How can I get the crank to not turn while I try and losen the 3 bolts that connect it to the torque converter? Yes it's an automatic and a 350 is going in place of it and I need to know before tomorrow because I don't have another car and I have to work the day after tomorrow. Can I remove the engine with it attacked or is that a bad idea?

 

You can pull the motor and tranny at the same time, I've done that lots of times, its actually easier, I don't know much about removing and installing automatic tranny's though as I have only owned 1 car with one and had my friend install it for me, (he has a lift!) I'd pull the whole thing out and then work on it when you have more room to get to it.
When you pull the tranny and motor together, you have to be careful, you have to pick up a few inches, then move everything forward a bit and repeat this for awhile. I really think it is easier, but I do it with a tractor, which lifts and back up easy, if your using a motor lift this may be harder. Also I always have somone on the ground that steadies and guides the motor/trans out.

 

thanks, but I think I'll try just getting the engine out by itself because all my friends are working tomorrow.

 

Put a wrench on the bolt and hit it with a hammer to turn it. There should be enough shock to get just the bolt to turn. Always works for me.

 

thanks, I was trying that yesterday, but I was on a weird angle and I need a bigger hammer. I am going to put it on a lift today and hopefully break those bolts free.

 

That won't stop the converter/flexplate from spinning....

- Justin

 

I use the wrench and hammer method as well.

 

yea I used the wrench and hammer today and it worked, but I also stuck a screwdriver up inbetween the bellhousing and torque converter to keep it from moving and reverse direction to take it out. Worked nicely. It turned out those were the easiest bolts to get. The pain in the A$# bolts were the ones connecting it to the bellhousing. I was going to pull the tranny out with it and saw that when the tranny was tipped down, the bolts were more accessable so I just started there. One got stripped and an hour or 2 later I finally got that bolt out plus another 3 so I could take out the last 2 bolts with the tranny straight. I hope it's not as much trouble putting it in as taking it out. I've only got a few hours tomorrow to at least connect the engine to the tranny and bolt it up along with the torque converter. If I get anything else done that would be awesome, but I'm not really expecting to.

 

I just took out a 305 tpi and put a 350 tpi back in. I found it to be easier to leave the tranny bolted to the engine... I know having help is a problem at times but I put mine back in by myself... Goodluck....

 

yea I think next time (yes there will be, but not shortly and this time I will make sure I have an extra running car that I can drive around) I will try pulling the tranny aout with the engine.

 

well i dont know if you still need a way to do it i did it today and wedged a small piece of plywood fromthe ground to the teeth on the flywheel. it was pretty easy

 

yea that could work too I guess. The screwdriver trick worked for me. I just used a stubbie. New engine is in, I just have to wait till tomorrow to finish it up hopefully. there's alot of carbon buildup in the intake and runners I need to clean out before I install them. I just hope I can finish it tomorrow and start breaking it in (it's going to be cutting it close, but I think I can manage it). I've got a canon S110 that can record ~30secs of video per file so maybe I will try and get it recorded and post it here if anyone is interested.