Stuck on motor swap again... Torque Converter spinning freely

[78Suburban]

All I have left to remove are the 3 TC to flywheel bolts and the 2 motor mount bolts.. I put a wrench on the flywheel to TC bolt, and the whole thing just spins when I try to pull down on it? How in the world can I manipulate it to not spin? I thought about jamming a long pullhandle wrench on the front crank bolt, or jamming something against my flywheel, I just need to stop it from spinnign freely when I try to remove the bolts..

I am currently convered in grease and sand and all kinds of crap. I am working my flashlight now. Suggestions are VERY welcome.
thanks
James

 

[pauly383]

Use something against the flywheel teeth and anything immobile . Loosening those bolts shouldn't break anything .

 

[78Suburban]

what should I use against the flywheel teeth? a board maybe?
thanks,
James

 

[78Suburban]

ttt, its getting cold out there.. I would like to at least get these 3 bolts tonight

 

[1979jimmy350]

you can use a long screw driver or what i have been doing is where the starter would be get the bolt in that area and use a rachet the rachet will hit against the oil pan alowing to to get the bolts loose with out having to use a screw drive and a wrench in the other hand

 

[1-ton]

There is a special tool just for holding flywheels in place. What I have done on the past is wedge a pry bar (or large screw driver) up in between the crank and flywheel crank bolts to hold the flywheel in place.

 

[78Suburban]

what i have been doing is where the starter would be get the bolt in that area and use a rachet the rachet will hit against the oil pan alowing to to get the bolts loose

Just did that, and it worked awsome. This place really is the best tool I have for wrenching ............ tomorrow morning I will pull the 2 motor mount bolts and lift that low oil pressure, crapping running, SOB out of my truck ... then I'll drop in a good running 350 I got from clarkjw24
Thanks,
James

 

[pvfjr]

Or, put a wrench on it, hold on tight, and have someone hit the ignition!
I always just found a way use the wrench that wouldn't put force on the flexplate in a direction that makes it spin. You can make things work against themselves to your benefit sometimes.

 

[pauly383]

There is a special tool just for holding flywheels in place. What I have done on the past is wedge a pry bar (or large screw driver) up in between the crank and flywheel crank bolts to hold the flywheel in place.

I found a special tool myself , a GT bmx bike straight seatpost . Its 4130 chro mo , thick walled . I flattend one end for prying , and the open end holds my 3/8 ratchet and is my leverage . Very versatile . Hood prop , jack handle , self defense , flywheel stopper

The best tool I ever found !

 

[vortec]

i unbolted the converter from the flywheel, just last week. to get the bolts moving, i just used some basic physics principles. i positioned the flywheel and wrench in such a way that i was applying force perpendicular to the tangent (pushing towards the crank), not at a tangent to the flywheel. i should mention that i had already pulled my oil pan. that is worth the hassle, because it allows so much more room to move and see.

 

[HarryH3]

The real fun starts when you get to the installation. Turning over the engine so that you can tighten all 3 bolts is a great time. Having a flywheel tool makes the job WAY easier.

 

[Muddytazz]

He's actually got a flexplate, not a flywheel lol

 

[perp]

i have put vice grips on the crank pully before, and let the belt/pully/vicegrips bind the motor as i pull on the wrench

 

[sebban]

[sort of hijack]
Does the diesel converter bolt up to the petrol flexplate? (3 bolts)
[/sort of hijack]

 

[K5er4Life]

Wow I never really had that much trouble getting the bolts out or in for that matter. It would be alot easier if that motor your pulling has good compression, usually that is enough to get the bolts out. It might spin a little bit but usually they come out.

 

[78Suburban]

Wow I never really had that much trouble getting the bolts out or in for that matter. It would be alot easier if that motor your pulling has good compression, usually that is enough to get the bolts out. It might spin a little bit but usually they come out.

I already got them out by letting the wrench butt up against the oil pan, as suggested earlier in this thread. Heck I already have the motor out.. I just need more time to put the new motor in, but with finals at college, I'm a little short on time.

BTW:the engine had the belts removed and the spark plugs removed
thanks,
James

 

[wasted wages]

Remove 1 spark plug,,,,insert 1 ft of 3/8 nylon rope into hole,,leave some hanging out,,roll engine over until rope is compressed by piston against cylinder head,,,remove torque converter bolts,,,roll engine back a few degrees and pull out rope from plug hole

 

[K5er4Life]

Remove 1 spark plug,,,,insert 1 ft of 3/8 nylon rope into hole,,leave some hanging out,,roll engine over until rope is compressed by piston against cylinder head,,,remove torque converter bolts,,,roll engine back a few degrees and pull out rope from plug hole

Thats a very good idea, probably a good idea to do it on the compression stroke so that way there is no possibility to get the rope stuck in a valve or even possibly damaging the valve.