When installing a transmission

[matthew]

I have a 1997 Ford Escort I’m about to replace the rear main seal on installing the torque converter do i Bolt the torque converter to the flexplate first and then Bolt the transmission to the engine or do I bolt the transmission to the engine first then Bolt the torque converter to the flexplate

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[Shaun Flichel]

I bolt trans to engine first. If you bolt torque converter first you risk the tranny still being able to move and the torque converter being pulled out of its home spot in the tranny. That’s my opinion.

[Jonathan Stiver]

[quote=”shaun” post=163886]I bolt trans to engine first. If you bolt torque converter first you risk the tranny still being able to move and the torque converter being pulled out of its home spot in the tranny. That’s my opinion.[/quote]

I agree. It’s almost impossible to get the torque converter to mate to the input shaft of the transmission if it comes out while bolted to flywheel unless you pull everything back out and start over. You should always have enough clearance to spin the flywheel to line up the torque converter bolts with the bell housing bolted to the engine block. I had a friend try and force the torque converter on using the bell housing bolts, and it didn’t mate properly and he had no ATF pressure and had to do it all over.

[Author]

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