[sdteb]

im helping a friend put this motor back in, how do i access the converter to flywheel bolts to install them? or do we poke the motor in with the converter already bolted to the flywheel etc,

 

[sdteb]

never worked on a wj, seems impossible to get to the converter bolts with converter already seated on tranny, he pulled the motor with coverter installed , i worry about seating the converter with it bolted to the engine

 

[xcaliber81]

Gotta remove the plate that's attached to the engine and transmission on the bottom which requires removing the exhaust y pipe then you can access the I believe it's called a flex plate and torque converter bolts. Gotta spin the engine from the front on the harmonic balancer, helps to have a friend for that part.

 

[tsetsaf]

What xcalaiber said. You then need to manually crank or "bump" the motor to access the holes. When I installed I had plugs out to make it easier to hand crank.

 

[Ntrenn]

NEVER NEVER try to pilot an engine to a trans with the converter bolted to the engine. You will almost certainly crush the pump drive gear and you’re then pulling the trans. The dust cover is usually relatively easy to get off Just a lot of fingertip work to get the bolts started. Run each bolt down to almost touching and then go to the next one. Once you have all 4 in, then go around again and torque them.