I recently pulled my 7.3L in my 97 f350 to fix an oil pan gasket leak, upon reinstallation, after torqueing up the bell housing bolts I went to bolt up the flex plate and the motor was seized. I took out the glow plugs in case oil was seizing the motor (due to me turning it upside down to do the gasket), negative. So I starting unbolting the bell housing and the motor and tranny seperated 3/8" to 1/2" (motor and tranny mounts unbolted, full weight on motor tho) so for *****s and giggles I threw the wrench on the front crank pulley and my motor turned. What is binding in there? I never removed the converter, didnt even touch it, I lift and lower the tranny in hopes to release the issue but no luck. I need help, I wanna get my baby on the road. Thanks in advance!

 

Spin the converter until it fully seats in the pump.

 

As said above....

Paul

 

So pull the motor back out or can I do it with the motor in?

 

You can do it with it in, you may have to spin it several times before it seats to the pump...

 

It has to be pulled apart and checked.
You could have damaged the tc or the pump.
Many have damaged the pump doing what happened to you.

You could reset the tc but its a roll of the dice without checking.
If its damaged and you start the motor you will be opening the trans.

Bill

 

I was thinking about that after I posted .

Years ago I was putting a trans in one of my cars without seating the TC properly . Ended up breaking the case with the trans bolts ...

 

Live and learn red. Its happened to me also!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rush,rush,rush and get burned!!!!!!!!!!!!

Straight edge is your friend!!!!!!!

Blue

 

more so its the pump in the tranny gets damaged, i think its the gear that shatters? hopfully this didnt happen to you! if it did i believe you can rebuild the pump with out tearing it all down.

 

Wow I've spent the last 2 hours spinning and spinning that crank and I can't get it to bolt up smooth, I loosen the bolts spin the crank till I hear a clunk then I tighten the 2 lowest bolts and it seizes again, so I loosen them again, spin it till I hear a clunk do it all over again! No luck here so I'm thinkin of pulling the tranny out and workin that way back, cause the tranny has to come out to fix the pump right or can I fix the pump with the motor out?

 

If the tc is seated you can bolt the trans to the motor.
Then you pull the tc towards the ring gear to mate it up.

Bill

 

Ok thanks that is not happening here, I'm gonna pull the motor up and out a bit to try and seat the tc on the tranny first. I appreciate the help Bill.

 

Well I seperated the motor and tranny 4" or so. And tried to set the torque converter, it is completely behind the bellhousing except the center tip its out 1/4" -5/16" , so if I put a straight edge on it it would hit the center tip but not the studs is this right? Or should the center sit beneath the straight edge too?

 

 

It's not in all the way. It should all be behind the bellhousing so it can reach the motor. You must have pulled it out of the tranny some when removing the motor, the way I get a convertor in when I do them is spin it, and hit it with my hand a few times till it lines up right and goes in. I don't know about any damage that could be done so far as I am no expert in that area.