TH350 issue

[Coach529]

OK....so I installed my flex plate backwards, so I need to get it out and turned around.

SBC and TH350 are installed. Never done this before. What is the easiest method?

Remove cross member and lower it out the bottom?

Pull motor?

Thanks in advance!!

[57taskforce]

If it were me if probably pull the crossmember and slide the trans back far enough to get it apart. To me it's easier to only worry about getting the dowel pins in the block lined up to the trans than it is to fight the motor mounts and dowel pins both. Others may suggest differently but this is my personal preference.

[mr48chev]

Get two 3/8 NC bolts about 6 or 8 inches long to put in the bottom two bolt holes. That way you can slide the trans back with the jack far enough to reach between the flex plate and torque converter with the wrench you use. You can break them loose with a torque wrench or breaker bar and then run them out with a ratchet or maybe even your fingers. When you get the flexplate back on right and have the bolts torqued you just slide the trans forward on the long bolts, install the four other bolts and tighten them and replace the long ones with the ones that go there. Beats the daylights out of trying to fight it back in place laying on your back.

[Coach529]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

Get two 3/8 NC bolts about 6 or 8 inches long to put in the bottom two bolt holes. That way you can slide the trans back with the jack far enough to reach between the flex plate and torque converter with the wrench you use. You can break them loose with a torque wrench or breaker bar and then run them out with a ratchet or maybe even your fingers. When you get the flexplate back on right and have the bolts torqued you just slide the trans forward on the long bolts, install the four other bolts and tighten them and replace the long ones with the ones that go there. Beats the daylights out of trying to fight it back in place laying on your back.

That is awesome.......that is why I came on here asking for advice.

Thanks soo much!!

[OrrieG]

old school trick for any tranny/bellhousing install, works with manual trans bolts into the bellhousing too.

[NEWFISHER]

Stealing that trick

[S10Fan]

Mr48Chevy is correct, it would be hard to top that method, I've used it many times.

[1project2many]

A couple of tips to add to Mr48Chev's trick: Sometimes you'll only have enough room to slide the trans back a couple of inches. A belt tensioner tool and short socket will fit into a smaller space than most torque wrenches or breaker bars and typically have longer handles, too. You might have to grind a socket shorter because tensioner tools rarely come with 9/16" or 11/16" sockets. Also, six point sockets are less likely to round the bolt head than 12 point. You don't want to round the flexplate to crankshaft bolt head.

[Coach529]

OK, so I pulled the tranny back and R & R the flexplate in the correct orientation. I bolted the tranny back up and have about 3/8" of space between the flex plate and the bolt pads for the converter. Is it OK to slide the converter back out to the flex plate and bolt up?

[69chevytrucker]

yep i just did my install same thing mine was more like 1/4 away but should be fine

[Halltmja]

I need to replace my flexplate also. When sliding the trans back do I need to disconnect the tranny lines etc? Does anyone have a step by step instruction on what to do first?

Thanks