BrokeRacing98ta

WTF I've built a few engines and done countless swaps but this is my first ls1 project. I noticed that the torque converter bolts are an allen head and I've never seen this before, is this stock or is it something someone just stuck in their? I can tell that the engine was out at one time and they loaded and I mean loaded everything with locktite which makes me want to kill the previous owner. So now I've got a rounded allen bolt with locktite up the *** on it. I was thinking about heating it with a torch but I'm afraid I will warp or later on crack the flexplate. Any ideas.

yak

iTrader: (15)

yes, those bolts should be allen head, and yes thay are locktited in and are a bitch to get out.

LC

This is how those damn bolts came out of my car...

luvmy02ta

I got all three of mine out last night, you can use a 13mm socket.. what I did

8a8mfh

iTrader: (3)

I never had a problem with these. They are metric allen head, the ones in the picture.
You need to get straight on it, you also need to use a stop on the flexplate.
Problems happen when you let the engine turn over and the socket gets wedged between the block and TC bolt, the socket goes crooked and strips the bolt.
Clamp some vise grips in the ring gear of the flexplate so it stops when it hits the block and you can get a straight shot at the bolt.

silver-mod-o

iTrader: (15)

hammer and chisel... thats how my stockers came out... I've put a set of ARP's in there now... no problems.

BrokeRacing98ta

whoever put them in before me used the wrong type of unbreakable locktite and the one I had a problem with was partially rounded, I just finished it off. I bought a bolt extractor from Mac and it came right out with a 4 foot cheater pipe. Mac and Snap on are gods gift to man. I also ordered ARP's for when my engine is finally done. Thanks for your ideas guys.

RICEETER

iTrader: (49)

hey man, just an fyi: if you're getting a thicker flexplate such as the tci or any other, the arp's are not long enough because the flexplate is so much thicker. you'll need a longer bolt from just any hardware store, preferably grade 8

Zger

iTrader: (18)

I didn't use an allen wrench to get mine out, it was a socket. I don't remember the size but with a swivel and an extension they came out with out too much drama. With the thicker TCI flexplate, the stock converter bolts would hit the engine block. I got some grade 8 bolts with shorter heads to replace them with and had no more interference problems.

35thUCF

us 01+ guys have bolts, the other guys have allen head pieces of shyt

chrs1313

iTrader: (24)

hmmm when i did a converter swap in my buddies 99 he had regular hex bolts, the same that were in my 02...if it just the 98's maybe...