Having Trouble Pulling Motor 72 Fastback

[Pvt_D]

I'm currently in the process of pulling the motor from my 72 fastback to rebuild it. Right now I am pulling just the motor and leaving the trans in place. I got everything unhooked, including unbolting the flex plate to the torque converter. When I started to pull it the torque converter tried to come with the motor. I tired unsuccessfully to pry the two apart. Can I just let the torque converter come with the motor? Has anyone had this issue and if so how did you get around it? Thanks

 

[woodsnake]

There are 4 bolts that hold the TC in...Are you sure you got them all? Quite often, if you have a hard angle on the engine and trans, they will not separate as easily as you might think. Double check that you have all 4 bolts removed, and then try to bring the engine more forward, towards the radiator, before you try and lift it out of the bay.

 

[robert912005]

i agree with woodsnake. If you have all four bolts out you should be able to slide the tc away from the flexplate. You also have alignment pins on the engine that might be holding you up.

 

[horse sence]

i always pull the tranny with the motor ,it is just easier .and you dont have to fight with lining things up trying to put it back.

 

[horse sence]

if you do leave the tranny in the car ,when you put the motor back in ,make sure the torque converter drain plug is lined up in the correct hole or you will have big problems when you tighten it all down.

 

[rbohm]

i also agree with woodsnake that you may not have all the converter bolts removed. that said however, i have had times when the converter snout was bound up in the pilot hole due to a combination of age and tight tolerances and wouldnt release from the engine, it usually happened on studebakers, but i have had others do the same thing. it you continue to pull the engine with the converter still attached, then before you replace the converter in the transmission, replace the input shaft seal on the transmission before reinstalling the converter.

 

[horse sence]

i also agree with woodsnake that you may not have all the converter bolts removed. that said however, i have had times when the converter snout was bound up in the pilot hole due to a combination of age and tight tolerances and wouldnt release from the engine, it usually happened on studebakers, but i have had others do the same thing. it you continue to pull the engine with the converter still attached, then before you replace the converter in the transmission, replace the input shaft seal on the transmission before reinstalling the converter.

what rbohm said .but i would replace the front seal any way .better now than later

 

[rbohm]

what rbohm said .but i would replace the front seal any way .better now than later

good point.

 

[TommyK]

I'm currently in the process of pulling the motor from my 72 fastback to rebuild it. Right now I am pulling just the motor and leaving the trans in place. I got everything unhooked, including unbolting the flex plate to the torque converter. When I started to pull it the torque converter tried to come with the motor. I tired unsuccessfully to pry the two apart. Can I just let the torque converter come with the motor? Has anyone had this issue and if so how did you get around it? Thanks

The answer to your question is yes you can leave the converter attached. You will just have a big mess to clean up as tranny fluid will go everywhere once the converter separates from the shaft.

What transmission do you have?

If the converter has studs they might just be bound on the holes in the flexplate.