November 12, 200718 yr how to seat your torque converter , by mnwolftrack (copied from http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showpost.php?p=672461&postcount=64 ) First Photo: Here's a picture of the first stopping point when sliding the torque converter into the transmission (assuming it had been completely removed). The first stopping point can vary a little bit, so don't be too concerned if yours stops in a slightly different spot. Note that I drew a black marker line on the torque converter flange where the mounting bolts go. This line represents what would be the "fully seated" position of the flange when comparing the flange to the front mounting surface of the transmission when looking square at the side of the transmission (e.g. front mounting surface of transmission is perfectly in line with your line of site). As this picture shows, the torque converter is not fully seated yet, as shown by the black line (straight up and down) on the flange which is roughly an inch away from the front mounting surface of the transmission: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Second Photo: From here, I make a "fishhook" with my pointer finger on one hand and suspend the tip of the torque converter in the "hook" to hold it's weight as if it were fully seated. This helps prevent the torque converter from binding when trying to seat it (makes seating easier). Then, I spin the torque converter clockwise a few times and then counter clock wise a few times to see if it will catch to get to the second stopping point (if a few spins don't do it, I do a few more. If it's still a no go, I pull the torque converter back out and put it back in in a different position). Here's a picture of the second stopping point (easiliy confused for fully seated), in which the black marker line is still about 1/4-1/2 inch away from being flush with mounting flange: If you think the torque converter is fully seated (above photo) at the second stopping point, it's NOT! It needs to go another 1/4 to 1/2 inch. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Third Photo: To get the torque converter to fully seat, I spin in the opposite direction that just did that got it to seat in the 2nd stopping point. Then, when fully seated, it will look like this: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Forth Photo: Another angle of it fully seated, line of site no longer flush with transmission mounting surface, and you can see the black marker line a little better: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Fifth Photo: Yet another angle, fully seated:
November 13, 200718 yr Author well look at that, you beat me to it! Thanks! i was afraid it might not be seen in the other thread, thanks for the great pics and the description.
November 14, 200718 yr how to seat your torque converter , by mnwolftrack (copied from http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showpost.php?p=672461&postcount=64 ) Heres' my pics. This one shows the ring seal that slipped out of the groove on the TC shaft and prevented complete insertion of the TC pas that last .25 inch. I recommend getting a new part, since the old one gets floppy and slips out of the groove. Thi sis the new part in a bag with number: This is the correct placement of the TC looking at the bottom: You can see how it matches the cutaways.
November 14, 200718 yr Yes, it probably would be a good idea to sticky. Only trouble with my pictures is I don't know how long photobucket will let me keep them up there. It would probably be better if we could upload them into this site or somewhere more permanent.
November 14, 200718 yr I've been using 'Village Photos' to host my sig on various forums for about 4 years. As long as you log in once every 60 days, they stay active. They send you an email a week before the 60 day period if you haven't logged in.
March 18, 200818 yr What type of symptoms would be present (post re-assembly) if the torque converter isn't fully seated?
March 18, 200818 yr probably some noises and a transmission that eventually won't move. it won't last long, if they're all the same the oil pump in the transmission gets crushed, so no pressure and no moving.
August 10, 200916 yr Author bump for newbies. howtoseattorqueconverter torqueconverter seatingtorqueconverter
August 11, 200916 yr What type of symptoms would be present (post re-assembly) if the torque converter isn't fully seated? Only one: shaft presses against the internal oil pump and destroys it. No pump=no ATF circulating=no movement. Been there, done that.
August 11, 200916 yr bump for newbies. howtoseattorqueconverter torqueconverter seatingtorqueconverter ^^If this is a link, its not working. Neither is the green color, can barley see it. Only one: shaft presses against the internal oil pump and destroys it. No pump=no ATF circulating=no movement. Been there, done that. Ditto :-\
August 11, 200916 yr This post came in very handy today! I was able to check out the pic and determine that my TC stayed in place. Thanks so much!
August 11, 200916 yr Again, here's my pics. This one shows the ring seal that slipped out of the groove on the TC shaft and prevented complete insertion of the TC pas that last .25 inch. I recommend getting a new part, since the old one gets floppy and slips out of the groove. This is the new part in a bag with number: This is the correct placement of the TC looking at the bottom: You can see how it matches the cutaways.
May 14, 201015 yr Author this thread loses a lot of it's effectiveness without the pics in the first post, too bad. mnwolftrack hasn't been on the board since 2008. if anyone happens to know him, how about telling him we need his torque converter pics. they were great pics. Edited May 14, 201015 yr by johnceggleston
March 13, 201115 yr Author the original pics are gone so i have added some that i took today. not perfect pics but better than none. if i get better ones while i can still edit i will add them. how to seat your torque converter , by mnwolftrack (copied from http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showpost.php?p=672461&postcount=64 ) torque converter not seated. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Below is a picture of the first stopping point when sliding the torque converter into the transmission (assuming it had been completely removed). The first stopping point can vary a little bit, so don't be too concerned if yours stops in a slightly different spot. As this picture shows, the torque converter is not fully seated yet, the flange which is roughly an inch away from the front mounting surface of the transmission: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ From here, I make a "fishhook" with my pointer finger on one hand and suspend the tip of the torque converter in the "hook" to hold it's weight as if it were fully seated. This helps prevent the torque converter from binding when trying to seat it (makes seating easier). Then, I spin the torque converter clockwise a few times and then counter clock wise a few times to see if it will catch to get to the second stopping point (if a few spins don't do it, I do a few more. If it's still a no go, I pull the torque converter back out and put it back in in a different position). Here's a picture of the second stopping point (easliy confused for fully seated) : second stop pic below: If you think the torque converter is fully seated (above photo) at the second stopping point, it's NOT! It needs to go another 1/4 to 1/2 inch. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ To get the torque converter to fully seat, I spin in the opposite direction that just did that got it to seat in the 2nd stopping point. Then, when fully seated, it will look like this: (notice how close the face of the flange is compared to the engine mating face of the trans.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Another angle of it fully seated, line of site no longer flush with transmission mounting surface, and you can see the black marker line a little better: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yet another angle, fully seated: tagline: ''seat torqueconverter'' Edited March 13, 201115 yr by johnceggleston
April 9, 201114 yr A million thank you's for this! I was stuck at the 2nd stopping point for 2 days! Read through this, pulled it off, tried again, and boom, it clunked into place, all 3 times. I put a zip-tie (the kind used for mounting oil coolers or electric fans to a radiator) through one of the mounting holes, and out through a hole on the back of the bellhousing.
April 9, 201114 yr One thing to note is that some of the newer stuff has a "clip" of sorts on the oil pump drive shaft that has to seat into one of the two drive slots on the TC... it only fits properly into ONE of them and not the other. This means that if the TC has come out of the tranny you need to first fish out the oil pump drive shaft and seat it onto the TC and then install both of them as an assembly. Why they have this extra clip I do not know - but it's there any should be checked for if you have something from the later 90's and beyond. I just encountered this on a '99 Forester with a factory rebuilt tranny in it. GD
April 10, 201114 yr I always tell people they know the TQ is seated when the distance from the mounting ears to the tranny bell housing is LESS than the distance of the mounting holes in the flex plate to the engine bell housing.
April 11, 201114 yr I would advise not to remove the torque converter if it is not necessary, other than a bad seal or disassembly of the trans. It would be the preferred method to leave the torque converter with the trans when pulling an engine for other services.
October 23, 201114 yr I have an 02 legacy and the tx slipped out just a little when removing the engine. I was able to slip it right back into place and when I manually turn the tx I can hear fluid slushing around. Am I safe to assume that everything is in place and I can bolt the engine back on?
October 23, 201114 yr I have an 02 legacy and the tx slipped out just a little when removing the engine. I was able to slip it right back into place and when I manually turn the tx I can hear fluid slushing around. Am I safe to assume that everything is in place and I can bolt the engine back on? As I said further back: I always tell people they know the TQ is seated when the distance from the mounting ears to the tranny bell housing is LESS than the distance of the mounting holes in the flex plate to the engine bell housing. Since the tq is half full of fluid, yes, it'll slosh a bit. That's normal. If it turns freely and passes the above check, you should be fine.
January 25, 201214 yr Having just done this for the first time, if you follow the steps outlined in this thread, you should have no trouble. First timer, done in 3 minutes. Here's another way to see that it's in place. Look at the torque converter through the hole in the bell housing for the starter. There should be less than 1/8 of an inch between torque converter and the bell housing. Here's a shot for a little extra help. This is a 2000 Outback. The rim of the torque converter was just under 3/16 of an inch from the bell housing. Edited January 25, 201214 yr by AdventureSubaru
January 27, 201214 yr That wasn't bad at all. The thing i think of when poking a TC is that the TQ always has to move towards the flex plate. So if I'm unsure of the depth, I measure and make sure that the TC will have room to move towards the Flex plate. If you bolt up the trans/engine so the TC doesn't move back and forth and is pressed hard against the flex plate, it's not poked all the way. I was a bit sceered of this one, but it turned out to be the fastest I have ever done. I literally spent more time skimming this thread than poking the TC.
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