I just struggled all day, attempting to put a converter in a friends car. We weren't sure if we were getting it all the way on or not. I heard that you should have 1 inch from the front of the bell housing to the front of the converter when it's properly seated. 7/8 is the closest we could get, so we bolted the tranny up after many hours of struggling, and sure enough, the converter hit the flexplate before the bell housing hit the block...not by much; maybe .030, but enough so that you cannot rotate the converter to get the bolts in.

I took the converter out and measured the different from the bottom of the pump slot to the front of the converter's bolt holes on both the stock converter and the TCI one. The results were that the TCI converter was 1/8 of an inch thicker.

What a nightmare; any suggestions, or is it normal for the converter to hit the flexplate slightly first? I was told that it must spin freely, else it's not seated, but struggling for hour with the thing, I know that it's seated...it's just too thick.

 

installing fuddle, vigilante, and another no-name brand, i was able to bolt up the bellhousing (like 2 or 3 easy bolts to hold it) and then spin the flexplate with a screwdriver to line it up with the converter then bolted it together.

 

That's what we did, and the 'verter spun freely until I pulled it up completely. Did you pull it all the way up with the 2-3 bolts?

 

The converter should not hit the flexplate before the bellhousing hits the block. If this is the case then something aint' right with the torque converter or its not mounted correctly on the transmission.

 

you didn't use that stupid *** extra part TCI sends out with the converter did you? throw that thing away. if not, spin the converter more til it seats in the pump all the way. That's my only advice, good luck. keep us posted

 

Vanbry,
I'm sorry to hear about your struggles over the weekend. 1" is the correct measurement from bellhousing to converter mounting pad. You should have approx .100" between converter pads and flexplate when the trans is bolted up fully. It sounds as if the converter isn't engaging the pump gear fully. If you want to double check the overall converter length, turn both converters (the TCI and the stock converter) upside down, side by side. You can put a straightedge on stock converter's mounting pads and take note of the distance from the straightedge to the TCI mounting pads.

If the two converters measure the same, then I'd recommend trying to install the TCI one more time. Be sure to oil the O-ring on the end of the input shaft before installing the converter. Sometimes the converter splines just want to be difficult. I have had to stand the tranmission on its tailshaft in a couple of instances and the converter fell in place.
Let me know if you need more help.
Kevin

 

I have to agree that you don't have the tc in all the way. It should have at least an 1/8" when the bell is bolted to the bell. Good luck Vince.

 

Thanks for the replies guys. The TCI is definitely thicker by about an 1/8 of an inch. This isn't exact, since it's on my garage floor, and not a surface plate, but last night I measured both of them, using identical blocks under the bolt holes on both to the bottom of the pump slot, using a straight edge and digital calipers. The TCI came out .113 taller that way. Here are pics that I just took illustrating what I'm talking about...

The first picture just shows both converters side by side on the same blocks.



The next photo is straight on, showing the gap on the straight edge. I didn't have enough hands to hold the straight edge, the camera and a pair of calipers, else I'd have shown some numbers too.



The last photo just shows where I was holding the straight edge to take the picture of the gap.



I've never done a converter before, but I felt the thing locking in. After bolting it up, and unbolting it, I measured the distance to the front of the bell housing when the converter was on, but not locked in, and it was 3/8 on a tape measure, then I rotated and felt it lock in and measured and I got 7/8 on the tape measure. TCI's website says that there is supposed to be 1 1/8 when it's locked in, so something's way wrong here.

http://www.tciauto.com/tech_info/faq.htm#4

 

Vanbry,
We can take care of you and get another converter out to you today. Give Jerry a call at (662)224-9365.
Kevin Winstead
TCI Automotive

 

1.125 (1 1/8) +- .050 is what you should measure fron the bell housing flange to the converter mounting tabs when it is fully installed.

 

Thanks Kevin,
I PM'd the phone number to the guys whose car we are working on, whom is the person that spent the $$ for the converter. His name is Nate Holtrop, so when Jerry gets a call from him, he'll know what it's about.

Thanx again.

 

The new torque converter is in...got it locked in within 30 seconds of putting it on the shaft; transmission is bolted up, and the converter still spins freely.

Thanx for taking care of things so quickly Kevin. Sunday was a nightmare, trying to get the (wrong) converter to meet the numbers that we were trying to get. We literally spent hours spinning and pushing on it, trying to get it on further.

To add insult to injury; since Nate's car was in my garage, and my beloved GTO was parked out in the yard, my dumbass backed into it in the dark when we gave up on getting the converter in and I was taking him home after a 12 hour day of wrenching and wrestling with the car.

My yard is pitch black, and with my car parked in a spot that it never is, I forgot all about it, and it was too low to see in my mirror.
$2,000 damage and I have $500 deductible.
Sux to be me.

 

That's a terrible end to the story for you. I'm glad that you've got it together now.
Kevin