1998 3.0 Ranger - Torque converter won’t fully seat

[Fpoon]

Hi there,

I have a 1998 Ranger 3.0 with the 4r44e.

I am currently in the process of replacing my transmission that had grenade’d with a used one I bought with ~90k miles on it, came with the torque converter.

The primary issue is the torque converter absolutely will not achieve the third clunk. To specify, I am able to have it clunk in twice consistently by turning the torque converter clock and counterclockwise and applying pressure.

The torque converter simply won’t seat fully into the final position which I believe to be the pump (the portion that the part of the TC with opposite flat sides sets into).

It feels like it doesn’t want to even attempt to seat, and this was after an upwards of 30 minutes tediously rotating it at a variety of intervals both clock and counterclockwise while applying varying levels of pressure and shoves.

Additionally I know it isn’t fully seated as the point on the TC extends past the edge of the bellhousing not allowing a straight edge to glide without hitting it.

Any suggestions?

 

[Fpoon]

Edit: To specify I have the 4r44e with 4x4 if that helps

 

[RonD]

Welcome to TRS

There may only be 2 thunks but torque converter should be fully inside bell housing

Input shaft alignment(can feel like 2 thunks) and pump alignment are the 2 thunks, or slide ins

Never ran into this before, is there a history on the used transmission, i.e. some one tried to install it before and did not align it so broke the pump when tightening it up
That's the only thing I can think of

Input shaft did have 3 different lengths, and can be install backwards
End of input shaft should stick out 1", no more no less, when fully inserted
Pictures here: https://www.sonnax.com/tech_resources/12-4r-5r55e-engine-stall-on-engagement-after-rebuild

Longshot but not a no shot, lol

 

[Fpoon]

Welcome to TRS

There may only be 2 thunks but torque converter should be fully inside bell housing

Input shaft alignment(can feel like 2 thunks) and pump alignment are the 2 thunks, or slide ins

Never ran into this before, is there a history on the used transmission, i.e. some one tried to install it before and did not align it so broke the pump when tightening it up
That's the only thing I can think of

Input shaft did have 3 different lengths, and can be install backwards
End of input shaft should stick out 1", no more no less, when fully inserted
Pictures here: https://www.sonnax.com/tech_resources/12-4r-5r55e-engine-stall-on-engagement-after-rebuild

Longshot but not a no shot, lol

Well there definitely appears to be a discrepancy there, mine appears to be extended out. I’ve read it can be retracted fully by being pulled first then pushed back in possibly? Regardless I’ve attached a photo of the input shaft.

 

[Fpoon]

If anyone has any knowledge on how to retract this or if it’s wrong please let me know, in a bit of a bind trying to figure this out.

 

[Uncle Gump]

two thunks...

I'm no transmission expert... but the input shaft doesn't appear to be in all the way.

 

[RonD]

Yes, that IS the problem

Pull it out and reverse it and see if it will go in farther

There is no retainer clip or anything that holds the input shaft in place, it just pulls out

If it's stuck put a pair of vise grips on the splines CAREFULLY and then tap it out, it will come out

 

[Fpoon]

two thunks...

I'm no transmission expert... but the input shaft doesn't appear to be in all the way.

I’m suspecting that’s the culprit. I colored the flat sections of the bottom of my torque converter with marker to see if it would show marks indicating it’s being seated, after several attempts not a single mark indicating it’s bottoming out on the input shaft before it can seat fully.

Im not sure what I need to do or steps to go through to push in the input shaft to its correct position.
The weird thing is comparing this to my old transmission that I pulled out they are at the same position, and I noticed I cannot get my torque converter seated back on the original either.

Definitely at a loss at this point and I don’t want to just start hammering things or pulling stuff until I know so I don’t damage anything internally.

 

[Fpoon]

Yes, that IS the problem

Pull it out and reverse it and see if it will go in farther

There is no retainer clip or anything that holds the input shaft in place, it just pulls out

If it stuck put a pair of vise grips on the splines CAREFULLY and then tap it out, it will come out

Just saw this,

When I attempted to pull it out, I put blue masking tape over the input shaft end and then vice gripped it, however no matter how much I turn it or how hard I pull or jerk it wont come out. Do I need to put it in a specific gear or mess with anything on the rear of the tranny?

 

[Uncle Gump]

Yeah.... don't hammer anything.

Are you sure you have the right converter?

 

[Fpoon]

Yeah.... don't hammer anything.

Are you sure you have the right converter?

I’m almost positive. I went as far as draining and flushing my old one and attempting to seat it as well. Same result.

 

[RonD]

No, no need to turn it, just HIT vise grips with a hammer and it will come out, need sharp hits to get it moving, pulling won't work

The rear of shaft is just seated in OD planetary gear and could be dried out and stuck, quite a bit of surface area with spline connections, which is the point of using spline connections, lol

It has to come out regardless, because transmission can not work the way it is

The end of the shaft with the shorter splines go into the transmission, when you get it out

If you bought it from a wrecking then take it back, and let them deal with it

 

[Fpoon]

Okay so she came out finally after the vice grip hammer method, was careful not to damage the splines. Below are pictures of the input shaft. The side with 1 inch of spline was the end on the outside of the tranny and the 7/8 side was on the inside of the tranny.

 

[pjtoledo]

the short splines go into the tranny, so it was installed correctly, if not completely.

 

[Fpoon]

Okay I have re-insterted in the same orientation that I pulled it out, fully bottomed out this is what I’m seeing.