heeeeeeeelp anyone seen this

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440superduster

440superduster

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The bolts that go from the flex plate to the convertor snapped off while driving my car.

1. Is it possible to remove the bolts and replace them without removing the enigine

2. who makes a good bolt these were arp

3. Why ME
 
Supershafts said:
They might have loosened up from the sounds of it.. Any oblong of the hole in the plate ?
Click to expand...


Yep and they are the smaller bolt size.

The trans can be drop out--cheaper and easier then taking the engine out.

If you never tried to remove a broken bolt, I would have the car tow to a trans shop and let them try. They might well come out, I think there is room to chisel it out, least try to turn the bolt.

I would drop the trans and put in a real converter, like a 10 inch that uses the larger bolts. The bolts need lock thread or they will back off. Your flex plate will need to be change. Unless it has around 2.73 gears, the car be happier with a tight 10 inch converter, IMO
 
You could try a left hand thread drill bit. Sometimes if they are not to tight
you can catch it and turn it out. If not you have a hole to put in an easyout.
 
well, i am sure the trans will have to be dropped, as when they were put in, lok-tite was used on the threads, therefore, making it almost impossible to turn out easy
 
The flex plate isnt damaged no oblonged holes and I didnt use lok tite

The car is running a 512 with herb mclandles headers so I dont know if trans will drop out that easy.

Its a 3800 stall hughes convertor. with 3.91 gears

Thanks for the above help
 
If you're carefull and have a tiny chisel or center punch, you may be able to back the broken stub out of the converter boss.
 
I would try removing the starter and metal gasket that goes between the trans and engine. Then unbolt all the flexplate to torque converter bolts that are left. Then turn the engine over til the flexplate is out of the way. Then try putting a nut over top of the broken bolt and weld the inside of the nut to the broken bolt, and try turning it out by the nut.
If I am not overlooking something here, it should work.
 
I've used left handed drill bits with good success. As long as the threads weren't bottomed out in the converter they might come right out. Use a center punch first to mark the bolt real good right dead center. That way the drill bit won't skate away.
 
All I can add is dont dimple the converter behind the bolt holes. Double check the new bolts length. Helicoils in those bolt holes are so common that they are refernced in factory service manuals. All of it can be done under the car but on a lft is a lot easier than on ones back. Good luck
 
The bolts broke because they loosened up. Not unusual. Always use Locktite when putting flexplate bolts in. If you didn't its time to remove them and put some on so you don't end up like 440superduster. Get busy boys and girls
 
440superduster said:
now I know about lok tite:banghead:](*,)
Click to expand...

Did you know there are different strength grades of locktite ?
Each is a different color. Very few know which to use where or even know how it should be applied.
 
You can usually get bolts in & out for sure without removing the engine or trans but if you start needing room for easy outs etc... then removal of trans will make it easier. See how it goes first working where the starter goes and try to get the inspection shield out of the way. The inspection shield should come right out with a few bolts from what I remember. Then you have access to the broken Flex shield bolts. Good luck and sorry to hear about your bad luck on this.
 
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