How do I know when I have my convertor fully seated on the tranny?

Well, when I did mine, I put the convertor on the tranny till it didn't go any further. Someone told me when it's installed you don't want it totally seated against the tranny. I think if I remember they said to have about 1/16 to 1/8 inch movement once the tranny is bolted to block. That is movement of the convertor on the tranny shaft. For me it was about two washers on each bolt, acting as spacers. I have had no problems so I guess it works. i am also running a th400 and a Frank Lupo convertor.

One way to check is when you turn the coverter you should hear a click when the pump turns...so if you turn counter clockwise and clockwise real fast like shaking it back and forth, you will hear a click, click, click....It should of seated 3 times from what i recall the third is the last one. Anyone else want to fill in?
Ed

I only got 2 seats when installing the convertor. The problem I'm having is the trans housing will not completely tighten flush to the rear of the block. If I tighten one side, the other wants to spring away from the back of the block.......so I looked at the convertor shaft and noticed about a 1/4 inch of shiny area that looks like it should be in the tranny seal but I can't get the covertor any deeper no matter how many tries.......next, I have an xtra t350 and convertor laying in the garage so I tried to see how deep I could get that covertor....came out the same....no matter how many tries it won't seat any deaper, but yet when I look at the convertor shaft, it has about a 1/4 inch shinny area that looks like the covertor origianlly seated deeper....help....I actually shot off some F bombs in front of my 14 year old son/helper.

well the other thing I did, mine was on the garage floor, and I always had manual trannies, so I was concerned about the convertor not being seated properly too, because I was told it will burn up because the pumps not turning. Well back too the story. My convertor went on, but I was not sure it was actually on. So I would pull the convertor out a little and push it back in, well eventually it went in further. Then I knew I had it on correctly.

Three distinct clicks before it is on completely. You are not there yet. Sometimes the last one can be a bear. Keep trying.

My Precision Industries Vigilante converters(2) always take a slight persuasion from a rubber hammer to fully seat. While slowly turning the converter, I gently tap the outer-most edge of the converter.

BTW, Precision says this is normal because of
their tight machine tolerances. I had a friend send his Vigilante back because he couldn't get it to fully seat and this is what they told him.


Emil Dusek
71 Chevelle SS-502
Vigi 3600 NA
Vigi 3200 N2O

Actually I am not a believer in having to tap a converter in with a rubber mallet. For a couple reasons. First, if it is an oversized neck you have just shaved off some of the bushing in the front pump and damaged it plus put metal into the pump area. Secondly, if it is tight on the stator support splines, then it may bind and not be able to have fore-and-aft movement that it must have. A converter should easily fall in place once it drops into the pump gear and input shaft. Anyone who tells you otherwise is wrong. And you need to have 1/8"-3/16" clearance before the converter is tightened up to the flexplate. Any less and you run the risk of pushing the pump drive gear into the stator half of the pump and eating it up; any less you will damage the tangs of the drive gear with the converter not fully engaged in it. Always check converter clearance! And, make sure the pilot is engaged in the crankshaft too.