I am just really needing the right answer as I've been working on this for about 3 weeks and getting very frustrated. I have a 97 Dodge Ram 1500 extended cab with a 5.9 Magnum engine. Over the winter the Motor had let go and I have purchased another 5.9 Magnum engine from a 2001 Ram with only 64,000 miles on it original. Truck was wrecked owner kept the motor wrapped up on the engine stand the proper way and I bought it at a really good price. Of course I put new Heads new water pump new distributor and so forth on this motor but the problem I am having is getting the motor to but up to my transmission. I always end up about a half inch away from budding up completely. Really about a little less than 1/8 inch away from hitting the dowel pins. I have literally pull this motor out and put it back in at least eight or nine times so far trying to figure out what is wrong. Of course I've heard a million times the torque converter is not seated all the way on the shaft. Now I have try this numerous times for the torque converter steps down twice which is all I can get it to do. Every time. I have heard it needs to step down a third time but no matter what I try I cannot get that to happen which was all of all my problems. Any help would be greatly appreciated as I am desperately needing my vehicle up and running. Could there be something different with this 2001 motorbutting up to the transmission? Could it be the torque converter? Is there supposed to be a different torque converter for this 01 motor. I just am lost at this point.

 

Maybe your problem isn't the tranny, but the engine block. The Dodge engine blox are infamous for the crank sensors and/or their associated wiring harnesses sagging down during tranny installation. Make sure all wiring harnesses are tied back and try to "rotate" the tranny as little as possible during installation.

 

One last thought, are you installing the torque converter in the tranny n then mating her to the block or to the flexplate and then installing the tranny. Try putting the converter in the tranny first so you're sure she's mounted correctly. I haven't done an auto tranny in a Dodge since the 727/904 series were the "in thing"...however, the converter went with the tranny during install.

 

Torque converter will be the same 97-01.

Was the donor motor out of a manual trans truck by any chance?

T/C should seat back an inch or two from the bellhousing mating surface. Does it?

 

Sometimes, the converter isn't all the way back into the transmission bellhousing and will cause this type of an issue. Two things I tend to do to alleviate this type of issue - I usually pull the converter and the flexplate and mate them up with each other on the bench to ensure they line up properly, then I put paint marks on the converter and flexplate, so I know they will mate correctly - I also make sure that the converter is seated all the way into the transmission before installing the motor, as sometimes, it hangs up a bit in the front cover/pump.

 

Check that the t/c seal hasn't been damaged as well.......

 

Thank you so you guys for replying back to me. It's been very frustrating. But yes I am installing the torque converter to the transmission before setting the motor. I always end up about a half inch away when I go to but the two together when I go to set the torque converter it will only step down two times for me no matter how much I spin how much a line up the teeth and slowly to try to eas it on. Everybody keeps telling me keep trying to. But I never set in side the bellhousing completely. It always ends up just a little bit more than flush protruding from the bellhousing. This is the original torque converter that came off the transmission when I pulled the bad motor. I have put a new input shaft seal in as well. After draining the fluid from the torque converter I inspected the splines on both the shaft and inside the torque converter and everything seems to be okay visually. Is that last little end of the shaft that's not going in. But yet everyone says just keep trying it. I have that many Motors to transmissions and have never had this much of a problem. Race cars at all. Dodge definitely set out to be different on this one. got to love them

 

The converter can be a bit of a pain to get fully seated into the transmission, but its something that has to be done properly or you will certainly encounter the issues that you are describing. I find that jiggling the converter a bit at the converter snout at the same time as rotating the converter slightly tend to work, but it does take time and patience.

 

Trouble is, if you are pressing against it while turning it, trying to get it to line up, that's enough pressure that the part you are trying to align with, turns as well..... so, it'll NEVER line up right. (don't ask how I learned that.

There are notches in the converter, that line up with dogs on the pump, I think, if you can get those to line up properly, the rest you should be able to just wiggle into place. If it is still uncooperative, pull it out just a hair, turn it a little bit, push it back in. Keep doing that till it goes all the way in.