roadwarrior3

I have a 1986 Wagoneer Limited 4WD with a 2.8 Chevrolet v6 and a Chrysler 904 automatic with locking converter. My transmission guy who is in the process of a rebuild says that the car needs a metal plate between the transmission and the rear of the block, but this doesn't exist in any parts books. I have a part number J3237847 but this evidently fits the 4 cylinder jeep engine? Not the V6 Chevrolet that I have. Does anyone know if this part even exists or if I even need one. Thanks.

4.3L XJ

I had that set up in an 85. There is no spacer in it.

roadwarrior3

4.3L, thanks for the response. Les the transmission guy is a good friend of mine and has my Jeep now by the way and he says without this spacer which doesnt exist, the torque converter touches the flywheel. Les is an old school drag racer and evidently this "6" cylinder transmission is the trans of choice because of it's weight, it's a lot lighter than the 727 so he has rebuilt literally 100s of these things and very sucessfully I might add. His blood is pure MOPAR. Problem is my car is a XJ Jeep and it don't drag it, it climbs!! well kinda with that puny 2.8. Do you or any other members have any ideas as to what is wrong? how could an 1/8 inch spacer make a difference? seems like the converter should move a 1/2 inch or so it could be bolted to the flywheel not crush the front pump when the bolts are tightened up ? I am a major motor head but automatics aren't my thing so me arguing with Les is not gonna be enjoyable!! I will post pictures when I get my Jeep up and running, it's really sweet, wood grain and all !!

mike37

what happened to the old spacer
if it did not have it then its not needed

4.3L XJ

Well like I said, I had one and it did not use it.

roadwarrior3

Mike37 did you buy your Jeep new? Well I didn't so there is no telling what was done to this XJ before I became the proud owner. Just because the spacer wasn't there when I pulled the tranny doesn't mean it wasnt there from the factory. 4.3L, I wasn't questioning your answer, although you are evidently a man of few words, I was trying to get a response from someone else to back-up your answer, mabye something a little more technical.

4.3L XJ

I was not the original owner of the 85 I had. Unfortunately it rolled, but it was tough. Sorry about the few words. Must be a product of my graduate education. You have to pare everything down to as few words as possible and still say more. I personally have never heard of this spacer. I did take my tranny out and replace it with another and was not happy with the JY tranny so I converted it to a 4 speed. I did not have the spacer, nor did the JY tranny. I had no issues with the torque converter on either tranny. It went in smooth and the torque converters worked on both. So based on that, I think they are unnecessary.

roadwarrior3

transmission woes update, NO spacer was required but the reason the old retired transmission guy, Les, thought we needed one was because he was using the WRONG torque converter. I was looking thru pictures I had taken of the disassembly, helps when you are over fifty yeard old by the way, and noticed "made in germany" stamped on the original converter. problem solved.