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Denny Finch (aka 5WCoupe) [ View ] [ dfinch2@neo.rr.com ] [ Car Ads ] [ Blogs ] Atwater, Ohio (330) 935-2601

Morning guys. I took a couple of days off to reinstall my rebuilt 350 TH in the coupe. I'm running 350/350. I have .250 gap between the flex plate and converter. There were no spacers between the converter and flex plate when I dropped the tranny. I think the correct gap is .125 to .1875 so I am going to install a 1/16" spacer between the flex plate and converter. Problem is, I can't remember how the converter bolts are installed. I believe the lock washer was under the head of the BOLT when I removed the tranny and I think that is wrong. I think I want to install the bolt thru the flex plate, then 1/16" spacer, into converter, with the lack washer and nut on the back side of the converter mounting pad. Looking for someone to confirm this is correct. Also, would you all recomment that I use blue locktite on the concertor bolts? Any help would be appreciated. Trying to get her back together this week.

Comments

Posted by Streetrodder007  -  07/02/2007 01:53 PM The convertor should slide back and forth a little, so it can give you the space you need. Gap of .125 is not much. For the bolts, they make special convertor bolts, if you dont want to use them, buy the hardest grade bolt you can find. The bolt pushes in threw the flywheel then through the convertor, then lock washer, then nut. I bought some ARP ones a while back and they dont even use the lock washers. Those bolts take all the load, so use good one s! I have never heard of a space or gap between a flywheel and convertor on any type of trans. I always put them together . I would not put spacers in there. Streetrodder007 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Port Huron, Michigan Charter Member since April 2006   Posted by PHATN40  -  07/02/2007 04:14 PM Like Streetrodder007 said, the converter should bolt flush to the flywheel. Why do you have a space between the two? I think I would be investigating that. The converter slides back and forth quite a bit and should make contact with the flywheel. PHATN40 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Quincy, Illinois Charter Member since July 2004   Posted by 5WCoupe  -  07/02/2007 04:51 PM T hanks guys, but you are missing the point a little bit. A converter, by specification is supposed to slide back and forth .125 -.1875 inches. Specs say if you have more than .1875, you should use spacers between the converter and flex plate. In my case, I have .250 back and forth action so I need a .0625 spacer to reduce the back and forth free play to 1875. It is normal to shim between the flex plate and converter if you have too much back and forth action. What your really trying to do by adding spacers is to keep the converter .1875 away from the pump. If I didn't add the spacer, that dimenton would be .250. 5WCoupe [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Atwater, Ohio   Posted by Streetrodder007  -  07/02/2007 05:01 PM Where do you find these dimensions for convertor play? And why would it hurt the convertor to sit up against the pump? Technically the convertor never touches the pump even when bottomed out, the inner pump seal on the output shaft of the trans, and the internal guts of the convertor will not allow you to move it that far. Streetrodder007 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Port Huron, Michigan Charter Member since April 2006   Posted by bigdude  -  07/02/2007 05:50 PM Lose the spacer- in all my 58 years I have never seen a spacer-and some people swear I was born under a car. resident know it all [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Three Rivers, Michigan Charter Member since January 2004   Posted by dixie  -  07/02/2007 05:59 PM Bigdude is that the strange smell. jim grace [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] dade city, Florida Charter Member since January 2006   Posted by bigdude  -  07/02/2007 06:09 PM Watch where you put that nose Jim! resident know it all [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Three Rivers, Michigan Charter Member since January 2004   Posted by 5WCoupe  -  07/02/2007 07:09 PM Don't get me wrong guys, Just trying to do this the right way. I had my tranny rebuilt by a well known transmission shop in my area. When I got it back, the converter was installed in the tranny and held in place with a temporary bracket attached to the bell housing. The installation instructions I was given was as follows: Remove the temporary bracket making sure that the torque converter does not slade off the shaft Install the transmission and bolt to the engine Make sure torque converter turns freely and slides back and forth a little on the shaft Use a 3/16" drill bit to check the clearence between the torque converter and flexplate mounting boss If it is more than 3/16", add a shim so that gap is 3/16" Slide converter toward the flexplate (and spacer if you need it) and install converter bolts Connect speedo, cooler lines, etc. Add 4 quarts of fluid Start engine and move shifter thru gears a couple of times Shut off, check level , add as necessary and your done. I have also searched several threads on various forums that talk about this gap. Take a look at the following link. It talks about the shims. http://www.partshp.com/ConverterInstructions.htm Or use google and search "Torque Converter Installation Instructions" It should be noted that my gap is 1/4". 1/16" larger than expected. I am using all the same parts that I took off and there was no shim before. It was bolted together with the 1/4" gap and everything seemed OK. Just trying to put it back together the right way. I am not sure the guy that put it together originally even checked this out. 5WCoupe [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Atwater, Ohio   Posted by dixie  -  07/02/2007 07:51 PM i'm gonna let Bigdude put my next one in. Are maybe i'll just go direct with an in/out box never have to stop that way. jim grace [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] dade city, Florida Charter Member since January 2006   Posted by tlp1968  -  07/02/2007 08:01 PM Hmmm I think I am with the guys on finding out why there is such a gap now that there wasn't before. I don't usually do the under the car work when we put engines in, I prefer working in the engine compartment, and I understand your desire to do this right but it just doesn't sound right that you need spacers this time and not before. StreetRodding.com Marketing Director [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Springfield, Illinois Charter Member since August 2003   Posted by 5WCoupe  -  07/02/2007 08:07 PM NO NO I'm not saying there is a gap now and there was not a gap before I took it apart. I believe there has always been .250 gap 5WCoupe [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Atwater, Ohio   Posted by Rods & Customs by Leon  -  07/02/2007 08:15 PM Check and make sure you have the flex plate on right, If it is? bolt the converter "without " shims, It will be fine.............Your working with a factory type assembly. Toss the calipers and put it together like millions of them have been done. You won't have any problems Rods & Customs by Leon [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Highlands, Texas Charter Member since May 2004   Posted by 5WCoupe  -  07/02/2007 09:58 PM Rods and Rides. I've had the car for 4 years and never had the flex plate off. All I did was drop the transmission, had it rebuilt and now I am putting it back in. There were no shims in it before so I guess (unless I hear something to the contrary) I will bolt it back up like it was. No Shims. First thing tomorrow morning. Thanks a bunch for all the response. Some other forums I have frequented, you could post a question/problem and maybe get a response or two in a week or so. Thanks again. Denny 5WCoupe [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Atwater, Ohio   Posted by buick1  -  07/02/2007 10:08 PM 5WCoupe, you can now say, A FEW HOURS AGO I COULDN'T EVEN SPELL EXPERT CONVERTER INSTALLER, and now I ARE ONE. Don't you just LOVE all OUR opinions?????? Bolt it up, and LITE EM UP. Dale Indy buick1 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Indianapolis, Indiana   Posted by wfd2  -  07/03/2007 07:01 AM Your right to ask questions. I have a few. Why was the tranny rebuilt? Is it an after market torque conv.? How about the flywheel? How much horsepower are you making? If the tranny had pump problems or the pump was replaced you are right to be concerned. I have a 350 Olds/ turbo 350 with after market converter that needed shimmed. The higher the horse power the more critical it becomes. The lug on the torque conv. engages the drive gear of the pump. The farther out the torque conv. is pulled the less surface area contact there is between the conv. and the pump gear. An AN washer is .062 and should work fine. wfd2 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] brunswick, Ohio   Posted by 5WCoupe  -  07/03/2007 08:29 AM Well I can answer a few of them. I bought the car about 4 years ago. The builder pulled the tranny from a bone yard and never had it checked out before installing it in the coupe. He just cleaned it up and stuck it in. The seals were leaking and I wanted to change the Gennie Shifter over to Lakar so I figured it was a good time to have it done. I also wanted a little harder shift so I had a toe-n-go shift kit installed. According to the bill from the rebuild shop, I got "new converter". I would imagine it is a stock aftermarket converter. As far as I know, the flex plate is the stock flexplate. I had no problems before the rebuild. No pump trouble. The tranny worked fine. Just wanted the leaks fixed and all parts replaced. I'm running a 350 SBC (Edelbrock 4 Barrel) out of a 69 Camero. Engine was rebuilt with a mild cam. I don't know HP but I'm guessing about stock (275 or so)???? Yesterday, I decided to loose the spacers, but the more this thread goes on, the more I question that decision. I still don't know. Spacers or no spacers. Thanks again, Denny 5WCoupe [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Atwater, Ohio   Posted by wfd2  -  07/03/2007 08:10 PM Personally I would go with the spacers, but I'm also usually the hundreth one when people say 99 out of 100 times you won't have a problem. Your set-up doesnt sound radical, so like most of the other people said you probably won't have a problem if you don't use them. This one area that usually gets over-looked unless there is a problem of the conv. sticking out too far binding the flywheel. Bill wfd2 [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] brunswick, Ohio   Posted by JAWS  -  07/03/2007 09:28 PM There is truth to what Bill says, however your not racing and critical tollerances are not as important when it gets down to it. Propper function is. GM spent billions in engineering stuff to last way back when the first Turbo Hydromatic came around. It was the performance industry that made it better as with most performance stuff. Like chrome aircleaners, for instance and still nothing out flows a stock gm base. Bolt it together like it was made or shim it, either way you won't have trouble unless a part fails. -Brant An electrical headache can make a great car a pain [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Boise, Idaho Charter Member since August 2004   Posted by brian41chevy  -  07/09/2007 03:40 AM Well Denny, did you take it for a ride yet? How did it work out for you? There is a fine line between hobby and mental illness [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] New Lenox, Illinois Charter Member since November 2004   Posted by 5WCoupe  -  07/10/2007 12:34 AM Well Brian, the answer is no unfortunately NO. I did get it started but there is a leak in the oil cooler line to the tranny. I used AN fittings and Summitt told me not to use any thread sealer. They said I could use sealer on the cooler but not on the fittings to the tranny. WALLA --- LEAK. I'm going to remove that fitting and use sealer anyway. Don't know what else to do. Another problem has surfaced. When I started it up the brake pedal when to the floor. Master Cylinder was empty. MC has had a small leak and I haven't checked the level in a while. I guess sitting since last October hasn't helped. I am now in the process of finding a remanufactured Fruit Jar Master Cylinder. I know, I know. I should change to the dual system but for the remainder of the year, I want to replace the fruit jar MC. It is the easiest thing to do. Ddenny 5WCoupe [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Atwater, Ohio   Posted by brian41chevy  -  07/31/2007 06:27 PM Hey Denny are you driving yet? There is a fine line between hobby and mental illness [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] New Lenox, Illinois Charter Member since November 2004   Posted by Crazyhorse Rod Shop  -  07/31/2007 06:57 PM i agree with spacers. some times the gap is too much. i personally alway shim the converter. the lug is only about 3/8 and i want all the contact i can get. seen a few pumps tore up from this. mostly with rebuilt converters that were not welded up right. dont poke the porchdog........he bites [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] BLUFF DALE, Texas Charter Member since March 2003   Posted by 5WCoupe  -  07/31/2007 08:42 PM Hey Brian - how's it goin?? Yep. back in the saddle again. I used a 1/16" spacer, no lockwasher, and blue locktite. New Lokar nastaligic shifter looks and works great. I ran into a problem when I was ready to start it up in that the brake pedal went clean to the floor. Turned out I had to replace the rear brake calipers ('79 vette). That set me back another cool "C" note. Damn, this is an expensive hobby. 5WCoupe [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] Atwater, Ohio   Posted by brian41chevy  -  07/31/2007 11:08 PM Glad to hear that your back on the road. Give me a call if you ever need help again. There is a fine line between hobby and mental illness [ View ] [ Email ] [ Blogs ] [ Car Ads ] New Lenox, Illinois Charter Member since November 2004

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