[eoin]

Just finished doing the hg on my 98 DOHC 2.5 AT and need ideas on what is holding up the last 1/2 inch when mating the mounting bolts/pins. The mount studs are clear underneath. No combination of raising the TA and lowering engine seems to work. I hoisted it out again to see if torque converter was all the way in. When I took it out the second time, the inner shaft from the TA came out with the torque converter. Yikes, is something really messed up?
Thanks for any input. My 99 was easier when I left the engine in to do the HG!

 

[flstffxe]

I have not plunged into a 4eat yet but I have to assume the shaft is not meant to come out.

As far as lining the engine/trans up, make sure the pitch stop is disconnected to allow the trans to come up and make sure the engine mounts clear the cross member.

 

[eoin]

Thanks! I am thinking of waiting to hear from others who know if the shaft is supposed to slide out freely from the trans - before I put engine back in.. The inner shaft slid right back in trans- but is it supposed to lock even though it is in neutral?

 

[flstffxe]

^^ good idea. You may also be able to get in touch with a place like IPT and question them.

IPT Performance Transmissions Torque Converters and Transmission Parts for Ford, GM, Chrysler, and Import vehicles

1105 Route 23 South
Wayne, NJ 07470
866-828-7267
Or
973 238 0079

 

[Surgical]

im not sure about the shaft, I didn't touch it when I did mine.

x2 on the pitch stopper. what I did was jack up the trans a bit, then I made sure that the engine was hoisted such a way that it tilted toward the trans as it was hanging freely.
The bottom studs didn't get in the way bc the trans was up higher..
DONT force it and try to get one bolt in and then use that one bolt to pull it all together.
It wont work... I tried it that way a couple times and it just locked it up.
In my limited experience, when you are mating them together, if you have it right, all 4 bolts/study will slide about %75 together.
Get the bolts in/nuts on when that happens and turn them a few turns at a time to keep it all even.
Hard to explain but I hope this helps.

 

[BTI_Bob]

Just finished doing the hg on my 98 DOHC 2.5 AT and need ideas on what is holding up the last 1/2 inch when mating the mounting bolts/pins. The mount studs are clear underneath. No combination of raising the TA and lowering engine seems to work. I hoisted it out again to see if torque converter was all the way in. When I took it out the second time, the inner shaft from the TA came out with the torque converter. Yikes, is something really messed up?
Thanks for any input. My 99 was easier when I left the engine in to do the HG!

When I did the engine swap in my 99S with auto trans I also replaced the front torque (TC) convertor seal. When I pulled the TC the shaft came out with it. I was a little concerned at first, then I took a closer look at that shaft. If you look closely you will notice a clip has the shaft locked into the TC. It would be impossible to remove the TC without the shaft coming with it because of that clip. SO..... Just carefully install the TC with that shaft connected to it and all is good. I did just that and no issues. I was concerned there would be an oil leak or I might cut the new seal on install. No such problem.

Good luck.

 

[eoin]

I can't see a clip anywhere on the shaft. The shaft did not come out with the TC when I first pulled the engine - as the TQ was "mated" to the back of engine. But it DID come out with TC when I took it out after not being able to mate the engine to the trans. Now I have the TC on the workbench but cannot separate the inner shaft from the TC. It rotates freely, but just won't come out! I took careful measurements and it seems the TC and inner shaft will not go in the trans the last quarter inch - which is what is holding up the engine from mating all the way. Any ideas on how I can separate the inner shaft from the TC?? I wrapped the shaft carefully in an inner tube and held it in a vise and gently tapped with a wooden block on the TC...I don't want to hit too hard!
I can't find any pictures/diagrams of what the shaft end is supposed to look like inside the TC.

 

[jgrote]

Sounds like possibly the shaft is not in theTQ all the way. Have you tried to tap it into the TQ? Either the shaft will go back into the snap ring, or the snap ring is stuck inside the TQ. That will probably mean a new TQ.

 

[BTI_Bob]

My bad... Your's was the inner shaft coming out with it, mine was the outer shaft.

 

[eoin]

trans inner shaft stuck in torque converter!

I tried again - but same result. The torque converter and inner shaft are not seating all the way in the trans - so I cannot mate engine all the way in. The torq conv binds to engone plate as soon as I try to tighten last 1/4 inch. I pulled out the conv and inner shaft still comes out with it. It does not separate from shaft - making it tough to determine if it is the inner shaft or conv not seating all the way. Anyone know of any trans gurus out there to tell me if I can get that shaft separated???