[giddyup66]

Hello everyone im a new member to the site but it has helped me with problems many times before. ive got a 1966 coupe with 289 that I bought when i was 15 and been fixing up for the last 5 years and is my daily driver right now.

just the other day the transmission started making a loud vibration sound from the bellhousing area. it only happens when idling in drive or reverse but goes away when driving. i took it to my local mustang shop and he suggested the flywheel must be cracked so i took it home took off the tranny and it looked fine so i went to put it back on but think the torque conveter wasnt all the way back in when i tried to bolt the tanny back on so i took it back off and i cant seem to get the converter to slide all the way in. is there any special trick to this or i was reading that i may have possibly damaged it when i tried to bolt it on without the converter all the way in. so any ideas to what the vibration and noise would be in the first place and how to get the torque converter in properly if i didnt ruin it.

thanks for any help in advance.

 

[PaulS]

As long as you didn't try to pull the engine and transmission together using the bolts you are probably ok to get the converter in the right place and put it back together. If you did try to pull them together using the bolts then you probably have a broken pump and it will need to be repaired.

To install the converter you need to put very little pressure back but you will need to lift slightly on the pilot at the front of the converter - just enough to center it in the bore - and turn the converter with your other hand. It may help to use a rag with some grease on it to hold the pilot and then use the pads to spin the converter. Once it is in place line up the bolt holes with the studs and make sure you line up the drain plugs (if any) with the holes in the flex plate.
Flex plates most often crack around the bolt holes so Ford uses a plate that fits over the center of the flex plate - you may have to remove the plate to check it for cracks between the bolts.

When reinstalling the flex plate bolts use thread sealer or Blue Loc-tite on the threads or you will have an oil leak.