Engine Lock Down

-
B

BsB Duster

Active Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2018
Messages
42
Reaction score
18
Location
Iowa Park TX
Hey everyone I need some help. I’m trying get my new build together and when I tighten the bellhousing bolts it locks down the engine. If I back the bolts off just a hair I mean like two finger nail thickness the engine will spin. I cannot for the life of me figure out what’s wrong. I believe the convertor is in all the way because there is space between the flexplate and convertor. Please help!! Lol
 
Can you turn the converter by hand when the engine is locked up? This is with no converter bolts in, and no tools used.
The converter hub could be binding in the crank, even if the converter is all the way in the transmission properly.
 
The convertor should move iinto the trans about 1/4 if its not torqued into the flex plate. Line bored? That would move the crank and centerline up Offset dowels can correct this. remove the dowels and see if it will bolt down. If so, put a plug of clay in the dowel holes and mate em up again. then carefully seperate them and check the clay for any offset between the 2 alignment holes.
 
You make no mention of what your combination is... Small block? Big block? Slantie? 904, 727? What vintage engine/trans.?
First thing that comes to mind is that you're trying to mate a post '68 transmission to a '67 and earlier engine or crankshaft- the convertor noses and crankshaft registers changed dimensions in approximately the '67/'68 model year and you could be trying to force a large diameter convertor nose into a small diameter crank register bore... but I don't know.
More info please.
 
You can have room between the converter and flex plate, because the first place the converter will make contact if it's not all the way in is in the crank register. Take the transmission back off and put the converter in all the way.
 
RustyRatRod said:
You can have room between the converter and flex plate, because the first place the converter will make contact if it's not all the way in is in the crank register. Take the transmission back off and put the converter in all the way.
Click to expand...


This^^^^^^^^^^. The converter needs to go all the way into the transmission. I put a long bolt in one of the converter holes until it bottoms out (hand tight...you don’t need to impact the bolt in there) and then with my left hand on the converter I grab the bolt with my right hand and spin the converter. The light pressure with my left had will push the converter on to the pump lugs in the transmission.

You need those two square cut outs on the snout of the converter to go over the lugs in the pump. If you don’t get the converter all the way into the pump, it will likely kill the pump and maybe probably the thrust bearing. If you have my luck it will kill both of them.
 
BsB Duster said:
Hey everyone I need some help. I’m trying get my new build together and when I tighten the bellhousing bolts it locks down the engine. If I back the bolts off just a hair I mean like two finger nail thickness the engine will spin. I cannot for the life of me figure out what’s wrong. I believe the convertor is in all the way because there is space between the flexplate and convertor. Please help!! Lol
Click to expand...
Late convertor in early crank register perhaps?
 
Professor Fate said:
You make no mention of what your combination is... Small block? Big block? Slantie? 904, 727? What vintage engine/trans.?
First thing that comes to mind is that you're trying to mate a post '68 transmission to a '67 and earlier engine or crankshaft- the convertor noses and crankshaft registers changed dimensions in approximately the '67/'68 model year and you could be trying to force a large diameter convertor nose into a small diameter crank register bore... but I don't know.
More info please.
Click to expand...
I have a late 70’s 360 bolted to a 904 transmission.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top