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Alright guys so I got the harmonic balancer installed after reading Nick Piscas write up. He mentions it having to be .125" from the oil pan edge. Mine gives a few readings. At around 9 o'clock (passenger side) it reads about .2565" away from oil pan, at 6 o'clock most bottom edge, it is .1750" and at around 3 o'clock (drivers side) its .2020" from the edge. How crucial are these distances and why is there a variance? I added a speedy sleeve to harmonic balancer, don't think that would make a difference. It's on the keyway. Isnt that supposed to insure proper placement and give even readings throughout (distance of HB edge to oil pan)?
The outer hub is not quite true with the inner hub. There is a rubber ring that separates the two halves. Look for a punch mark on both halves as they need to align up. If they have moved you can not get an accurate timing reading. It would be time to replace or get the balancer rebuilt. Check the engine service manual as there usually is a max spec number. How did you measure yours?
The outer hub is not quite true with the inner hub. There is a rubber ring that separates the two halves. Look for a punch mark on both halves as they need to align up. If they have moved you can not get an accurate timing reading. It would be time to replace or get the balancer rebuilt. Check the engine service manual as there usually is a max spec number. How did you measure yours?
That might give you a good reading and again maybe not. The runout is normally measured with a dial indicator. You can measure both in inner and outor hubs. If the inner hub has much runout either it is no square on the crank or the snout is bent. Again that can also be measured with a dial indicator.
I must be missing it but could not find the spec on max runout in the engine manual. I did look at the DT series IH engines and the spec given is .060 max runout. I would think that would be a good general number to work with.
Ok guys, I got the engine into the frame, 2 studs on both sides so i know it' set where it's supposed to be. I really thought that was going to be way easier. Im having trouble with getting the bellhousing to align perfectly and even worse, getting the torque convertor studs on the flex plate. Any suggestions on how I can get those to line up better? I have the trans on a jack and dont know what I need to do to reduce the gap and get them to mate better, please see below.
If your engine is sitting on the frame and your transmission is on a floor jack, I'd make sure you mate the transmission to the engine before you adjust the torque converter. You have to make sure that the torque converter is fully seated before installing the transmission.
I never did this on my IDI, so take what I say with a grain of salt.
Yeah that's right, if the engine is set in on the mounts, then it's a matter of lining up the trans to the engine. As you can see, the tail needs to come up and it needs to be shifted a bit towards the passenger side. What you have to do is shake and wiggle when you get it close. As you get closer than that, then you'll try and line up the converter studs. It's almost always tricky and requires lots of lifting/tilting and shaking of the trans for it to mate. You'll get it. This is where it's nice to have another guy helping. The big trick though is trying to get the bellhousing even with the top of the engine, and then shaking the tail end of the trans like a grizzly bear, while pushing.
Last edited by FORDF250HDXLT; Mar 17, 2026 at 09:12 AM.
Yeah that's right, if the engine is set in on the mounts, then it's a matter of lining up the trans to the engine. As you can see, the tail needs to come up and it needs to be shifted a bit towards the passenger side. What you have to do is shake and wiggle when you get it close. As you get closer than that, then you'll try and line up the converter studs. It's almost always tricky and requires lots of lifting/tilting and shaking of the trans for it to mate. You'll get it. This is where it's nice to have another guy helping. The big trick though is trying to get the bellhousing even with the top of the engine, and then shaking the tail end of the trans like a grizzly bear, while pushing.
Does this mean I have to unbolt the transmission at the rear?
Does this mean I have to unbolt the transmission at the rear?
Yes. Make sure the trans is all free floating on your jack, or you'll never get it to move around how you need. Cross member and driveshaft all out. You need it as free as you can get so that when you grab it, you can shake and wiggle it into place.
Yes. Make sure the trans is all free floating on your jack, or you'll never get it to move around how you need. Cross member and driveshaft all out. You need it as free as you can get so that when you grab it, you can shake and wiggle it into place.
Sounds like I need to buy a transmission jack. I only have it on a regular jack.
Sounds like I need to buy a transmission jack. I only have it on a regular jack.
In all my years of trans swaps since a teen, I've never used a trans jack. Always a bottle jack or floor jack. If you're not struggling, you're not having any fun haha. Seriously though, I've never had much issue with a floor jack and a board under the trans pan.
Last edited by FORDF250HDXLT; Mar 17, 2026 at 11:15 AM.
In all my years of trans swaps since a teen, I've never used a trans jack. Always a bottle jack or floor jack. If you're not struggling, you're not having any fun haha. Seriously though, I've never had much issue with a floor jack and a board under the trans pan.
Yeah just a little worried that if it becomes unbalanced that heavy thing will just drop on me. It won't be connected to anything after I undo the shaft and crossmember right?
