727 big block trans converter tighten/untighten tricks

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gdbuick

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Hello,
working on 68 dart
First time pulling out a 383 engine from the top with a 727 engine left in car. I searched thru all the posts but didn't see any tricks or methods on how to break free torque converter bolts by yourself as the engine spins. I suspect I could hold a socket on crank and break free the bolts on converter with a wrench just awkward by yourself on your back. Does anyone have a particular method/tool for this? Otherwise I will try wedging a pry bar or screw driver into the starter ring to hold it from spinning while cracking converting bolts free and for retightening them later.

My first mopar eng/trans separation. I had crawled under the car with a flywheel tool from JEGS pic below that I used on my last GM transmission removal and learned real quick that doesn't work on mopars!

Thanks
Greg

jegs tool.jpg
 
Your screwdriver trick should work. I just removed mine a couple weeks ago, I was able to wedge a piece of wood between the starter ring gear and the bellhousing to keep it from spinning. I used a pretty long wrench with a quick jerk to break torque on the bolts. When I tried it with a shorter wrench and pulling slowly, I had no luck.
 
I'm a hack...a small piece of wood/2x4 in the torque conv teeth when I'm loosening/tightening them by myself.
 
You can have a friend, or the wife, hold a breaker bar on the crank bolt from the top while you are under working on the converter bolts. You should probably have someone around to help when you pull the engine out the top anyway for safety, as it's a good thing to have a hand to get the engine out.
 
Thanks for the replies. I could have used the wife or someone to hold crankshaft bolt but that would not likely work on reinstall due to crank direction may loosen crank bolt when tightening torque converter bolts and I was by myself. I didn't see anyway to jamb wood in there but I did find using a dirt bike tire iron I could wedge it into the bottom down low against teeth while using one hand other hand on the wrench on bolt, once the tire iron wedged I added second wrench over first for leverage worked out great. I don't see how you can torque these nuts with a ratchet/socket torque wrench no room for that.

trans tool two.jpg


trans tool one.jpg
 
Yea you can torque-wrench them.
What I do is move the bolt that I want to torque , to a position where I can access it. Then I put a Vicegrip on the flexplate , over and around the ring gear, and jam it up next to the block/bellhousing. Then turn the engine over by hand until the Vicegrips jams onto the ring gear and locks it all up. Now she's ready to be torqued.
 
AJ/FormS said:
Yea you can torque-wrench them.
What I do is move the bolt that I want to torque , to a position where I can access it. Then I put a Vicegrip on the flexplate , over and around the ring gear, and jam it up next to the block/bellhousing. Then turn the engine over by hand until the Vicegrips jams onto the ring gear and locks it all up. Now she's ready to be torqued.
Click to expand...
Great idea. What do you use for a torque wrench setup ? I can only see using a torque wrench on a long extension with a flexible socket perhaps fitting. There is not much room down there between bolt head and oil pan for a standard 3/4 socket and rachet setup.
 
gdbuick said:
What do you use for a torque wrench setup
Click to expand...
a click-type. Put the bolt head to the bottom. Unless your engine has a deep oilpan, there should be lots of room. If not then install the bolts before the starter goes on, and there you got a big ol' hole .

BTW;
You do know that the convertors usually bolt onto the flex-plate in only one of the four positions,right.......
Index it before you put the engine in and save some dinking around time. Do not tighten the bolts until all Four are in, lol, then torque them.

To be honest, having begun wrenching in about 1969, on my cars, I stopped using a torque wrench for everything except three things, many many years ago, namely; headbolts, cambolts, and rocker shaft bolts. My right arm is a calibrated wonder...... lol
 
doug 371 said:
I hit the wrench with a hammer
Click to expand...
As do I. I try and get the bolt positioned as far as "just appearing" as I can with the next bolt accessible to a wrench. If you are lucky you can tap the wrench and get the bolt cracked loose, then get the wrench on the next bolt up and "ease" the engine around by pulling easily on the wrench, do it it again.

Try a V10 with an 8 bolt converter!!!
 
I hit the wrench with a rubber mallot.
 
AJ/FormS said:
a click-type. Put the bolt head to the bottom. Unless your engine has a deep oilpan, there should be lots of room. If not then install the bolts before the starter goes on, and there you got a big ol' hole .

BTW;
You do know that the convertors usually bolt onto the flex-plate in only one of the four positions,right.......
Index it before you put the engine in and save some dinking around time. Do not tighten the bolts until all Four are in, lol, then torque them.

To be honest, having begun wrenching in about 1969, on my cars, I stopped using a torque wrench for everything except three things, many many years ago, namely; headbolts, cambolts, and rocker shaft bolts. My right arm is a calibrated wonder...... lol
Click to expand...
Done the rubber hammer on wrench many times..

I did try access thru starter hole but I have a shim plate? for starter in there and it didn't want to slide out especially with one end over stud. I did mark the flex plate but thanks for the reminder. I hear ya on the calibrated right arm I have one too.
Every time I do converter bolts I think back to my early 20's when I developed and awful loud engine knocking in my 69 buick gs 400 engine. I did one last giant burnout and finished it by stoping right in front of the house on the street. I thought the engine would certainly grenade further but it didn't to my surprise. Cops showed up right after that and of course I denied it but the street had clear burnout marks right to both of my rear tires!

I started pulling the intake and both heads and found nothing obvious for the knocking sound. So I figured to pull the rest of the engine at that point. Found a big old surprise when I dropped the transmission shield down and out dropped a torque converter bolt that had come loose causing all the noise. Things you learn.....

starter plate.jpg
 
gdbuick said:
Hello,
working on 68 dart
First time pulling out a 383 engine from the top with a 727 engine left in car. I searched thru all the posts but didn't see any tricks or methods on how to break free torque converter bolts by yourself as the engine spins. I suspect I could hold a socket on crank and break free the bolts on converter with a wrench just awkward by yourself on your back. Does anyone have a particular method/tool for this? Otherwise I will try wedging a pry bar or screw driver into the starter ring to hold it from spinning while cracking converting bolts free and for retightening them later.

My first mopar eng/trans separation. I had crawled under the car with a flywheel tool from JEGS pic below that I used on my last GM transmission removal and learned real quick that doesn't work on mopars!

Thanks
Greg

View attachment 1716057964
Click to expand...
That works on a Mopat clutch!
 
Thanks for all the help we lifted engine out last night. I need to research and learn more about what people are doing when installing/removing BB with a slant six K frame and Schumacher engine mount conversion kit in an A body. I had a little stud tightness issue on the way out of drivers side mount where stud goes thru k frame slot. I only removed the lowest washer and nut on k frame on each motor mount. After removal and playing with a motor mount for my first time on the bench I can see where I maybe should have also loosened the nut holding the rubber block to the steel u shaped engine mount for some wiggle room.

50D3CC6D-766D-4F40-8192-287C46DEAF4C.jpeg
 
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