Tips for installing aw4?

[Dzimm]

Any tips on lining up an aw4 and a 4.0? I've got it butted up to the engine but I can't seem to get the pin on the back of the torque converter to slide in to the pocket on the flex plate. The bell housing is about 1/4 - 3/8 in away from touching the engine. I've got a jack under the front of the Trans and one on the Trans mount both facing parallel to the truck but it just won't slide in. Nothing around the outside of the bellhousing or Trans is hitting anything so it has to be that pin on the torque converter not lining up. It seems to be the washer looking deal that is the problem. Sorry no pics just yet.

[HOrnbrod]

Did you try the alignment pin trick? I've only done one with a friend many years ago and we had no problems using the threaded rods. It was his method, not mine.......

 

The hardest part is the torque converter alignment with the flex plate. Antiseize both the end of the crank and the torque converter plug. This will allow easy mating of the converter and flex plate and allow them to come back apart if needed. I also put some long all-thread rods from the block screwed into the two bolt holes near the pins, to assist with the alignment of the entire transmission to the block. It always seemed that the first time without the rods the transmission had to pivot one direction or the other just a small amount. When trying to get just that small amount of twist you over did it and you would have to try again. The rods allow you to line the transmission early on so it is just a straight in shot with just a small amount of up or down right or left to get the flex/torque system together.

 

[Dzimm]

I have been trying using the longest bolt I have to line it up but it is just too short. I'll have to see about getting a longer one and try that tonight. Was also gonna try using ratchet straps round the rear most jack and the front axle to help pull forward on it because the jacks are also stuck on the very rough floor. Any reason that would be a bad idea?

[HOrnbrod]

Get some threaded rod and cut to length.

[Dzimm]

OK will do thanks! It's a 7/16-14 bolt on bottom IIRC? Stopping on the way home from work so I won't have the bolt to check.

[Dzimm]

OK so that worked for 3 bolts on the bell housing, thanks Hornbrod, however I had to use long bolts as the hardware store was out of the correct size threaded rod. The lower factory bolt on the passenger side is just too short and no matter what adjusting I do I can't get it to start threading. I can tighten the other 3 all the way down and there is still about a 1/4" gap on that lower one that won't close enough to start the factory bolt however if I use a 5" bolt with a large socket to act as washers I can close it to about an 1/8" before it gets really tight and as soon as I back it off the bellhousing pulls back to the 1/4" gap, which is just too far for the factory 3" bolt to start. I'm just a little stumped at the moment. Any ideas? Maybe try a 3.5" bolt instead of the factory 3"?

[ParadiseMJ]

Is this a manual to AW4 swap or just an R&R?

 

I swapped from a manual to an AW4 and I had to pop out the pilot bushing/bearing out of the crank before I stabbed the AW4.  I understand the frustration.  Is the starter out?  Is the torque converter absolutely properly seated?

 

Whatever you do don't pull it on with the bolts or crank it into place. You could/will damage the tranny/flexplate etc.  The ratchet strap idea might help.  I did mine on a gravel driveway.  Difficult, but I refused to give up.  Eventually it just slid onto the locating pins, like butter.

[cruiser54]

Is this a manual to AW4 swap or just an R&R?

 

I swapped from a manual to an AW4 and I had to pop out the pilot bushing/bearing out of the crank before I stabbed the AW4.  I understand the frustration.  Is the starter out?  Is the torque converter absolutely properly seated?

 

Whatever you do don't pull it on with the bolts or crank it into place. You could/will damage the tranny/flexplate etc.  The ratchet strap idea might help.  I did mine on a gravel driveway.  Difficult, but I refused to give up.  Eventually it just slid onto the locating pins, like butter.

This^^

[Dzimm]

I'm not sure what the motor had for a Trans originally as it came with the truck without one. The torque converter was bolted to the engine still so I just took it off and put it in the Trans first and then started the install. The starter is out and it does feel like the torque converter is seated but there just is no way to see in to visually check if it is seating in the flex plate. I do believe it is just because the gap was so small between the Trans and engine and the other 3 bolts went most of the way on by hand and pretty easily with the wrench until it sucked up tight. It is possible that the 5" bolt I was using may have been bottoming out on the back of the hole or the threads may have bottomed out. I'll try holding the Trans with a strap so it doesn't come back apart when I take the long bolt out and try to get the factory bolt in and see how easily/hard it is to turn it. If it goes easy then everything should be seated properly. The engine is missing a bolt on the drivers side motor mount so it is sitting a little funny right now and that may be part of my problem.

[ParadiseMJ]

I know this sounds crazy, but I had to install, remove and in install my transmission 3 times before I got it right.  The torque converter has to seat properly or it will never come together or work properly.  The nose of the torque converter needs to be recessed about 1.5" from the edge of the bell housing, use a straight edge across the bell housing to check it.,  Once it is seated you should not be able to put your finger behind the body of the torque converter.  This is probably the most important part of the install.

 

If you pull it on with bolts, the flex plate will bend, the torque converter will score the spline gears and your whole install will be ruined,  If it were me,  I'd pull the tranny back and recheck the torque converter.  The tranny SHOULD just slide on if it's all correct, should not need to force it or pull it in with longer bolts, and nothing should bottom out.

[Dzimm]

Yeah I know that's prolly the best idea but I don't have an extra set of hands now so imma have to figure out how to do it alone.

 

Edit: and its freaking cold here!!

[Dzimm]

It's in!!! I ended up taking it completely off the engine, readjusted the jacks a little, and then wiggled it forward and back slowly until it FINALLY decided to slide on! The alignment pin trick definitely made a huge difference as well as pulling it completely off and trying again until it just slides on. Thanks for the tips!!

[ParadiseMJ]

Great.  I struggled like crazy with it, for sure.  When it finally slid on I heard angels singing on high...had a cigar and a cocktail and smiled like the Cheshire Cat for the rest of the weekend.

 

Weather.com said it's 16 F there.  It's REALLY cold here too...50 F :yes:

[Dzimm]

Yeah I think I cried a little when it went on. Realfeel is more like 0F here and it's only gonna get colder. It usually feels at least 10F colder than what the thermometer says on a GOOD day, if the sun is out. What I wouldn't give for it to be 50F... Still gonna plug away on the truck no matter how cold. I'm determined to drive it right after the road salt is washed away this spring.

[HOrnbrod]

Glad you got 'er done mate.  :cheers:

[gogmorgo]

Too late for the OP, but for anyone else reading this, when I was putting mine back together, I found that if the alignment was slightly off it seemed like the dowel pins wouldn't slide in properly. Once I had it sitting so that the crankshaft and input shaft were on the same axis, it slid on almost perfectly. Left-right seemed to be more important than up-down, as I was able to lift and drop the back end of the engine ever so slightly to wiggle them home. Having a transmission jack with the adjustable tilt head probably helped a lot as well.