Mike Gayner

I'm having a bit of trouble dropping this motor into my XA, the main problem is lining up the torque converter bolts. Is it easier to bolt the converter to the flex plate before dropping the engine in?

ch7472

No make sure that the convertor is seated in the auto first. Do you have the convertor out of the trans? if so when you put it back you must feel three distinct clicks to make sure it is in properly. Once you have the motor and box lined up you can spin the flex plate or the converto to line the bolts up. Just make sure you dont bend the flex plate. It should not be that hard to do you have got a jack under the auto dont you?

Mike Gayner

No the flex plate never came out. Yup, box is jacked up. Spose I better get out and have another crack at it.

ch7472

So you didnt take the flex plate of the back of the crank?

xb351coupe

You can bolt the transmission to the motor before you drop it in the bay, also you can fit the extractors,its easier out of the car.. Make sure you slide the transmission all the way on the engine, do not use the bolts on the bellhousing to pull the transmission to the motor you can cause damage to the torque convertor.

xdclevo

I assume the gearbox is still in the car bolted up.
Listen to ch7472 carefully. You can not put convertor on the flywheel first.
If you do, you wont seat the convertor properly in the pump gears of the auto, and it wont go more than 100km.(maybe 0 kms)
I know first hand as it cost me $600 several years ago, as the converter dropped out "1 click" and i didn't notice and died after 50km's. Just check after bolted up, but with the convetor nuts loose, that the converter can move back and fwd a mm or 2, and isnt jammed into auto.

edit, DONT forget the steel sandwitch plate, or you will have to start over again

ch7472

And i thought i was the only one to ever do that.

brenx

I've never done it. what happens is you break the front pump. The front pump isn't designed to have that much pressure/load on it. They generally fracture upon installation and then fall into pieces once cranked.

__________________
XB Fairmont (street car) 11.07@123.02mph.

Neeek

Yep, this might take a little while. Have the 'box jacked up with the convertor pushed on fully (3 clicks of engagement). To help you out, have one of the 4 studs on the convertor at the very bottom. Make sure you've got the flexplate aligned as well (with the holes for the convertor lined up as best you can - one at the bottom).

As you push the engine back to contact with the convertor, get one bolt on quickly before it shifts. If you're doing this on your own, it'll take a while! It's handy to have a mate sit on the front of the car and push the engine back with his feet so that you can be underneath and get that first bolt screwed on quickly. Then you'll have to rotate the crank to get the rest of them on.

Mike Gayner

Okay guys I have the engine in it's mounts and sitting up against the gearbox, and I can't get the bellhousing bolts in. I have one of them in and none of them want to start. It feels like they are hitting the sandwich plate but when I look at the holes in the plate where the starter bolts up they are lined up perfectly. I can't understand why they won't go in, but it's almost driven me to tears FFS. I've seriously been trying to screw these things in for an hour. This is the most pain in the ass engine install I've ever done. No shit, people think japanese four cylinders are a pain to work on, well they are a shit load easier than V8s. Anyone else ever had this problem? It's driving me nuts.