Converter removal

Discussion in 'Wrenchin' Secrets' started by Briz, Sep 15, 2018.

  1. Briz

    Briz Founders Club Member

    The engine that came out of the 66 Cat parts car is froze, stuck like really solid. I managed to get 2 of the converter bolts out but the last one is at the top. Separated the engine and trans leaving the converter attached. 3 weeks ago I filled the cylinders with mystery oil and dumped another qt down the intake. Have tried to turn it with a breaker bar and socket several times. All thats moved is the crank bolt got tighter. Any ideas of how to get the converter off without destroying it or the flex plate? Have no plans for a rebuild at this point.
     
  2. FJM568

    FJM568 Well-Known Member

    The last motor I pulled apart was stuck just like that. I removed all the connecting rod nuts that I could reach with a socket and removed every piston/rod that I could once I did that. Now, here's where it gets interesting. I took a 12 point box end wrench and cut it up and re-welded it back together at crazy angles so that I could get the box end on the rod nuts. Then it was just a matter of loosening the nut enough to spin them off by hand. If you were closer, I would loan it to you. I have it in my toolbox at work, but I can take a picture of it Mon to give you an idea of what I'm describing. Once that's done, pull the crank and unbolt the converter.

    I know you said you didn't want to rebuild, but you said nothing about complete disassembly.
     
  3. 436'd Skylark

    436'd Skylark Sweet Fancy Moses!!!!!

    There is a chance the lower end is seized- If it was run without oil until it locked up. Roll it over and pull the pan. Usually they will loosen up if the mains are loose and you can get to the rods.

    If not ask yourself what you are trying to save and if it's worth it. It's not the numbers motor if it's from a parts car. If it's a 401 that needs a couple sleeves no one will buy it. The heads will need a ton of work if they were full of water. I'd toss it in the scrap pile .
     
  4. Briz

    Briz Founders Club Member

    Never had a nailhead apart and will use it as a learning experience. Who knows how many years that thing sat outside with no carb on it. I'll tear into it one day. Dissasembled the engine out of the Regal today. Have to get that done before anything new is started.
     
  5. 436'd Skylark

    436'd Skylark Sweet Fancy Moses!!!!!

    That's reason enough to tear it apart. I wouldn't stress about saving parts though.
     
  6. yachtsmanbill

    yachtsmanbill Well-Known Member

    Howz about a trick-o-da-trade? I was changing injectors and timing the 12-71s on my big boat and a guy lent me the timing helper for barring over the monster. Get a junk starter and take the nose, armature and pinion gear off and weld it up solid so just the pinion turns. Weld a nut or a pipe wrench on the shaft to turn it and itll break free, honest ! Gear reduction is your friend. What the starter ratio? 50:1? Dont use the front bolt; if it snaps you know what that means. A nice sharp bar into the ring gear through the starter hole is good too. Discretion is the better part of valor.

    I thought that guy was a running unit? At worst, pull the motor and trans together. Just my opine. ws

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  7. Briz

    Briz Founders Club Member

    Bill thats a great idea. However there was no starter on the engine and I dont have an extra nailhead starter. Bet $'s to donuts I'd break that stud off! The engine / trans was just sitting on a bare frame and I did get it seperated. The converter is just bolted to the flex plate.
     
  8. yachtsmanbill

    yachtsmanbill Well-Known Member

    This was Marks 67 from Iron Bridge? I thought it was a driver. Hmmm. Take a car hauler strap around the TC and finnagle a bar in it to be able to get some leverage on it. Give it a few good smacks with a deadblow hammer occasionally; it'll free up. Otherwise, pull the heads and smack the pistons. If its that rusty, youre headed that way anyhow... ws

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/57-58-1957...ash=item2143b89ebf:g:S3MAAOSwIBNbTKVJ&vxp=mtr

    https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...cym4vwICmxAUrRvgrwdVuaUvJZOsW73MaAvNEEALw_wcB

    https://www.handsontools.com/Kent-Moore-J-22582-Engine-Barring-Tool-J22582_p_21530.html

    [​IMG]

    Even if you put a rebuilt starter on it you have a 5 horse power shocker to help free it up. Engage the starter and take a brass bar and hammer to budge the ring gear. Usually once they break free a few turns will loosen them up.

    Those 12-71s in my boat were submerged and hydro-locked with SEA WATER. I had a 3/4" drive breaker bar on the crank bolt with a come along to a beam, A$$ hole tight. Every few days could manage a few clicks on the hoist until she rolled free. New injectors and ran the boat from New Orleans to Chicago, about 2000 miles. ws

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  9. Briz

    Briz Founders Club Member

    Na Bill. Its out of the car I bought for parts to fix up the one I bought out of Canada. In many of the pictures he posted during the body work phase on the 1/4 panels looked questionable to me and when I saw the car in person I knew Id have to replace both. Found a solid car and delivered it to my buddy in Mich where we cut the complete 1/4's and rockers out in one piece inc all the structure underneath. He will drill out every spot weld from the donor and every spot weld from the vert and then re spot weld like factory to attach the panels. He only does one car at a time until its complete.
     
  10. yachtsmanbill

    yachtsmanbill Well-Known Member

    Ah ha! Now I remember that parts car pic on the trailer. Hmm, dummy me. So while yer pal is doing the 1/4s you can pull the nailhead apart for a rebuild. Off comes the heads to shock the pistons with a piece of hardwood and a hammer.
    When I was living in La. around 1985, a gas station owner bought a Model T sedan and the head was off for 30 years. That was a matter of oiling the holes and rocking it loose then dragging it around the block with my suburban. Even re-used the old head gasket I found crumpled up on the rear floor! Those are not a pressurized system. It ran excellent when done! ws
     
  11. hugger

    hugger Well-Known Member

    I tore one apart the exact same way top bolt was behind the Bellhousing lip, took the hot wrench and had cut a window thru the converter. Instead of dicking around for hours with an almost worthless converter that was going for scrap anyway....it had to die. 20min and I was going about my business
     
  12. Briz

    Briz Founders Club Member

    Kinda want to save the SP converter. Hear those are hard to come by and the fluid in the trans was nice and clean. I'd suspect the converter would be good
     
  13. FJM568

    FJM568 Well-Known Member

    Here's my custom wrench that I used on a spare siezed up 455 I have.

    IMG_20180917_094937~2.jpg IMG_20180917_094929~2.jpg

    If your connecting rod nuts are 9/16, I could probably drop it in a small flat rate USPS box to you, and you can just give it back to me in BG next month, if you think it might work for you.
     
  14. yachtsmanbill

    yachtsmanbill Well-Known Member

    How about a 9/16" distributor wrench? Or this one?? ws

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    Last edited: Sep 17, 2018
  15. FJM568

    FJM568 Well-Known Member

    Didn't have dist. wrench handy at the time, but iirc, i dont think it would've worked. wouldn't hurt to try it, though. let me know. Offer still stands. That might work on a nailhead, I don't know. But on the 455' it was tight into the oil pan rails and the main caps. Once all rod caps were off, unbolted mains, and crank just lifted right out. Then it was easy to get the stuck pistons to move.
     
  16. hugger

    hugger Well-Known Member

    Those are the big ones nobody wants them, the ones out of the SP300 is what is somewhat valuable, and by valuable i mean $75 , sp trans aren't very popular anymore
     
  17. Briz

    Briz Founders Club Member

    Thats a great idea. I have a set of dist wrenches and some junk 9/16s I could chop up. When I get around to this I'll give that a shot
     
  18. Premier 350

    Premier 350 Chris (aka Webby)

    That cut down starter motor is genius. I hope I never need one, but what a great idea. Thanks for sharing!
     

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