Engine to transmission sync

[jonfordice]

Hey all, love the forum, first post. Please help!

Dropping a rebuilt 4.0 in a '96 Limited and ran into a problem...the engine wont turn when bolted to the bell housing. What am I doing wrong? It spins when bolts are loose, but the second I tighten them it locks up.

Any and all advice is appreciated!

Jon

 

[vroomzoomboom]

i think your torque converter isnt seated properly. bad news to this is, you will need to pull the motor back out, or move the trans back to spin it.

 

[drdoom]

another vote for torque converter

 

[rb142]

Yup, sounds like the torque converter. Get it seated properly and try again.

 

[99SportX]

Sometimes the center input shaft slides out a little bit when the torque converter is removed. The shaft doesnt always like to go back in all the way. It may seem like the torque converter is seated properly, but it isnt set deep enough into the bellhousing. The only way I have found to get that stubborn shaft reseated is to loosen the bellhousing bolts on the transmission. Once I did that it popped right back into place.

I fought this one for a couple of weeks on and off before figuring out what was going on.

 

[jonfordice]

Thanks guys,
Does the engine need to come all the way out, or just enough to get separation from torque converter?
Cheers,
Jon

 

[1992fordgreen]

Make sure you have the TC seated all the way back inside the bellhousing and that the alignment pins are itnact and right on the spot. Just pull it far enough out to where you can reseat the TC.