I've been helping a friend of mine with his 95 Grand Cherokee Limited, with 4.0 liter engine. The transmission (42re) went south, so we are replacing it with another 42re. Got the trans in, and bolted up. So I started to bolt the torque converter to the flex plate, and to my surprise, the 4th bolt would not go in. I'm sure there is only one way for it to bolt up, just like the flexplate, so I started by putting a mark on the flexplate, and one on the torque converter, (thru the big hole on the flexplate). When that arrangement didn't work, I removed the bolts, and turned the converter to the next bolt hole, and tried to install the bolts. I tried all 4 possible positions, and none worked. Always, 1 hole is off. I not only tried once, but 4 times.
I'm hoping the torque converter that came with the trans, is the right one.
Is it possible that there are more than one flexplate with different bolt patterns? My friend called Oriellys auto parts, and they told him there were 2 different flexplates. It's hard to believe that, but may be possible.
Is there something I'm not doing right, or can someone steer me to a happy ending. We are pulling the trans back out now, but am not sure what to look at. We have the old torque converter to check against the one that came with the donor trans.
Any insight on what may be wrong, would be greatly appreciated.

 

Compare original torque converter with new one. You could use the old torque converter, if it is indeed diff.

 

Do not use the old torque converter! It is probably full of trash from the failed transmission.

 

I strongly second what Busted said! Don't use a torque convertor from a trans that died. It's bound to be full of chunks of clutch debris and aluminum flakes from the old tranny, maybe even steel filings from the clutch plates.

I have a horror story about a GM 700R4 if you care to hear it.

 

We took the flywheel, the original torque converter, and the one that came with the trans, to a reputable transmission shop.
The guy took one look at the faulty converter, and said right out, that it was the wrong one for the jeep. How the wrong one got in with the transmission, who knows.
So we ordered the correct new torque converter, and it will be in, in a couple days.
Glad I wasn't doing something wrong. Just recieved the wrong part.
Should have it back in and going in a couple days.
Thanks for the answers and advice. I wouldn't want to put some other used torque converter in a different trans. either.