Torque converter removal
 

How do you remove the torque converter? I've pulled my engine and transmission. I've disconnected the transmission, but I can't figure out how to remove the torque converter. Oh the car is a '85 123 300D.

Thanks
Charlie

I should add that the engine is locked and I cannot rotate. Surely there has to be a way to remove the converter?
thanks again

Charlie

there are 6 studs on the converter bolted to the driven plate, and accessed from the back of the oil pan area facing rearwards if the engine were installed in the car. Rotating the engine is absolutely required to remove the torque converter, as you rotate it around to access the 6 nuts on the studs.

Not sure what you can do if its seized, you might be out of luck on pulling that converter.

The engine is out of the car on the ground. I really need to remove the converter as I have to remove the flywheel and install both on the donor engine.

Interesting puzzle if you can't rotate the crank. Separate the engine and transmission carefully then see if there's enough of a gap between the block and driven plate to remove the bolts holding the torque converter to the driven plate. You might be able to pry the torque converter from the block for better access if you don't mind replacing the driven plate.

Sixto
87 300D

X2 on the separation of the transmission from the adapter plat on the back of the engine. I doubt however if you'll have enough space to reach the bolts on the driven plate going in from that side...

But if saving the torque converter is a must then you could always "just" remove the lower and upper oil pan and whip out the crank main bearing caps and the big end caps to get that crank to turn!

"Just" he says "just"!

Good luck - take some pictures if you have the time.

Oh yes... you might have to disconnect the timing chain too... what a ball ache.

If I had to choose between saving the fly wheel or converter, I probably would save the flywheel. But I would have to remove the converter first to get to the flyweel.

There is no way you can have access to the torque converter bolts by going in between the flywheel and intermediate plate. You might get lucky and get access to a few bolts from the window at the bottom of the upper pan and through the starter hole.

For access to the rest of the bolts, you will need to destroy the driven plate. You will start by taking a large pry bar and start prying the torque converter snout out of the pilot hole. This will flex the driven plate enough for you to wedge a block or something in between the driven plate and the flywheel. It may make it easier to flex if your able to get some bolts out from the bottom window and starter hole, if not then you might have a fun time.
You will then continue to pry the flex plate further out with a big pry bar until you see access to the bolts. This is where a 13mm gear wrench will come in handy. Hopefully you’ll be able to remove the torque converter and swap it over to the new motor. You’ll need to order a new or get a donor driven plate.


Good luck.

Sounds to me as if the OP has just an engine with his torque converter still attached.

If your engine is well and truly locked up, and you can't get it to budge with a breaker bar, then I would do what Army said and remove the oil pans and undo the main and rod bearing caps. Take the timing chain off by unbolting the bolt at the center of the cam gear (guess that means you need to remove the valve cover too), and knock the sprocket off with a hammer, (the engine is junk right?) unless you have a some sort of grinder, in which case you could just cut the chain right there at the crank sprocket.

With a bit of pounding and judicious force you should be able to move the rods and pistons up in their bores, remove the main caps and be able to lift the crankshaft out of the block.

Then you can get to the 6 bolts that hold the torque converter on and then remove the flywheel after that.

Really won't be hard to do, I'm sure the OP will see what he needs to do once the pan is off. Just be glad you have the engine out of the car :D.

Sounds like Army has the best idea so far, if the engine will not turn.

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I would like to add here, if some one doing a search on " Torque Convertor Removal", and has an engine not locked up.

There are 6 bolts with 13mm heads about 1 1/4 inch long in groups of two. they must be removed before removing the engine and trans from the car. just makes it easier to seperate the two

They are behind a black plastic cover plate on the bottom of the bell housing. rotate the engine with a 1 1/16 or 27mm deep socket to line up the bolts.
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Charlie

This is how I have had to do it before.

is not the bellhousing round? can you remove all the transmission mounting bolts, and rotate the transmission around to access all the TC bolts?
also, you should be able to remove the transmission from the TC and possibly remove the adapter plate as well...

I can rotate the transmission. But if I re-attach it to the engine it won't turn since the engine is locked.
Can someone explain why I can't access the bolts that attach T/C because the engine is locked, as opposed to being able to rotate the engine and thereby gaining access to the bolts?

The torque converter bolts can only be accessed by the window in through the starter hole or the upper oil pan shown in this pic.

Picture courtesy of Konstan
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1307318585


Here couple of pics I took of the torque converter installed, and driven plate.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1307318617


http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1307318630


You can see only two bolts at a time show up so you'll need to rotate the flywheel to get to the other 4 bolts.
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1226019102

.

In addition to DeliveryValve's excellent set of pictures here's one of the transmission adapter which is also in the way

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1290628309

Unfortunately you'll find that to remove this bit you need to remove the flywheel before you can get to the bolts that actually hold the adapter to the block...

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...3&d=1290628325