I just dropped my engine today through the bottom and I can't figure out how to disconnect the tranny from the engine. I removed the bottom dust shield, but how do I remove the converter bolts? The only thing that comes to mind is to shift the tranny into neutral, then turn it until I can get access to a bolt and remove one at a time.... but how do I get it into neutral? Or is there another way?

Also, I looked at the flexplate and it looks like it's brand new. There isn't one bit of rust or anything like that on it. Does this sound right on a car with 130K miles? The low mileage engine I'm swapping in, came with a flexplate which is all covered in rust.... should the fact that it's clean tell me anything?
Thanks and sorry about the ton of questions... I've worked only on manuals before.

 

Aftermarket torque converters will just have a hole for a bolt and nut but stock ones bolt strait into the torque converter. Have somone hold the crank with a breaker bar at the balancer and then somone else loosen the bolts.

 

OK thanks.... but how do I get access to the bolts??
Maybe I'm too tired to think right now, but from what I've seen, it didn't seem like it was possible without turning the flexplate..

 

You rotate the engine, the flexplate will turn with it.

 

Right... how do I get the tranny from park to neutral the way it is right now?
Thanks.

 

Why would it matter if it were in park or neutral? Anyways you would accomplish it by a little lever on the drivers side of the tranny...

 

the motor will turn over with the trans in park. the converter is a viscuous coupling. Basically, it's a wet clutch

madwolf, I have some tranny/ecm issues posted int he computer forum...can you see what you think?

 

Thanks for your reply! That answered my question.
I have another question.... when I was trying to take off the driveshaft and the tranny was in neutral, I turned the driveshaft a couple of times and I could hear a squealing noise. Do you think the tranny is screwed? I know this engine is because it has a cracked rod, but what about the tranny? I'd really hate to have to replace it too... I drove the car with the knocking engine at a maximum of 15ish MPH and it shifted from 1st to 2nd, but that's all I know about this tranny. (the previous owner said it was OK but I have a hard time trusting anything he says.... )
I'll take a look at your files now...
Thanks.

 

It's hard to say on the squealing. was it coming form the trans for sure? If the U joints dry out the will squeak sometimes too. Once you get the transmission out and pull the converter, make sure the trans is in neutral and turn the input shaft. see if it still squeals.