How hard is it on these cars to do a torque converter? I could have a good friend of mine do it for 350.00 at the shop he works at, but I would kind of like to do it myself. Im only 18 but I have done everything else in the car myself (cam swap, valvesprings, oil pump, longtubes, exhaust, ect) and wouldnt mind getting this under my belt either, I just want to know what I am getting myself into. Does anyone have any sort of write up for it? Or advice? Or opinions on how their install went? My goal is to have the converter in on Saturday, so I dont know how long doing it my first time would take, or if I am just better off having him do it. Thanks.

 

It is not very difficult to do at all. I just did my first converter swap last month and it was cake. Kind of a pain because you have to drop the tranny. Once the tranny is down you simply slide off your stock torque converter, fill the new converter with some fluid and slide it on the input shaft until you feel 3 engagements then you put the tranny right back in. I did it with a buddy of mine in a garage with the car on jackstands in about 7 hours. Honestly the hardest part was getting the hard lines out of the transmission because of the E clips, they are some tough little buggers to get out. There is a writeup that I used for it and I am trying to remember where it is. I will post it when I find it.

Here it is:
http://modernmusclecars.net/forums/a...p?do=tcinstall

 

I thought the quote of 350 was with the gear install as well?

 

No. He said another 150.00 for the gear install. But Im gonna have the adkins ricky do the gear.

 

https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...96#post8201796
This has good info, i dont agree with standing tranny on tailshaft, but its good info. Rather then relying on 3 clicks, which i personally couldnt tell...get a straight edge and measure as indicated to TC pads from front of bellhousing.
Good luck.
I just did my first install, its not bad.
Btwn the modernmuscle car above post and this one you should be set.

 

Thank you guys!

 

I have pulled four A4s from these cars, and I think getting the top bellhousing bolt is a nightmare...yet I never see anyone say that its tough. Do you all have some secret or what?...LOL.

Really though, I would save that $$ and do it yourself, not bad at all.

 

ya just take off the tranny cross member and use a swivel socket and a huge extention!! u might have to pull down on the tranny . .i ussally just leave a bottom bolt in just till its ready to come out..!!

 

Dang, I was misinformed. I was under the impression that 350 was for everything...

 

The BEST tranny shop with in 100 miles of me charges $250

 

Yeah the top transmission bolt is kind of a pain but not that bad. Just make sure you have a bunch of extensions and come in from above the tranny back by the tailshaft and you should be fine. A swivel is pretty much a must have as well.

 

I took like 7 6"-extensions when getting to the higher bolts.

 

that top left bolt is a bitch! its right up under the underbody so the angle is like impossible... def need two people... one getting on the bolt and another pulling down as hard as possible on the tranny... at elast on my 95 thats how it was

 

Sounds fun. I cant wait to tackle it haha.

 

Yup. If he had said 350 for the trans and gear install, Id be all over it.

 

I dont think thats a very good idea. That bolt can be acessed from the side of the tranny, pulling it down as hard as possible is probly a good way to break something.

I say do it your self. The hardest thing i ever had w/ this was getting the tranny on the floor jack while undernieth the car.

 

With solid engine mounts/stands, I had to jack up the engine, remove the mounts, and set the engine down on the k-member, to reach the top bolt. It would not flex down enough with the solids in, even with all the bottom bolts out, because it was tipping toward the firewall.

 

I just dropped mine last night. Took longer than expected. It really isnt that bad except for some of the bolts to get to are a huge pita. I've still need to put it back in. Defiantly a 2 person job and a tranny jack is helpful but a jack and block work also.

 

Hmm. Well my converter is susposed to come today, so I guess Ill get started on it. Ughhhh.

 

When my dad and I swapped trannies, we didn't have any problems with any bolts. Took about 5 hours total, with him being a mechanic but never swapped trannies on an fbody.