2.9L & 3.0L V6 Tech General discussion of 2.9L and 3.0L V6 Ford Ranger engines.

Issue with mating transmission to motor

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Old Feb 29, 2024
  #26  
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From: McLoud
Originally Posted by Jhammer
I agree with that assumption as well, I think I did the same thing when I installed the TC and bent the Flywheel. I was so concerned about lining up the motor mounts that I didn't align the studs and holes and had a pickle of time getting them lined up and bolted together. I'm a Ford guy through and through and I have grown a great hatred for engineers through this ordeal, the fact that the sun, moon, and stars have to be perfectly aligned to get these parts to mate perfectly is purely idiotic. I hate that Ford and Chevy both hate each other so much that they have to do the opposite of each other to not copy each other, last time I checked a good idea is a good idea, and maybe some commonality between the brands would be a great idea Chevy has it right with the bolts not studs for the flywheel and Im not ashamed to say it as a Ford guy.
On the idea of the flywheel being bent, I figured I would share my solution for determining the amount of bend with you maybe it might help you as well. I'm going to remove the flywheel and take it into my bench vise, I'm going to use some all thread as an axel and put a nut on all thread and put that nut under the flywheel so the flywheel will sit flush on the nut. I am going to put a washer and another nut on the all thread on top of the flywheel and tighten it down to remove almost all play in the flywheel from up and down movement at the edge where the gear teeth are. Then using my dial gauge and magnetic stand I will rotate the flywheel and check the variation. I guess you could do the same thing with the flywheel still attached to the motor and use the magnetic stand on the back of the motor on a flat surface. The sound I'm getting is not there throughout the full rotation of the motor. It seems to be at a certain degree in rotation which gives the sound a kind of cadence. That's why your assumption on a bent flywheel makes a lot of sense.
The only other thing that comes to mind that terrifies me that could be a possibility is crankshaft end play. I have a suspicion that the thrust bearing was not installed correctly and therefore there is a lateral movement of the crankshaft in rotation. When I installed all of my main bearings though including the thrust bearing I took a crankshaft end play measurement and it came out in spec. So I could be over thinking that issue however until I have confirmed the source for of the issue all possibilities are on the table.
Bit of an update for ya. I pulled the trans to find the flexplate definitely bent. So that's where my nose was coming from. Can see where it was rubbing the lips on the oil pan. I'll post a pic of mine it bent in 2 place it looks like.

 
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Old Mar 1, 2024
  #27  
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From: Winter Haven
So my question is I could see my flywheel being bent because I didn't seat the TC correctly because the input shaft was not installed all the way. But you did it right and seated the TC correctly so how did the flywheel get bent?
 
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Old Mar 1, 2024
  #28  
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From: McLoud
Originally Posted by Jhammer
So my question is I could see my flywheel being bent because I didn't seat the TC correctly because the input shaft was not installed all the way. But you did it right and seated the TC correctly so how did the flywheel get bent?
even if it is seated all the way if the studs on the tc aren't lined up it will still get in a bind and bend if you bolt the trans to the block. I can see where the 4 studs hit the trans side and in that pic you can see where the lips on the oil pan made those two bends on the block side. If the studs in tc aren't lined up with holes in flexplate when mated to block it will bend the flexplate.
 
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Old Mar 1, 2024
  #29  
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Got it, so during reinstalling this time I will have to clock the studs and the flywheel at the same position to ensure that there's no miss alignment. I really with the first time ai did this that I just left the TC in the trans and didn't remove it with the motor. Trying to mate the trans and motor and stab it perfectly with the motor mount studs I the way was a nightmare.
 
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Old Mar 1, 2024
  #30  
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From: McLoud
Originally Posted by Jhammer
Got it, so during reinstalling this time I will have to clock the studs and the flywheel at the same position to ensure that there's no miss alignment. I really with the first time ai did this that I just left the TC in the trans and didn't remove it with the motor. Trying to mate the trans and motor and stab it perfectly with the motor mount studs I the way was a nightmare.
That's the way I did it when I bent the flexplate I know it was a pain for me too. On the bright side local parts store had a flexplate in stock. Was a $70 whoopsie not counting the time ive spent pulling trans out. Live and learn I guess.
 
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Old Mar 1, 2024
  #31  
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I found one as well, I figured even if mine is fine (which it isn't) I don't want to wait to findout so I just bought one. I'm going to drop the trans this weekend last week I was fighting the y pipe and collector. I just said screw it and cut the bolts they were all rusted out anyways. By the way, did you use a trans jack? I picked up a scissor style one from Harbor Freight hoping it will work sense I had to put the truck on stands to get under it because Im a fat ***.
 
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Old Mar 1, 2024
  #32  
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From: McLoud
Originally Posted by Jhammer
I found one as well, I figured even if mine is fine (which it isn't) I don't want to wait to findout so I just bought one. I'm going to drop the trans this weekend last week I was fighting the y pipe and collector. I just said screw it and cut the bolts they were all rusted out anyways. By the way, did you use a trans jack? I picked up a scissor style one from Harbor Freight hoping it will work sense I had to put the truck on stands to get under it because Im a fat ***.
No, i used my floor jack and a 2x6 as a base for the pan. How I've always done it at home anyhow. It was such a tight squeeze between the firewall and that weird crossmember under the bellhousing if the trans wouldn't have been able to tilt at an angle it wouldn't have came out. It's gonna be fun squeezing it back in there without bending another flexplate 😂 I'll attempt to not get frustrated and start forcing anything.
 
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Old Mar 1, 2024
  #33  
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The worst part for me so far was the Bellhousing bolts at the top of the motor between the firewall especially with my Wreck it Ralph hands. Im not looking forward to dropping this trans but oh well I have to do it. I am in the same boat I have threatened my truck to push it into a lake many times, I just have to take breaks and think instead of bringing out the BFH all the time.
 
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Old Mar 3, 2024
  #34  
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From: McLoud
Originally Posted by Jhammer
The worst part for me so far was the Bellhousing bolts at the top of the motor between the firewall especially with my Wreck it Ralph hands. Im not looking forward to dropping this trans but oh well I have to do it. I am in the same boat I have threatened my truck to push it into a lake many times, I just have to take breaks and think instead of bringing out the BFH all the time.
I'm telling ya, this last week has been one trying to get this ranger going. As of today it's back on the road running great so far. My buddy was laughing at me he said "a part or 2 more and you'll have a brand new 30 year old ranger" 😂 rebuilt engine, replaced both heads, water pump, fuel pump, fuel filter, plugs, wires, coil, radiator, flexplate 😒, speed sensor on trans, and trans pan gasket, engines been out twice, and trans once all in the last month... and I have a complete djm drop kit I need to install on it as well. Beams, flip kit, notch, and shocks. I don't even want to at this point 😂
 
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Old Mar 4, 2024
  #35  
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Well, I pulled the Trans this weekend and it went well. The only thing that's holding me up is the parts for my trans, I decided while I waited to paint my exhaust manifolds. I might even get a new muffler while I have half the exhaust out already. But yeah I completely agree, every time someone asks me how's the truck going I want to ask how much time do you have. Every time I turn around I have to buy something new for my truck so I will have a brand new truck as well. I hope some of your good luck rubs off on me I am terrified to see if this thing drives, after all, is said and done. Congratulations on getting your truck up and running, I hope some of your good luck rubs off on me I am terrified to see if this thing drives, after all, is said and done.
 
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Old Mar 4, 2024
  #36  
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From: Winter Haven
One last question, when you pulled your tans did you pressure wash it before reintalling it? I want to pressure wash mine but I don't want to get water inside the bellhousing or have water work its way inside the trans.
 
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Old Mar 8, 2024
  #37  
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From: Winter Haven
Update

So I have the trans out and I installed my new pump, however the now after that I'm trying to seat the TC it is extremely hard to spin by hand. I could hardly get the converter in all the way and now Im not sure if I can get it back out any suggestions, why is it so hard to turn and what would cause this.
 
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Old Mar 8, 2024
  #38  
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From: McLoud
Sorry I haven't been getting notifications from this thread so haven't seen these until just now. As for the cleaning it'd be fine to pressure wash just cover up cooler line ports, avoid front and rear seal, and don't directly shoot water in them and you'd be fine. The luck ran out for me BTW looong story there though. Lol I'm still driving it fine but a few issues exist currently.
your tc is hard to turn? That's definitely a problem. If it's not smooth 3 clicks in to the point it's spinning smooth while rubbing the bellhousing I'd say something isn't right with something you did when replacing the pump. Im no help once a auto trans is opened up maybe someone else in here will have a good guess on that one for ya. I take automatic transmissions to builders for a good reason. I don't belong beyond the filter in one 😂 manuals a different story I can understand those mechanically but everything inside a auto trans just looks like magic to me. Lol
 
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Old Mar 11, 2024
  #39  
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So update time, I got the front pump installed and got the TC to set fully. I then cleaned the entire trans and got it ready to bolt up, I got 2 of the bell housing bolts in with no issue but didn't even tight them not wanting to stress anything. With the Flywheel and the TC clocked man that process is sure smooth. That brings me to the next part which is on Saturday I was so exhausted that I just got the trans support bolted up and quiet for the evening. Sunday morning I decided to take a day to clean my shop up and rest up for next weekend, I was over by the area where I installed the pump and found a bolt that goes on the pump. So unfortunately when installing the bolts on the pump one bolt fell out of the magnetic tray I was using to store the bolts and stuck to the underside of the tray. I wanted to lose my mind after this discovery but realized that luckily I don't have much to undo to get access to the bellhousig and put the bolt back in. One other thing I figured out was why the TC was not seating all the way, it was because of the slack in the Overdrive anchor. I readjusted the anchor and after that, the TC was able to seat properly.
 
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Old Mar 18, 2024
  #40  
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Update the truck is back on the road, and the transmission is working properly but I have a few issues still. First off the transmission linkage seems to be a little misaligned I believe, the reason I say that is that when the truck is in Park it will not stay in park and will roll. I have no other issues besides that issue with the trans. Now on to the concerning issue I'm having, I started the truck up just for reference this is the original block I did pistons rings, cam brings, rod bearings, and main bearings. The lifters, cam, rockers, and rods were all in great shape, after firing her up I heard what sounded like a lifter ticking. I figured the one or 2 of the lifter might take some time to pump up so I let her idle for a couple of minutes while I checked on all my fluids. The ticking after a few minutes went away but when I started driving it came back, it's pretty loud and seems to go away under acceleration. I am just terrified and hoping it's not a rod bearing but I have a feeling that the sound would just get louder under acceleration. I'm not sure what to do I did add some oil treatment after verifying I wouldn't overfill the engine. I don't want to wipe a lobe on the cam or bend a rod.
 
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Old Mar 18, 2024
  #41  
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From: McLoud
Originally Posted by Jhammer
Update the truck is back on the road, and the transmission is working properly but I have a few issues still. First off the transmission linkage seems to be a little misaligned I believe, the reason I say that is that when the truck is in Park it will not stay in park and will roll. I have no other issues besides that issue with the trans. Now on to the concerning issue I'm having, I started the truck up just for reference this is the original block I did pistons rings, cam brings, rod bearings, and main bearings. The lifters, cam, rockers, and rods were all in great shape, after firing her up I heard what sounded like a lifter ticking. I figured the one or 2 of the lifter might take some time to pump up so I let her idle for a couple of minutes while I checked on all my fluids. The ticking after a few minutes went away but when I started driving it came back, it's pretty loud and seems to go away under acceleration. I am just terrified and hoping it's not a rod bearing but I have a feeling that the sound would just get louder under acceleration. I'm not sure what to do I did add some oil treatment after verifying I wouldn't overfill the engine. I don't want to wipe a lobe on the cam or bend a rod.
man we have had some similar problems. I'll admit I opened the engine back up and replaced the lifters since we have talked on here last. Mine also got noisy mainly on cold starts. Loudest lifter noise I've ever heard. New lifters seem to have fixed my problem though. It's been running good and smooth since. I did have to replace the brand new radiator. Ac pump and bracket put a hole it when I had the bracket off 😒
 
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Old Mar 18, 2024
  #42  
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From: Winter Haven
Damn it I really don't want to replace the lifters but hell that's cheaper than replacing a cam. Did you have to do rods and rockers too?
 
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Old Mar 18, 2024
  #43  
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From: McLoud
Originally Posted by Jhammer
Damn it I really don't want to replace the lifters but hell that's cheaper than replacing a cam. Did you have to do rods and rockers too?
no I left the rockers it does have 4 new rods. Only because they come in boxes of 4 lol I needed one from the beginning when I rebuilt the engine.
 
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Old Jun 3, 2024
  #44  
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Update, I found what I think is the issue with the ticking/ knocking noise. I messed up when I rebuilt the motor I was having a hell of a time finding pistons and wasn't sure what size the ones I took out were. I bought .075 oversized pistons to install, after all the digging and throwing part at this engine I found vertical scuffing on the inside of the cylinder walls. I looked at the pistons I removed and sure enough, they are .0100 oversized so the .025 difference has caused the pistons to slap and will only worsen as the piston is clearacing the cylinder walls.
 
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