Jeep Torque Converter Bolt Hole Question - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Graplr · #1 07-14-2012, 01:15 PM

I am swapping engines on my brother's 99 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The new engine is in. The trans is bolted to the engine. The only issue I'm having is the 4 torque converter bolts. I got the hole on the flywheel lined up with the hole on the torque converter but the original bolts won't thread because the TC is sitting too far back. I went to the hardware store and matched up sizes and just bought a longer bolt thinking this would "pull" the TC close enough but no dice. I backed it out and put the original in but it still wouldn't thread.

I didn't touch the TC when I pulled the engine. I left it mated to the trans spline.

There is no access panel or hole to get at the TC. Just a plate on the face of the flywheel that comes off to get at the bolts and the stater hole I can just touch the TC but can't seem to move it at all.

Any ideas for me to try?

Can I just leave the longer bolts in?

qwerty · #2 07-14-2012, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graplr

I went to the hardware store and matched up sizes and just bought a longer bolt thinking this would "pull" the TC close enough but no dice.

"No dice" means what exactly?

Graplr · #3 07-14-2012, 01:48 PM

Means my plan if pulling the TC closer and then taking the new bolt out and putting the original bolt in didn't work.

qwerty · #4 07-14-2012, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graplr

Means my plan if pulling the TC closer and then taking the new bolt out and putting the original bolt in didn't work.

And it did not work because…?

Bolts would not engage? Bolts did engage but TC would not move?

catmandoo62 · #5 07-14-2012, 02:20 PM

"you can touch the flywheel but not move it at all"if you turn the flywheel does the t/c move with it.if not what we had to do years ago when we got rebuilt trans from certified trans.there was a note in the t/c box that said you had to measure the distance between the converter bolt flanges and flywheel.if it exceeded a certain amount you had to use washers to shim between the t/c and flywheel,and in some cases use longer bolts.

duxthe1 · #6 07-14-2012, 04:02 PM

Sounds to me like the snout of the converter is not seated in the crankshaft. I usually take a fine emory or steel wool and polish the converter snout and the corresponding female recess in the crank. A little lube or antiseize there doesn't hurt either. You may have to pull it back out and to clean up those mating surfaces, and also ensure that the converter and crank are compatible. Additionally you may need to check that the front pump isn't damaged by bolting everything together as is.

jplinville · #7 07-14-2012, 04:40 PM

Was the replacement engine of the same year/transmission combination? If so, I'd say that the TC isn't mating to the flywheel properly. Cleaning it up a bit, as stated above, might fix it.

MS Fowler · #8 07-14-2012, 07:16 PM

Cherokee engines and Wrangler engines, even of the same nominal designation are machined differently, and, will interchange only with difficulty. I don't know the specifics, but I was able to pick up a good used engine for my company Cherokee because someone bought it to put in a Wrangler, and found they couldn't make it work.

Graplr · #9 07-14-2012, 07:51 PM

We got it to work. We used new bolts that were just a hair longer than the original.

The issue now is the darn trans cooler lines. We had them tucked back when we put the engine in and they needed to be under the engine arm so we had to take them completely out and now having trouble threading them at the trans (it is really tight in there and the angles are having trouble lining up to start threading).

After that it should only be a bit of work until we can start it up.