Is this Torque Converter Seated?

[Vinnyvango]

Hello folks:

I'm fairly new the the Subaru cars, though I've been running an EJ22 in my Vanagon for over 9 years. Based on that experience I bought the wife a 2003 OBW with only 76K miles. Less than 6 months and 2k miles later I'm doing the head gaskets:mad:. While pulling the engine I did everything possible to leave the torque converter in place including my best "STAY" command. It didn't work. I read the thread by mnwolftrack. I tried for an hour and just couldn't get the last detent. SO I used a wire to hook the spring clip on the shaft that connects to the TC. I manually connected them and slid them into place. Within half a rotation I felt a clunk and the TC slid in 1/4"-1/2" further than I could previously get it. The face of the TC is now less than 1/4" from the bellhousing face (See photo below). So, is it fully seated?

 

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=652569

 

Thanks.

 

Shawn

84/90 Westy/Soob

[johnceggleston]

very hard to tell but i vote no.

 

compare to these pics.

 

 

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=81925&highlight=TORQUECONVERTER

[bheinen74]

no

[Vinnyvango]

Thanks for the quick reply guys. I'm a little confused. I've looked carefully at the pictures here:

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=81925&highlight=TORQUECONVERTER

 

It's difficult to tell because of the mounting "ears". On my 03 the mounting surface for the flex plate is a continuous ring, not tabs or "ears". That's what I was trying to show in the picture. The front face of mounting ring is right at 0.20" from the face of the bellhousing. I'll fiddle with it some more when I get home tonite and at least try to get a better picture.

 

Thanks!

[Vinnyvango]

I tried again to seat the torque converter further. No joy. I did get another pic. Hopefully this one is better. I marked the TC mating surface with a sharpie even with the front of the bell housing. Does it look seated now?

 

[url=http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=652677/url]

 

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=652677

 

Thanks again!

 

Shawn

84/90 Westy/Soob

03 OBW with blown headgaskets:mad:

Edited March 2, 2010 by Vinnyvango

[MilesFox]

looks good to me. as long as the starter ring teeth are inside the bellhousing, you are ok.

 

if you notice, the flexplate is inside the engine belllhousing as much as the edge of the torque converter is in the trans bell.

 

i remember this from an ea82 and a 97 outback, it had me contemplating the same question as you, but everything bolted up and ran just fine

[johnceggleston]

comparing this pic to your first it seems to be "more" seated than it was. does it look that way to you? you are there after all. what does the ruler say?

 

now that you have done it once, try it again. being able to seat it every time you try should relieve some of your fears. i found it easy to do once i knew how far it had to go.

[bobaru]

measure flexplate to motor flange.= X........ that is were TC needs to be.

 

measure TC to trany flange ==== about 1/8 to 1/4 inch difference deeper in the trany. Bolt up motor & trany spin TC to flexplate, TC bolts will do the rest.

 

that should help

[subaru360]

When it's in all the way, the ring gear teeth are just about touching the case.

[gbianchi]

Excellent info and great timing Guys, newbee to auto trannys and about to swap an SVX tranny this board ..................ROCKS:banana:. Thanks ....G

[Vinnyvango]

Just a wrap up for the archives; it was seated. I felt pretty sure it was as the starter teeth just cleared the bellhousing. As Bobaru suggested, I measured with a machinists scale. There was about 0.15 to spare. Now I get to start another thread about the rough idle/miss:mad:.

 

Thanks!

[BluetoE]

I was glad I was able to be there for moral support during the install. Now to track down that rough idle gremlin.