360 install problem-HELP!

[ctjeepman]

Okay I took the motor out of the J20 and was putting the other one in it-It was impossible to get it in and get the motor mounts to line up. When I went to bolt the flexplate and torque converter together the engine will physically not turn all of the way in fact only enough to get 2 of the 4 bolts in it. What is going on? I am completely stumped as to why this is happening. The engine came froma 79 Cherokee with the th400 tranny and mine has a 727 and I did remove the insert in back of the motor first and I put the flexplate from the 87 on the motor...HELP!

[gsmikie]

will the motor turn 360 when the flexplate is not bolted to the converter ??????

[FSJ Thing]

Ummm...Take the spark plugs out?

[427CometGuy]

This might be way off but...
I rebuilt a Ford 289HP as a teen and when rebolting it to the C4 I could only install two of the four bolts needed. The flexplate had six axcess holes in it for the FOUR mounting bolts and I had the plate turned 45 degrees or so out of time for the correct holes, causing two of the bolt holes to be covered, and the flexplate to hit two other bolts on the converter (now sans axcess holes!).
How I found the prob was after I had the two bolts in, the engine would not turn over by hand all the way, but hit somewhere in the bell housing. It hit because the flexplate was torqued out of shape by the incorrect install.
Good luck in finding your problems! smile.gif

Dave

[ January 12, 2004, 06:15 PM: Message edited by: 427CometGuy ]