how hard to change flexplate 500 miles from home

SOOOOO much easier to just separate the case from the trans. If you are any bit of a man you can manhandle the case out from under the truck. The transmission is much easier to deal with by itself. You should be able to either pull the tranny all together or slide back far enough to reach a ratchet wrench up and pull the 8 bolts out for the flex plate. Make sure you have a good set of wobble end sockets, and I have 3ft 3/8th extension to get the top bellhousing bolts and converter bolts out from in front of the truck. A second set of hands also makes pulling a trans 10x easier.
 
I want to say that its only 6 nuts and itll take maybe another 10min and will make life a lot EASIER!!
 
Thanks Z for fanning the air so my brain fart would clear. Duh, ordered the tranny jack. Should show up when converter and flex plate arrive. Now to get a few odds and ends before the fun starts.
 
Triple disc from DPC and flexplate from FirePunk. His reman fits my budget and still has warranty. Plus he was super helpful and read good things about him.
 
You will have to drop trans down a couple inches and lift front of engine a bit. I tried moving mine back to yank converter without dropping trans but it would not give me enough room to get the converter off the input. With the trans slid back Im pretty sure theres enough room to pull the flex plate and put a torque wrench on the bolts for the new one.

Why dont you get a $15.00 fiber optic camera for a lap top and see if you can see any damage to your flex plate through the inspection plate or the hole to loosen converter bolts?
 
I did find a nearby concrete slab dangerous. It's right in front of the man camp restaurant so I'll have to be extra clean. Bought extra rags, baggies and rubberbands to go over the cooler lines, and oil absorbant mats. Have a tranny jack, converter, and flexplate on the way. Bought ratchet straps I can cut to length to hold stuff on the jack, bought another metric socket set sice I seem to have left a couple in my other truck. Bought two magnetic led work lights and extra batteries.

The one thing I need to know, is how much ATF+4 I will need? I bought 8 qts to refill the tcase and whatever the trans will need after putting the new conv in.

Also, do I just put the conv in or does it need filled or? My first auto project still, been a 5spd guy.
 
You don't have to fill the TQ it will only hold one or two quarts anyway and spill out when you install it! 12 quarts minimum! Buy 15 and crank it over after putting 6-8 quarts in or it will run out the breather! "BIG MESS" Wobble sockets are awesome! Short extension, really long extension, couple air impacts guns 3/8 and 1/2" an air rachet and a small air compressor! Run a cord to the restaurant!! Got carried away didn't I! Send me a plane ticket and I'll help been wanting to look at ND anyway! LOL
 
I always put a quart in the torque converter before installing, should not spill much if any. How much fluid your going to need is going to depend on....dropping the pan to service and then swapping torque converter also should be 10 or 11 quarts for the trans.

If you dont take the pan off to drain it more than likely when you slide it back the dipstick will comeout and drain quickly.
 
I have always put 1/2-1 qrt in the convertor. figured nothing likes to start up dry. I would put half in then stand up on end and roll it around a little then add little more and so on.
 
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Crap nuggets. Didn't realize it would all spill out the dipstick. Need to put the tranny on suction so the oil won't "fall out" lmao. Forgot to buy a trans funnel:doh:

If I drain and remove the tcase, will that give me room to slide the trans back with dipstick attached?

It's almost starting to sound easier to drain everything, take everything all the way out and put it all back.

Give me a rundown of how to fill an empty trans and converter. I got the add some to the conv and roll it around part, and to crank the engine after 6-8 qts, but now, crank it how long? Feed me more details so I don't have a red lake and look like a dumba$$ cause it's my first time trying to figure this out.

Thanks a bunch guys.
 
as long as you keep the tcase level it wont spill. if it tips backwards it gets a little messy haha
i fill the convertor like stated above, then when its all together from a dry fill i put 7 quarts in fire it up check it then keep checking and adding. also remeber that you go off the lowest fluid level on the stick :hehe: Then when its full go through all the gears hold it 15-20 then recheck. Finally go for a short drive and then check again.
 
Hold it 15-20 sec in each gear as I go through the gears right?

At least I'll have a couple things figured out so in a couple months when I can do a pan and valve body , it won't be so new and awkward. I'll have it down like clutches and 5th gears in my 12v's
 
I assumed you would drain the tranny If the fluid is new or really clean drain it into a clean container then you can reuse IF there is no metal shine to it! thats if you cant find new available sometimes they are sold out!
 
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