I just dropped the 4.2 V6 back in my F-150. It's more or less bolted in and lined up, but I'm having a problem bolting the flexplate to the torque converter because the converter wants to spin when I turn the crank.
Ideas on holding the torque converter? Is there a special tool I don't know about?
There is a tool that engages the teeth of the flexplate, but I've never had the problem you're describing.
I spin the crank until a hole is visible in the flexplate, then I turn the converter until the threaded pad lines up. Go finger tight. Spin to the rest of them, then torque them down.
I have a theory though.... your TC isn't installed correctly. A properly installed TC will sit about 1/4" back from the flexplate. You should have to pull the TC forward to meet the flexplate for assembly. If you bolted it up and the TC is touching the flexplate, it isn't seated properly.
Stop now and fix that, because you can gall the pump if you turn it too much
Ford converters have studs that you have to line up with their holes in the flexplate while you're lining up the bellhousing to the motor. If you managed to bolt down the bellhousing without doing that then the converter studs are now jammed against 4 random spots on the flexplate with a high degree of force. In that case you need to unbolt the bellhousing and line them up properly and reassemble. As Curtis mentioned there is some chance of pump damage, but i'd try just putting it together right and starting it up and see if it isn't just fine.
In reply to Vigo :
That was my guess. I loosened all the trans-to-engine bolts I had installed, but might need to try to pry the two apart more and/or undo the motor mount bolts.
This is my first time reconnecting an engine to an automatic trans, so it's a bit different for me. And the guy who was helping me is a GM guy, so he was just mystified that the torque converter has studs instead of nuts. The engine fought us so hard just to get it lined up that I probably got a little too excited once I got that first bolt lined up. Odds are I used the bolts to pull the engine and trans together before I should have.
I haven't done one of those trucks in particular but it might be easier to loosen the trans mount so you can separate the engine/trans enough to rotate the converter.
Just wanted to update this to say that it appears Vigo was 100% right. We pulled the trans and engine far enough apart that we could spin the TC independently of the flywheel, lined up the studs, then used the engine to trans bolts to pull it back together. Everything seems right now.
Thanks again.
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