Does anyone have any pointers for seating the torque converter? I have a 2002 2.3l with the 5R44E. It’s not fully going in. Looks like it needs to go in another 1/2”-3/4”. I’m looking at the old transmission to know it’s not fully seated. Thanks!

 

Just keep turning it and pushing it

Did the input shaft ever come out, i.e. fall out
These do have an IN and OUT end, so if installed backwards torque converter will stick out 1/2" to far
Input shaft should stick out 7/8 to 1" no farther when push in all the way
More than 1" and its in backwards

If you run a straight edge across the bell housing it shouldn't touch properly seated torque converter

 

I purchased the transmission from a junkyard so not unless they took it apart fully. I can get it where the torque converter isn’t sticking further than a straight edge on the bell housing but when looking at the old transmission I removed, it still needs to go in further. To see if something was wrong with the junkyard one I removed the torque converter from the old transmission and tried to reseat it but the same thing happened where I can’t get it to go in fully. I tried turning it and keeping pressure on it but can’t get it to go any further in. I’m not sure if it goes in further once mounted to the fly wheel but it definitely isn’t seated as deeply as the old transmission when I removed it.

 

The input shaft of the transmission does come out easily, may have even fallen out and put in backwards, no disassembly required to get it out, just pull on it.

 

The shaft was in fully. I ended up just needing to be more aggressive shaking it as I turned and pushed in on it. Turning and pushing in will not make it fully seat. Shaking it did the trick though. Thank you both!