Trouble mating Bellhousing to Torque Converter

[snookbite]

2007 Ford Explorer 4.0L RWD - I believe it's the 5R55 E transmission

After pulling the motor and swapping out all of the timing components, I've screwed up multiple times while trying to mate the transmission (with TC installed) to bell housing. I'll spare all of the details since there were so many attempts but the main problem I had was that the TC will spin freely inside the trans and so will the crank with a breaker bar and 19mm socket but as soon as I mated the two and tightened up some bell housing bolts it's frozen up.

I believe I may have had the TC out too far in previous attempts instead of mating the surfaces and prying the TC out to bolt up to flywheel. As installed right now, the TC studs are recessed about 1/8th of an inch from the edge of the bell housing. I've poured through other forums but can't find the precise distance for this. Any help is greatly appreciated

 

[Littleant]

I will say the TC is not seated all the way in. Going back many years when I did auto repairs for 30 years I would install the TC on the input shaft and rotate the converter while moving the TC up and down until it was fully seated. You will hear it.

 

[snookbite]

Thanks. My neighbor is a mechanic and came over and took a look. I damaged the pump which is preventing me from getting the TC in all the way. New pump on the way

 

[Stic-o]

I just went through this a few months ago. The spline shaft pulls out to far and will not seat back in.

Pull the bellhousing, pull the main shaft out a bit to realign, push back, and bolt the bell housing back on. Voila! It should slide in corrctlco now.