mrawrench

My Dear Subaru Fanatic, After my last post I went back and started all over again and Voila! the TC just fell in. Just for the record it is just below the surface of the bell housing and 1/8" from the starter hole. Thanks again (and again) for the help and the patience.

Dear subaru fanatic! I have done just as you said. The trans is in the car and the car is on a lift with the trans supported, as nearly level as it will get. when the TC assembly is slid into the case, it goes down smoothly and seems to engage the pump. The tube is mounted on the TC with the C-clip. I have spun the TC while supporting it, pulled it out and tried again about 20 times but it will still not go in all the way so that the TC is below the surface of the bell housing. It is blocked solid and I am at an impasse... What am I missing?

I am unable to reinsert the converter. The only thing I can see that is preventing it from going all the way into the case is that the stator spline inside the converter is off center when I look down the shaft of the converter. Is there some way of centering it? TIA

Thanks for all the replies. Everybody said much the same thing and it all makes sense. If I have any more trouble (which I doubt) I will repost.

I've just removed the engine from this 03 outback wagon and the torque converter came out with the engine. It pulled a tube that seems to be connected to the pump out about 6 inches before I could get it disconnected from the converter and then the tube slid back into the trans. The converter slides onto the shaft but does not go in as far as it should. My question is what am I dealing with here? The tube has 2 notches on the front for the pump drive but doesn't seem as if it is bottomed. Is the pump at the back ot the trans or what. Hoping for any information. TIA awrench