Seeking advice on a big problem I'm having reinstalling a 352 in my 1965 F250:

No problem taking the motor out. Took out just the motor, left the C6 automatic in place. Engine does not have headers. I can get the engine back on the 2 motor mounts, but can't seem to get it that last 1/2 inch or so onto the bell housing and have the torque converter studs line up with the holes in the flex plate. By the way, I'm doing this alone and I guess at 63 I'm not strong enough anymore to get the beast of a motor back in place.

At this point, instead of wrestling with the motor anymore, would it be easier, since I'm working alone, to disconnect the transmission completely and try and push it forward to mate up with the engine?

This is the 1st time I've done this, so all suggestions welcome,

Thanks, Gene

 

You probably need to rotate the crank slightly to get the splines to line up,

It will go in or it will not go in.

Don't force it or something will break. Don't ask how I konw this.

That's a tough job to do with only 2 hands.

 

Two things to check:
-Could you have accidentally swapped engine mounts from side to side? I have made this mistake. Originals are marked L and R but some replacements aren't. Left and right are not the same.
-Are you sure the rear of the crank is sliding into the depression in the converter? This is a rather close fit. Engine and tranny must be lined up in the same plane or they will not mate.
Eric

 

this if they are in backwards the engine sits about a 1/2 inch too far forward

 

Automatic transmission, so no splines to worry about. I smeared some grease on the center hub on the torque converter. Never touched the motor mounts, but still checked--they are in correctly.
I guess the main problem is that this is a job for 1 young person, or 2 or more old geezers like me!

There's no one around to help me so I have to figure out how to get it in myself, so I'm back to asking for advice on somehow moving the transmission backwards (without actually taking it out) so that when I lower the engine onto it's mounts, I can then move the transmission forward. Though the transmission is heavy, I think I could do that myself with it supported by my floor jack.

Again, all advice appreciated, Gene.

 

In addition You need to be absolutely sure that the torque converter is properly seated in the transmission. To check this try to slip your fingers up between the back of the torque converter and the front of the transmission. If you can get a finger up between there then the converter isn't in all the way. Don't force it in, especially with the bolts! You will destroy the transmission.
To properly reinstall the torque converter you will need some room to try to wiggle it back into place.
If that doesn't work then the next step is to pull the tranny out, stand it on it's tail and try to wiggle it in that way.

 

You may also need to pull the mounts off of the block to allow some room to rock the motor side to side and allow some slack to turn the torque converter to line up the studs to the flex plate holes.
You want to mate up the tranny and block before you tie the motor down in the mounts. When everything aligns properly the motor and tranny will practically fall together. If you have to force anything then something is out of whack.

 

make certain that your torque converter is installed properly into the transmission oil pump. There are two flat faces on the torque that must align in the pump and pushed in/ This is also about an inch or so. I spin the torque while applying pressure towards the pump. you should hear and feel a click when they line up.

 

it should fall/click three times as you push against torque converter as you twist it back and forth...... if this isn't done transmission won't even survive the first fire up of the motor it will destroy the pump.... as stated before never force a trans together you can help guide them together with longer bolts but don't just try to force them stuff can and will break.....good luck

 

just curious why did you take motor out in the first place?

 

AS above; make sure the TC is seated in all the way, and check to see if there is a drain plug in the TC and it is lined up in it's hole also, if not it will hold the trans back about a 1/2"

 

Sometimes it is simply a matter of misalignment when things don't go back together easily. Something you could try, is to make some alignment "bullets" out of some old bellhousing bolts. Cut the head off the bolt and shape the cut end on your grinder like the nose of a bullet, then cut a slot in the end with a hacksaw blade for a screwdriver to fit. Make two of them and install in the block one on either side where the bellhousing bolts thread in. Now when you mate the engine to the trans, your bullets will go into their respective holes in the trans bellhousing and help keep everything aligned and hopefully make it easier for the pilot of the converter to mate up. Also make sure you have the converter pushed all the way in (sometimes is comes ahead when removing engine and it looks right but can be inadvertently pulled forward) also clock the converter so the studs match up with the flexplate. When you have the block and bellhousing mated together and the remaining bolts installed you will have to remove your alignment bullets with a slotted screwdriver then install the proper bolts. Best to choose to put the alignment bullets in a location where they are easiest to get back out once everything is mated up.
Also, double check your dowel pins, sometimes when swapping things around a dowel will slip out of the block and get stuck in the bellhousing dowel location, and a replacement engine with dowels in their appropriate locations can't fit into a plugged up bellhousing dowel bore. As these dowels have been known to swap sides from block to bellhousing during removal, always check to make sure your block has two dowels before installation to transmission. They are there to prevent the mating surfaces from working on each other and causing the bellhousing bolts to loosen off over time. I witnessed this many years ago, a cracked flexplate caused by bellhousing bolts loosening off due to one dowel pin missing.

 

Thanks to all who gave advice on my installation problem. Cutting off the heads of some extra bolts and using them as guide pins to help locate the bell housing did the trick.

Gene

 

Glad you got it sorted out. I do most of my work by myself also. It can be very rewarding to finally figure out how to do a three handed job with only two.