54 Flywheel to Torque Converter Connection

[John L.]

Would like some help some quick help on the flywheel install on my 54 that I am working on this weekend ....
1) When bolting up the transmission to the engine/flywheel I am looking for an "X" stamped onto the flywheel and a corresponding "X" on the face of the torque converter. I need to match both of these "X"s up to the closest bolt hole for both when . Now the torque converter is clearly marked with an "X" stamp but on my flywhee there does not seem to be one on either side. As you can see I have cleaned the flywheel up very good and the only marks visible are for timing and there is a triangle stamp as well. Can I assume the trangle stamp serves as the "X" on the flywheel?

2) the bolts for the flywheel to converter - what I have are approximately 1" long - seems short to me. If these are correct do they require lock washers and what should they be torqued to?

3) when I bring the transmission to the engine is there any sort of lub needed in the cup or depression at the end of the crankshaft where the nose of the torque converter slides into it?

Everyone's advice is appreciated!




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[Joe L.]

Re: 54 Flywheel to Torque Converter Connection

Would like some help some quick help on the flywheel install on my 54 that I am working on this weekend ....
1) When bolting up the transmission to the engine/flywheel I am looking for an "X" stamped onto the flywheel and a corresponding "X" on the face of the torque converter. I need to match both of these "X"s up to the closest bolt hole for both when . Now the torque converter is clearly marked with an "X" stamp but on my flywhee there does not seem to be one on either side. As you can see I have cleaned the flywheel up very good and the only marks visible are for timing and there is a triangle stamp as well. Can I assume the trangle stamp serves as the "X" on the flywheel?

2) the bolts for the flywheel to converter - what I have are approximately 1" long - seems short to me. If these are correct do they require lock washers and what should they be torqued to?

3) when I bring the transmission to the engine is there any sort of lub needed in the cup or depression at the end of the crankshaft where the nose of the torque converter slides into it?

Everyone's advice is appreciated!




[ATTACH=CONFIG]39110[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]39111[/ATTACH]

John------


I'm not familiar, at all, with early C1 applications. However, my guess would be that the embossed triangle substitutes for an "X" mark. Otherwise, it's possible it's a SERVICE flywheel. A SERVICE flywheel usually would have no indexing mark.

GM says the converter to flywheel bolts were 11/16" in length. This seems incredibly short to me. The bolts did have captured lockwashers.

I would apply a small amount of light machine oil to the crankshaft orifice.

[John L.]

Re: 54 Flywheel to Torque Converter Connection

Thank you Joe for the information .... i wish, i wish, I would have noted the positioning of the flywheel to the converter when I disassembled this unit 2 years ago but that is past history now...
Will investigate the bolt length a little further by actually hooking it up just to see if the bolt I have is long enough or how much extra room may be there for a longer bolt...
Great help,
John

[Guy M.]

Re: 54 Flywheel to Torque Converter Connection

The two will mate up only one way I believe, I had to do it by trial and error, leaving the convertor still and rotating the flywheel, or vise versa installing a bolt and seeing if the next hole would work rotating both until one combination worked. My extra flywheel has an X next to a hole on the tranny side with the other markings on the engine side. The 11/16 fine thread is about right, I know they arent 1" long.

[Chris S.]

Re: 54 Flywheel to Torque Converter Connection

the "ball" and triangle need to face the block
the "ball" is a timing mark - it is TDC

[Chris S.]

Re: 54 Flywheel to Torque Converter Connection

the bolts are fine thread
use a lock washer or an internal lock washer

NO Lube needed
do lube the snout of the torque convertor and make sure it is engaged in the transmission

[John L.]

Re: 54 Flywheel to Torque Converter Connection

Thanks for all who posted. Seems no real solution for me except perhaps for the fact that someone had in the past put a large white dot of paint on the transmission side of the flywheel. Of course you can not see this except when the flywheel was off the car. I have done this in the past to make it easier for timing but the opposite side?? I may use this as a reference I guess.
Will bolt it up this weekend.
Thanks!!
John

[John L.]

Re: 54 Flywheel to Torque Converter Connection

Well over the weekend I bolted things up over the weekend.
Failed to mention on the flywheel "X" marking that seemed to be missing....there was a dab of white paint on the transmission side which I sort of blew off until I read the 1962 service manual and in there it states the the factory alignment mark on the flywheel was a white stripe, and on the converter a blue strip. since my flywheel was off of a later model 6 I only assumed the white paint mark was indeed the heavy "X" side of the flywheel.
Problem maybe .... when I bolted up the transmission to adapter plate the last 1/2" or less was a very tight pulling it up. I did align the bolt holes for the flywheel and converter which is a good thing since when finally finished there was no way to turn the converter even with no bolts between the two. Not being totally familiar with the install and afraid I was placing something in a bind I pulled the transmission again and just for kicks I removed the flywheel altogether and reinstalled the transmission just to see and as I thought...with great effort the transmission mated with the adapter plate but when I reach in the flywheel opening to try and spin the torque converter it there was no way it would turn. Am I over cautious here or is everything as it should be? I would not have expected there would have been that much effort needed to tighten down the attachment bolts to draw the tranny in. Save the converter!
Any thoughts for some piece of mind>>>
Oh BTW I did pull the tranny one more time less I forget that I did not install the flywheel at the last bolt up - Ha
John Lanning

[Chris S.]

Re: 54 Flywheel to Torque Converter Connection

the fly wheel will go on one way
the "ball" should on should face towards the front of the car
place the engine at TDC on #1
the ball on the fly wheel will be visble thru the adapter where the pointer is.

make sure the convertor is seated into the transmission - spin it so it clunks - it will engage the trans pump.
This is key !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[John L.]

Re: 54 Flywheel to Torque Converter Connection

Chris - I believe you are on the right track to check the converter/pump engagement. I was really careful when I received the transmission from the rebuilder to make sure the holding tool or clip was in place that was keeping the converter in the proper alingment with the internal pump as the manual states. That being said I looked at the transmission/converter alignment this morning and made a mental note then looking at the Powerglide rebuild manual they are showing 9/16" dimension from basically from the housing to the face of the converter - I think my dimension is greater than that which would explain why it was so difficult to try and bolt up - perhaps the converter has moved out of place. HOPE I did not mess up the pump by tightening it down!!

So I need to spin the converter until it clicks correct? will give it a try this evening.
Appreciate the lead.
John

[Chris S.]

Re: 54 Flywheel to Torque Converter Connection

yes - spin the convertor til it clunks and seats in the trans !
and yes you can damage the pump...... :-(

[John L.]

Re: 54 Flywheel to Torque Converter Connection

Well final update...indeed the converter was disengaged from the pump and that is the reason it was not bolting up. Gave it a turn and seated .... bolted up with absolutely no problem. Thanks for the guidance.
John

[Chris S.]

Re: 54 Flywheel to Torque Converter Connection

Easy peazy lemon squeazy !!!!!!!!
(common issue with torque convertors - got to make sure they clunk when installing them)