Hi guys...got a question for you.
Is it possible to remove a flywheel from an installed engine without removing or unbolting the transmission from the engine? Will the torque converter slide back far enough to unbolt the flywheel?
My buddy and I installed a 350 in his 67 and he bolted the flywheel to the crank bakcwards. There isnt a clearance problem, but every so often the starter gear doesnt fully engange the flywheel. When it does engage, it only catches about 1/4 of the width of the flywheel.
If it helps, the tranny is a 2spd PG. After a long drawn out intall of this engine, I just want to get it done.
Also..Im assuming it would be bad to leave it the way it is?
Thank you in advance.

You need to fix it. With the flywheel on backwards the converter won't fully engage the front pump of the transmission and you will burn it up. Do not drive it until this is fixed.

You will need to separate the trans from the engine. I replaced a flywheel without dropping the trans. Leave the trans bolted to the cross member and unbolt the cross member from the frame. With the trans on a jack you can slide the trans back far enough to use a box wrench to get to the bolts on the flex plate. By doing it this way you won't be able to use a torque wrench.

you can unbolt the trans and slide it back, you dont have to remove it!!

Lovley...Ok..so i gotta unbolt the tranny from the block...do i have to pull the drive shaft? Does the trans lines need to be un done? What about the shifter linkage?
Its stupid mistakes like this that drive me bonkers!
Thanks for the advise!

Lovley...Ok..so i gotta unbolt the tranny from the block...do i have to pull the drive shaft? Does the trans lines need to be un done? What about the shifter linkage?
Its stupid mistakes like this that drive me bonkers!
Thanks for the advise!YES,YES,AND YES!!! WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES AND IM SURE A LOT OF US GUYS HAVE DONE THAT SO DONT FEEL BAD!! YOU CAUGHT IT, SO YOUR GOOD!!:thumbsup:

unless you have access to a lift... it will be much easier to remove the engine/trans assy as a whole in my opinion.... fix the issue, and put it back together correctly. fighting with a trans bolted to the crossmember is just asking for trouble... not to mention trying to get a wrench up in there.

the wrench will undoubtedly slip and youll bang your hands all up...

and without being able to get a torque wrench up there, you will never get them tight enogh with a wrench. (that is if you can get them off)

good luck

Aaron

Dont pull the engine and trans as one you dont have to, just unbolt the trans and slide back or remove ...pulling the motor is useless waste of time!!!

Yes!....Everything related to the tranny will have to either be disconnected or unbolted, this includes the tranny cooling lines, the shifter, the kickdown cable, the speedometer cable, the oil fill tube, the crossmember, the driveshaft, and so on!

Replaced a flexplate years ago without removing the trans. It can be done. You don't have to remove the driveshaft complete, just remove it from the rear end and leave the input shaft end in the trans to retain the fluid. You can remove the lower most trans to block bolts and install longer ones, then completely remove the others and the trans can be slid back and allowed to rest on the two long bolts you installed. I remember using a small jack with a block of wood on the oil pan to allow me to move the engine up and down at the firewall a little and provide some support for the rear of the engine.

It can be done, but stay safe doing it!

you don't have to remove the trans- just take out all the bellhousing bolts, and replace the bottom two bolts with a parit of old long starter bolts. put a jack under the oil pan of the engine and the floor jack under the trans pan (with the wheels pointed in the direction of the driveshaft), and slide the trans back- you might need to tilt the engine and trans down a bit in the back to clear the transmission tunnel.. you will get about 3" of room, and when you are done, you won't have to fight anything to get it to line up- just jam the trans forward and put the proper bellhousing bolts back in and hook every thing up.
i swapped out the broken flexplate in my 92 Caprice all by myself in about an hour this way.

you don't have to remove the trans- just take out all the bellhousing bolts, and replace the bottom two bolts with a parit of old long starter bolts. put a jack under the oil pan of the engine and the floor jack under the trans pan (with the wheels pointed in the direction of the driveshaft), and slide the trans back- you might need to tilt the engine and trans down a bit in the back to clear the transmission tunnel.. you will get about 3" of room, and when you are done, you won't have to fight anything to get it to line up- just jam the trans forward and put the proper bellhousing bolts back in and hook every thing up.
i swapped out the broken flexplate in my 92 Caprice all by myself in about an hour this way.
Thats a great idea about the long starter bolts...im gonna use that one. thank you.

just don't use starter bolts that you actually need to use for anything- it's easy to bend them and a bent starter bolt will have you chasing a grinding starter that you can't fix no matter what you try.