Cherokee40

Can someone tell me how to get to the torque converter bolts in a 1992 xj. I am trying to pull the engine without having to pull the tranny. I read through the Chiltons I wasted $24 on and all it says is to remove the flywheel/converter housing access cover but I am not seeing any kind of "cover". Help!

grsmnky1

It's the thin piece of metal that is held on by I believe 4 huge bolts on the bottom front of the transmission. It almost looks like a crooked smile. I say that because the top 2 transmission belhousing external torx bolts forced me to remove the entire drive train to replace my motor. So when I look at it now I consider it almost laughing at me.

Cherokee40

Ahhh....so if I am imagining this correctly, you have to remove all the bolts between the bell housing, and the block, the slide this plate that is sandwiched between the bell housing and the block to gain access to the torque converter bolts?

Cherokee40

Cool....thanks for the help. Got the access plate off....now just gotta get the bolts broke loose. Any advice on this? The Chiltons says to mark the bolts....HTH you supposed to do that?

grsmnky1

I rest the head of the ratchet against where the block and tranny meet and let that stop the converter from turning. Hard to explain, I'm not all that good at being descriptive.

grsmnky1

Number the bolts with a shrpie then number the flexblate near the corresponding bolt

grsmnky1

I didn't do that though I don't see how you can quarantee to put it back in the correct converter hole. I couldn't even see mine at that point

wjnfirearms

When my friend and I did the engine swap in the '97 (he's a very experienced truck mechanic), we didn't mark any converter bolts and had no issues after. We did have to move the transmission slightly backward to aid in removal of the old motor. There's enough slip in the drive shaft yoke to make this possible without removing the shaft. I'm only talking an inch. This isn't necessary, though.

This is the correct procedure to remove the engine off of the tranny. You just go through the inspection plate as stated already. It's not the easiest thing to do. You'll need a very long socket extension and a wobble adapter. We ended up doing this from underneath the car.

Cherokee40

I was actually able to reach it from the front. I have the exhaust and intake puuled, so I had very easy access to the bolts. I just used a long extension and a wobble, and my 3/8 butterfly impact. As far as marking them, I did mark them but I agree, how is one to know if they are going back in the same holes in the torque converter. I have an engine hoist enroute even as I type, going to pull this bad boy as soon as it cools off a bit this evening here in North Texas....105 is not the best temperature to try to get the top 2 reverse torx bolts out me thinks!

grsmnky1

They got my blood pressure up that's for sure. I succesfully put a different motor in ky 87 Cherokee without removing the tranny, as previously posted loosen tranny and slide back slightly, but my 93 had one siezed where the wiring harness bolts to the tranny, so I had to yank it all. It takes a couple feet of extensions to reach those torx. Or while the motor is hooked to hoist remove motor mounts and tranny mount and slide slightly forward with the motor then just take them out with a socket and ratchet.