I'm reinstalling the torque converter (318 Poly). I've spent at least 5 hours, in 1 1/2 hour increments, trying to put the nuts and washers in. My hands don't fit in the 3/4 inch gap, to put the nuts back on. Anyone have an idea, without having to pull the engine and turn it upside down? It's driving me f&@#ing crazy. Please help. Thanks. Art. content://media/external/file/56064
Maybe hire the neighbor kid? I use to get my neighbor, Drew to get the hard-to- get nuts and bolts in place for me..He grew up and moved away.
possible to post a pic? have a box ratchet wrench ? to put nut in & place on bolt - hold in place with thin screwdriver and then turn ratchet
I wish I could offer you words of wisdom, but I have none. Its a pita to install those nuts. The best I can offer is to turn the motor so the studs are at the lowest point to install each nut. Some things we are grateful that they have improved. Gene
There's gotta be a f@#&ing tool for this kinda sh7t. My daughter couldn't do it, said her hand doesn't fit. It's a 3/4 inch space. I tried the tape and wrench thing. You need a little bit of pressure while your turning it. Sent from my LG-H631 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Thanks Gene. I'm starting on the lowest one, at 6 o'clock. I can't even get the first one on. Sent from my LG-H631 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Jalopy Joker, haven't tried the long screwdriver trick. I'll try tomorrow. I need to step away before I start throwing and breaking sh@t. Sent from my LG-H631 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Daddy...........just went and looked at the 318 poly I have on an engine stand, I'd forgotten what a PITA that job is........I have had an Oz 1962 318 Poly & Cast Iron Torqueflite in my 1940 Dodge since 1973 and have had to pull the cast iron T/F 3 times in that period tho" I must admit not for nearly 20 yrs..........from what I remember last time I used a very long open mouth or a ring spanner, can't remember which now, may have even used some grease to help keep the nut in place and was able to lightly sit the nut against the torque converter stud and swing the spanner thru an arc enough that it caught on the thread so that I could then remove and replace the spanner on the nut and swing it again thru an arc...............dunno if this is any help ........lol...........and I can't remember torqing the nuts but I musta done them up tight enough as the mongrels are still there.........their a bastard size too from memory?........11/16" or are they just 5/8"...........I do remember wedging a piece of wood between the ring gear and bellhousing but can't recall whether I installed the converter before I installed the bellhousing with the converter pushed onto the crank flange enough so that the nuts could be loosely attached THEN the bellhousing was slipped in from underneath and turned around the right way and pushed against the block, bolted on and the piece of wood jammed in the allow the nuts to be tightened up..................hellsbells...........lol............this brings back nightmares I'd forgotten............lol...............also make sure that you check where the drive recesses are in the converter and align the front drive tube(?...thingy? on the 3 tonne weight gearbox.........its such fun balancing the cast iron lump in the air..........AAAAAAARRRRRRHHHH........the nightmares are coming back........lol.............regards, Andy Douglas
I'd use all these suggestions at once. Start at the 6 o'clock Tape the bolt to the wrench Use a big flat screw driver or small crowd bar Twist the the screw driver to apply inwards force. Cheers Aaron. Sent from my SM-G360G using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
been down that road many times. we take a saws all and cut away some of the bottom of the trans. we then use a wrench with a swivel socket at one end. works every time. there is no strength issues cutting away some material. most mopar guys do it this way.
I use my huge old Forney stick welder and as big a rod as will fit one flat on the nut. Crank the sucker up to 250 or so and STAB the nut with the rod and instantly open the stinger clamp. Lots of sparks but rod is usually stuck to nut really well. You can then maneuver the nut in position and hold some pressure on it. Just one out of six flats being buggered is usually not a problem and a little twisting frees the rod.
If it were me I would use an all metal lock nut with the flange on it, then throw the other nuts and washers away. The flange nuts let you apply pressure to your wrench and it wont come tumbling out of said wrench.
Not sure about the welding idea.......lol.........s'pose any and all suggestions are worth trying eventually.....maybe.....lol..........btw what car is the Poly in?.........andyd
We put a hitch on a guys brand new jeep. 1/2 of the nuts had a 1/8" rod tig welded on to them. It was the only way you'd get them in the tube frame. Not good of you can't turn the bolt.
I use a magnetized flat screwdriver to hold it to the bolt, another to start turning. Clean & use thread locker. I don't own a box end thin enough, so I use a heavy open end & take lots of time. God, what a dumb way to hold a flywheel.
These gearboxes don't have an actual separate flywheel, the ring gear is a press fit onto the circumference of the torque converter and the bolts are actually studs that protrude forward from the centre of the converter welded from memory to it............never have to worry about buggering up a flexplate tho'................andyd
So it's a 5/8 nut. I'm not home to try anything yet. But the tape idea does NOT work. There needs to be pressure applied to the nut for the thread to engage. There's no need to cut anything on with a sawzall. The transmission is out. I'm NOT welding anything on there. I'm starting with the long "magnetized" screwdriver idea. If it fails, I was thinking of stopping at harbor freight, buying a cheap ass 5/8 wrench and tach welding something to the wrench, to hold the nut in place while applying pressure to the nut. If that doesn't work, I'll try the metal lock nut. The place that I know to carry any nut and bolt in the world, has bankers hours. I can't recall ever seeing a fine threaded lock nut. If it exists, I'm sure they have it. I thought someone here must have done it a few times and knew of a tool or trick. Thank you for all your input. It IS a dumb idea, and it's in my '54 Dodge Royal in my avitar.
I've never worked on one of these so I have no idea how many degrees the wrench can be turned. That being said, don't forget to try clocking the nut a maximum of 6 different positions on the wrench before going to extremes.
I actually have one of those squeeze wrench's, think I got it at a yard sale a few years ago. Can't say for sure that I ever used it, but will come in handy someday I presume.
Tape a thin strip of metal (like a feeler-gage) to the shank of the wrench, have it extend over the opening where you put the nut. This will allow you to push the nut on to the stud as you turn.
Not to sound like an a$$ but how was it originally installed? what does the factory service manual have to say about install? When I am having issues with something I try to stand back and think about how it would of been assembled on the line. The other thing I have figured out after doing this for as long as I have is, sometimes what we think is the easiest- fastest way sometimes takes longer than doing it the way it should have been done to start with. Like I said not trying to be an a$$, spent 2 hours on sunday trying to get a non-original speaker up in the dash of my 66 gto, didn't work for a reason and after sitting back and looking at it, I am glad it didn't.
Thought welding a plate to either a box or open end wrench will allow pressure for threading nut on. You could put a screwdriver on plate side to put pressure on wrench.
Its a pain to get theese in place. If you still have the engine and trans on floor you could remove the oilpan on engine to gain some extra space.
I have used the tips of my fingers, or needle nose pliers more than any other way to get at a nut in a tight spot. My Ol' Man used to call it "worrying it together". Its a bitch but it just goes with the territory. Something that will make things a little easier is one of these. it won't help with the nuts but you can use it to get your flywheel exactly where you want it.
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