what did i break this time?

So I was just trying to put my engine back in my Impala and I couldnt get the torque converter to bolt to the flex plate so I pulled it back out. And then the tranny started leaking everywhere. All I can think is I didn't have the torque converter in all the way. But did I mess anything up?

 

what type trans? did you tighten the motor and transmission up and the converter wouldn't turn?

 

should be alright. just push it back in while spinning it, it'll drop in a couple "???" I dont know, step/notches you'll feel it.

 

It's a powerglide and I did tighten it. When I went to bolt the torque converter to the flex plate is when i noticedit was tight.

 

Torque converters just slide out & it will make a mess. when the engine is mated back to the trans, make sure the TC is away from the flywheel & able to spin or the TC didn't drop all the way in.

 

If the converter wasn't all the way in and you tightened the bell housing bolts all the way up the converter will usually break the pump gear or the pump housing itself. If the converter is all the way in you should still be able to stick your fingers between the converter and the flex plate. You would have to slide it forward to get it close enough to the flex plate to bolt it to the flex plate.

 

Would I be able to see if it broke the pump housing or gears?

 

powerglide MAY have survived due the cast iron pump . later units with aluminum pumps, not so much. As stated above rotate converter until seated, you should feel it drop in twice, converter should be fairly close to case on the bottom. Check converter rotation while tightening bell housing to make sure there is no binding

 

not necessarily, but you can look for damage . Normally the pump gear or housing cracks. hard to detect without disassembly, unless you cranked it...then the damage will be obvious

 

Probably could see the housing crack if you remove the converter...but not the broken pump gear.

 

I did that "once" with a turbo 350. Didn't spin the torque convertor down to the second notch, tried to bolt assembly to engine ended up cracking the pump in the tranny. First clue would be that I had a gap between the bellhousing and block, tried to force the gap away, heard a slight metallic sound of something cracking. It was the pump. Tranny fluid will be pouring out as you describe.

 

You may have damaged the planetary gear if you just put the torque converter in and tightened it up,,the tourque converter needs to be turned untill it slips in place ,,usually twice. HRP

 

I never actually took it out could it have just slipped out a little when i pulled the engine

 

Not quite sure I understand you said you tried to bolt up the torque converter but you didn't tighten the bellhousing up.
The proper way to install an engine or a tranny would be to bolt the bell housing together then bolt the converter up.

 

The torque converter will have three distinct stops input shaft splines, stator splines and pump gear drive; you should have less than 1/2" clearance by the pan rail where the dust cover is bolted if it is seated correctly.

 

Take a yard stick and lay it across the bell housing measure from that face to the tabs on the converter now take the yard stick and lay it across the flywheel and measure to the back of the block and make sure that the measurement you took from the tranny is greater than the measurement you took from the back of the block to the back of the flywheel.

 

Alright I will try and get it put in right and put the engine back in. I guess I will know if the pump is bad when I go to fire it up.

 

Crap. If the engine's still out, why don't you pull the pump and inspect it? 'O' ring & gasket...maybe replace the seal while you're at it.

Cripes, it doesn't get any easier than Chev front pump...(there are 2 tapped holes to screw bolts into when you get all of them out. Those bolts will 'lift' the pump away from the case.
Large pan beneath, just watch, clean, inspect; when you assemble it again, you'll know all about the operation and inspection of the front pump, seal replacement, and torque converter installation.
The engine's out, after all...LEARN! Good study.

 

I don't know what the PG pump drive is, but if it is like a TH350, you look deep into the hole where the converter sits, and there will be two square tangs that can break off. If the end of your converter has two notches, I would think there are two tangs in the pump gear.


At least slide the convertor out and look in there. You might find a google pic of a PG front pump to see what could have broken.

 

How much did the engine spring back when you unbolted it?

 

The engine didn't spring when I unbolted it

 

That's good. Pull the converter remove the front seal look at the tangs on the pump take a thin screwdriver and play with it should turn easy if it looks ok install new seal then install the converter and do the measurement thing.

 

I have never done anything like that so can I pull the front pump out while the trans is still in the car?