How to seperate 440 from 727 tranny? Pulling Motor please give input.

[Fast_68_440]

So I have decided to pull my motor out on my 68 to replace the freeze plugs as the one behind the motor mount has gone bad.  I have a 440 with a 727 torqueflite tranny.  What is involved in seperating the motor from the transmission?  I have been reading the service manual and don't really understand what it is talking about, so if anybody could explain how to seperate the motor from the tranny I would really appreciate it.  I have already removed the front grill, bumper, radiator, cooling fans, pulleys and accessories, engine wiring harness and ignition system.  What else should I be aware of?  I have a engine stand and hoist ready to use.

Thanks

[Nacho-RT74]

just need to unbolt starter motor, flywheel from converter and then the engine tranny itself. OH! and the overdirve linkage

beside of course all body to engine related

[Fast_68_440]

flywheel from converter

Do you have a picture of what that connection looks like/where the bolts are?

[kcederwall08]

There should be 4 bolts that bolt the flex plate to the torque converter/flywheel. Make sure that when you pull them apart, you make a mark on the torque converter and the flex plate, because there is a one bolt offset, so you will end up getting three bolts in when putting it back together, and having one hole not line up. To get at the bolts you have to pull off the testplate(think thats what its called), which is the small piece of metal that covers the section of the transmission that sticks down bellow the engine. This is the way I did it on my 383, so im assuming its the same way, I may be wrong.

[1969chargerrtse]

Welcome to the site.  Nothing to be worried about.  As written, go underneath and remove that small cover, take out the 4 bolts, the starter, and just look and feel around the trani housing for the motor to trani bolts that hold the two together.  Any wires, and drop the lingage.  Seems like you got it all correct.  Basic common sense of anything connected to something thats about to be moved needs to be disconnected.  I did mine first time by myself and the only problem I had was I didn't remove the starter at first.    You didn't need to pull the grille though.  Pretty much the fan is what sticks out and has to go.  I put mine back in with the fan on and that was not smart.

[Dodge Don]

Not hard at all. Good info above.

Cannot stress enough when you remove the half moon cover plate to get at the converter to flex plate bolts be sure to mark each one ( I used 4 colours of paint on the converter and flexplate...one colour at each hole/bolt) so you can line it up correctly when installing......save you a ton of angst because yes they are lined up in a unique manner.

You can buy a tranny cradle/remover that attaches to a floor jack to lower the tranny from under the car......I did that and it worked great.

Be preapred for tranny fluid to pour out.....

[Fast_68_440]

Thanks for all the good info, this is making me understand it a lot better than that service manual explains it.  It doesn't sound as bad as I thought it would be.  I was looking and I am actually missing that half moon cover that goes under the starter so I can see right into my transmission, does anybody reproduce that cover or will this have to be a swap meet find?  I'll keep you posted on my progress with the build.

[Charger74]

Yes, you can either find them at swap meets, junk yards, sometimes transmission shops and there are a few tranny places online that sell orginal style and some custom ones.    And I bleieve it's called either a inspection plate or dust/rock cover.

[Nacho-RT74]

just a question... why worry about the position of flexplate with converter ? if there is only one way because the offset bolt, then is imposible to fit incorrect no matter what you do

Thanks for all the good info, this is making me understand it a lot better than that service manual explains it.  It doesn't sound as bad as I thought it would be.  I was looking and I am actually missing that half moon cover that goes under the starter so I can see right into my transmission, does anybody reproduce that cover or will this have to be a swap meet find?  I'll keep you posted on my progress with the build.

BIG/BLOCK 727 TRANS DUST COVER
RCE15920 $25.35 - BOLTS RFJ23092 $2.69 EACH (4 NEEDED)

http://www.buymopar.com/store/trans.html

[Dodge Don]

just a question... why worry about the position of flexplate with converter ? if there is only one way because the offset bolt, then is imposible to fit incorrect no matter what you do

That is the mistake.....try it and you will find out quickly why not marking them results in a major pain in the rear. You can only see / access one bolt at a time and have to turn the engine to get to the next bolt....only 4 bolts but way more than 4 possible wrong combinations and only 1 right combo.

[kcederwall08]

As he said above, you can only get one bolt in at a time, and you probably wont find out that its not lined up until the last bolt. Trust me on this one, I learned it the hard way. Also Don't forget to pull out the dipstick tube if your removing the transmission all together.

[Fast_68_440]

So I am working on it now, and I have the flex plate unbolted at all four sports from the flywheel, I removed he six bolts that hold the engine to tranny, the starter is out, I have the engine supported by my hoist with the motor mounts removed, but the engine will not seperate from the transmission?  What am I missing?   

[Nacho-RT74]

That is the mistake.....try it and you will find out quickly why not marking them results in a major pain in the rear. You can only see / access one bolt at a time and have to turn the engine to get to the next bolt....only 4 bolts but way more than 4 possible wrong combinations and only 1 right combo.

wow, BIG mistake!!!... LOL

Buddy, just have to spin the converter 1/4 of turn each time and thats not hard, you can make it by hand

[Winged 1]

Need to slide motor forward or tranny back about 1 or 2 inches. Then it will come apart. Be sure to drop the motor back down into place before trying to separate. Small bar or large flat screw driver should do the trick. Don't get carried away, just drop motor or pick it up, shake it, and sooner or later they will come apart.
Eric

[Nacho-RT74]

So I am working on it now, and I have the flex plate unbolted at all four sports from the flywheel, I removed he six bolts that hold the engine to tranny, the starter is out, I have the engine supported by my hoist with the motor mounts removed, but the engine will not seperate from the transmission?  What am I missing?   

tranny linkage ?

Tranny/block guide studs ? use a pry bar ( or simply a scredriver LOL ) to separate them

need to keep tranny supported on a jackstand or bottle jack

[Fast_68_440]

Thanks guys, got them seperated!   Nothing a little persuader couldn't help with!  Now onto the engine stand and time to build!

[Dodge Don]

That is the mistake.....try it and you will find out quickly why not marking them results in a major pain in the rear. You can only see / access one bolt at a time and have to turn the engine to get to the next bolt....only 4 bolts but way more than 4 possible wrong combinations and only 1 right combo.

wow, BIG mistake!!!... LOL

Buddy, just have to spin the converter 1/4 of turn each time and thats not hard, you can make it by hand

I am aware of turning it thank you 

[Nacho-RT74]

... come on is not that hard Don

I mean, mark the flexplate and converter is great! but nothing happens if you don't do it