'88 GT Convertible - Croatia, Europe

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Hi guys!

So, the parts arrived from Rockauto and CJPony parts... after cleaning the hell out of back engine and AOD, I may have found out oil leak source.... surprise, surprise - back side of valve covers.
TBH You could never really see them without passanger side engine chain support bracket away from #4 exhaust port, and also exhaust manufold and AOD dipstick plus SMOG downpipe away contributed to nice piece of engine visible and accessable to analyze leak source....

I just hope that knocking was from aluminum bellhousing / engine plate and therefore proceed with assembly:
- I changed rear main seal, wasn't leaking much but it was stearing in my face... method I used was a really really thin layer of black RTV on outside perimeter, white grease inside on contact with crank flange... we will see the results
- I don't dare to take out the torque converter (read some scary stories about people not setting them it properly all the way in and destroying a pump), so I just cleaned front of TC and bellhousing, also a pivot and crank hole from rust and... shall I lube it with a bit of red hi-temp gearing/joints lube to avoid rust in future?
- aluminum bellhosing / engine plate from CJ Pony parts arrived but I had some test-fit issues with dowel pins (does not fit due to too wide dowel pin holes distance), so I need to ream the holes a bit to outside and as I read on reviews I am not the only one...
- for a flexplate I got nice ARP 12pt bolts which have thinner head than stock ones, and I hope TC won't touch them anymore as it did the OEM ones...
- I also got some ARP stainless bellhousing bolts, but unfortunately they are only 1.500" long. OEM ones are longer so I am affraid to use them...
- Then I got stuck with new flexplate....

I took Pioneer FRA-214HD heavy duty flexplate due to corrosion protection.

Unfortuntely (and luckily) I made a test-fit of a plate to TC, and the studs are a tad more to outside than holes on brand new flexplate!!
I would roughly say that the flexplate is ~11.45" and TC studs 11.5".
Yes, I turned it several times around and we are talking about the torque converter studs to the flexplate holes.
Just in order to explain how small the difference is: I can get the flexplate on converter with two studs in, third one on the way and fourth has problems... guarantee You that a rubber mallet would get the fourth stud in if I would be crazy enough to hit the plate towards TC, but there is 99% danger or chance of stripping a TC bolt...

Only soltion is using die grinding/reamer to carefully extend all four flexplate holes a little bit (0.5mm or like 0.02") to outside... anybody been there, done it?
Or shall I just use an old faitful 32 year old OEM flexplate... ?

Thnx...
 
A fifty year old flex plate can be used if it is not cracked or bent
They never really go bad per say
The starter gear teeth go away and that is the reason to replace
Seeing as you have bought a new one and the China Bolts are a tad wrong
I would modify (grind) the clearance you need
The factory nuts have a built in washer that should accommodate .050 no problem and still look good
Every China motor mount I get from CheckerPepZone I have to die grind the bolt holes to make it fit
See the same thing with expensive 9" housings and pumpkins that will not even bolt together from Summit Et al.
Grind away
 
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I was about to say the same thing as thief. I also get a little leary when things don't fit. I have had to wallow the holes in a new spacer plate. Never had to do that to a flex plate. Might need to make sure it's the right one before grinding on it. If it is off center at all it can cause a vibration and wear the front pump out.
 
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@manicmechanic007 thnx, I actually did it.
I can see that You also have a similiar problems in US like we have here: You are never sure, included if You buy expensive part from high quality vendor, that at the end You won't receive cheap chinese part.
Things are changing, started with pandemic - bad for our pockets, but good for quality - there is less and less hardware from China.

@General karthief it is not used flexplate, but brand new one from rockauto.com Pioneed FRA214HD as stated above.
@90sickfox You used a bit too harsh term "grinding". It was not like I made brand new holes. I literally took chromatic coating away from hole pointing outward and flexplate slid on TC studs. I used carbide reamer for few seconds, just a slight touch.

So at the end of day I adjusted flexplate holes with reamer, adjusted CJPony spacer plate on dowel holes with same reamer and mounted flexplate.
Blue loctite on 6 ARP bolt threads, grease on head and tighten them with 85 ft/lb in cross-pattern. I lifted AOD in place, pushed on dowel pins hand tighten bellhousing bolts.
BUT then saw that I forgot bellhousing throttle cable bracket and called it a day :)

Checked converter to flexplate play on studs - it is like 1/8 - 3/16"
Turned the engine few times with wrench, no strange noises apart from ones that were present before teardown:
- liquid in TC
- hissing from engine (spark plugs in)
- and squeal (something like turning dry rubber on metal rod) from the back of the engine

To be continued.... bellhousing bolts, exhaust, valve cover leak repair.... I am affraid to crank the engine... knock will mean - rebuild.
 
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+2 on man stamp card.

You are working hard to fix your car. You say fear but I think you are telling us lies. Lol
 
After all you been thru Snovac I am surprised you are afraid of anything
Man card stamped
Don't be so sure... I am painting manifolds, grinding and painting h-pipe, draining and resealing AOD pan just to postpone cranking... :-(

Please see pictures. Lighter one is with flash.
This is HQ Liqui Moly 1200 ATF ~1500 miles old.
I think I made first ATF change EVER (90k miles) last winter. Is this normal sediment from cleaning or I have something wrong internally?
Shall I change or only "coffee filter" ATF?
 

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I'd throw a magnet in the pan to catch any metal trash. Most newer cars have them. Cheap cell phone holders, the ones that magnet to a little disc that sticks on the phone, have 3 or 4 little super magnets. They work well stuck to oil filters, oil pans, or trans pans. They're small but really strong.
 
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I'd throw a magnet in the pan to catch any metal trash. Most newer cars have them. Cheap cell phone holders, the ones that magnet to a little disc that sticks on the phone, have 3 or 4 little super magnets. They work well stuck to oil filters, oil pans, or trans pans. They're small but really strong.
Now really postponing turning the key... I wire brushed and painted h-pipe in silver 1100F HT rattle can, closed AOD pan for second time on this car and I got a nice ATF leak on one of the bolts (rear passanger side) the day after...

I used new WIX rubber gasket (as I also did for the first time).
Also, as when I done it for the first time after few hours, I saw a wet lip between rubber and pan (bottom connection). I saw it this time also.
@90sickfox I teared down one bad corporate disc drive and I am going to throw into the pan one or two pieces of strongest magnets on earth (neodymium magnet) :)

Don't know how You guys seal that, but today I'm gonna pull it down again when I have all apart and due to this wet lip carefully put some ATF resistant RTV I have in garage between pan and rubber gasket....
 

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I get pissed once in a while when I have trouble with the aftermarket rubber trans pan gaskets
Then I get a flat Ford cork gasket
They come flat and they are a bit thicker
2 of the front bolts in an AOD pan go into the trans where fluid can leak out the threads
The rear bolts go into blind holes and the threads should not need to be sealed
Good luck and yes to a magnet
 
When I get passed at a transmission gasket I go straight to red permatex gasket maker and no gasket. The flat rubber gaskets always try to squeeze out of line or don't seal small imperfections. They used to sell cork gaskets with little metal rings in the bolt holes. They worked pretty good with some gasket shellac or permatex high tack ( yellow snot ). That high tack is hell to clean up if you ever have to drop the pan again. I found out the same thing about permatex " right stuff ". I had to destroy the pan to get it off.
 
Goddamn!

Guys I cranked the engine.... and the sound.... knocking.... is exactly the same as I never did the:
***NEW*** O2 sensors, engine and AOD mounts, harmonic balancer, timing chain set, waterpump, fan clutch, lifters, rocker arms, rocker bolts, pushrods, thermostat, injectors, spark plugs, oil pan, oil pump, oil pickup tube, main bearings, rod bearings, exhaust manifold gasket, flexplate, ARP flexplate bolts, bellhousing separator plate, rear main seal....
***CHECKED*** oil pressure (50psi idle), timing, spark plugs, removing spark plug wires etc etc...

Only sucessful testing I have done before chaging main and rod bearings was that KNOCK WAS GONE when I took BOTH #5 and #1 spark plug wires off.

It may tell You something:
Yesterday after short warmup I heard a "loose kind of clattering" when letting the throttle. I have idle knock, push a throttle a bit it does not go away, but when I remove foot from throtle i get kinda rebound clattering sound for short time when engine RPM's are slowing down. Goes away with stabilizing RPM.... camshaft play? piston problems? wrist pin?

Eitherway I am inches away from cherry picker and tearing this MF down... :-(
 
There have been so many things wrong that you have found and fixed. I'm very surprised the flywheel issue was not your noise. This has been one of the most frustrating threads here. It will be a huge relief when your noise is fixed. So much time and money.
 
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@90sickfox Flexplate, it is AOD. When I saw that aluminum plate melted I raised hopes also....but deep down inside I suspected....well... that knock-klackish sound in stethoscope is pretty clear and strongest at oil filter or above at dizzy hold down bolt.
I bet I will find something around or very close to pistons #5 or #1...
 
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Guys, this weekend I was throwing car together due to yearly vehicle inspection (MOT) which I should have done two weeks ago...
Some pictures of front suspension and painted h-pipe attached. I thought that bearings will help so I put some effort in k-member and suspension.... :-(

Eitherway, I did not change anything except tried as a last resort new FRPP spark plug wires and BEHOLD: knock is kind of away or not audible enough.
BUT NOW I have more issues:
- engine shivers like one cylinder is not working and occasionally hicks (miss) with well known metal-to-metal knock sound (irregular every few seconds)
- some whining from AOD after warm
- popping at low rpm (when in R,OD,D,1)

It is late Sunday evening here so I had no time to investigate more into this new situation...
Maybe simply a knocling cylinder died, or I had damn bad spark plug wires all the time....
I will check vacuum, compression etc....
 

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