep trying until you can feel/hear/measure the change when it seats in the pump.

JJacobs said:

Please don't tell me you're trying to drop it in with the torque converter bolted to the engine..

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uh... yeah. Educate me bud! Ive done a few swaps, and R&R's but never had an issue like this.

Never do it that way, you're asking for broken pump gears. Take the converter off the engine, put it in the trans and keep rotating and pushing gently on it. There are several steps that will engage one at a time, eventually it will be seated all the way. You may want to measure to make sure it won't go any further.

Then and only then bolt the engine to the trans.

JJacobs said:

Never do it that way, you're asking for broken pump gears. Take the converter off the engine, put it in the trans and keep rotating and pushing gently on it. There are several steps that will engage one at a time, eventually it will be seated all the way. You may want to measure to make sure it won't go any further.

Then and only then bolt the engine to the trans.

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Sounds like a game plan. Now that I think about this most of the installs ive been a party to have been manuals. I never thought about it this way.

YXwhenUcanFAB? said:

uh... yeah. Educate me bud! Ive done a few swaps, and R&R's but never had an issue like this.

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You are making this way too hard on yourself. Do yourself a favor and start putting the converter on the trans first and bolt the motor to the bellhousing. Come back after that and bolt the coverter to the flexplate. Works like a charm. I would expect damage to the pump, converter or input seal trying any other way. Maybe you have gotton away with this a few times, but it is NOT common practice to bolt the converter to the flexplate first.

To verify that it's in all the way- once the engine and trans are bolted together, the converter will need to slide back forward just a tad, maybe 1/8 inch to get to the flexplate.

good stuff to know!!