While looking at my Haynes manual I read the line "mark the flexplate and TC to realign later" or something along those lines. I read that line a few days after splitting the 2.

My question is how important was that step as I have no way now of knowing exactly how it was aligned up. I've never dealt with a TC before so had no idea about marking it.

On the plus side I should be up and running again by tomorrow.

 

With all the vehicles I've taken apart and put together over the years, I've never bothered to mark either the torque converter or flexplate and never had an imbalance problem. I've seen torque converters with weights welded on them for balance, but that balance was made when it was manufactured. In my opinion, don't worry your little head about it. I could see a luxury car having a vibration problem that would cause some fussy rich person to complain, but this is a jeep we're talking about.

The only thing you HAVE to worry about is to make sure the torque converter spins freely after the bellhousing is closed up tight, before you tighten the bolts. The converter fits into the transmission pressure pump and drives it. Some have 2 slots that fit over drive tangs in the pump and some have 2 flats that fit into the pump. Measure the depth from the bellhousing flange to the converter bolt bosses and compare it with the dimension of the flexplate to the back of the block. The depth of the converter should be more than the flexplate dimension by about 1/4" or more. Some GM transmissions have around 3/8". If it's not, rotate the converter back and forth until it drops into place. Otherwise you can damage the pump. Don't tighten any of the flexplate to converter bolts until all of them are started. The nose on the converter is centered in the recess in the end of the crank, but not exactly tight. It's a looser fit than a standard shift pilot bearing. It's also important that you torque the bellhousing bolts so they don't loosen up. Loose bellhousing bolts lead to a cracked flexplate.

Do NOT ever draw the engine and bellhousing together with the bolts until you are sure the converter isn't pinched. If in question, stop at several stages and check the free spinning of the converter.

 

Sounds good to me. I did notice the balance weight on it. And yeah, I doubt you'd notice the imbalance over everything else.

 

Reread my last post. It seems I was editing it for a while. Finished at 3:15!

 

Well I have already tightened the 2 top and 2 main bolts together but have not checked the free movement of the TC. I shall hope all is well tomorrow now.