Hello all,

I have a 2001 ram van 1500 5.2 L ≈220,000 miles with what people have told me is a 2002 46re (not a 2001 46re) transmission in it (I didn't put it there, been in there since I bought, and that's what the car is wired for so...lol). I posted awhile ago having transmission issues and here I am again.
After trying some things, I finally wound up getting the transmission and torque converter rebuilt.

I was trying to install it today and I have spent the entire day trying to mate the transmission to the engine so I'm just looking for advice. Didn't struggle (that) much with it the last time I reinstalled, so not sure what's different. I am also wondering just how bad it would be If I just bolt the torque converter/ flex plate onto the engine first then put the transmission onto the torque converter, as long as I make sure the pins are lined up properly and it fully seats?

I made sure the pins in the bell housing and the converter lined up and that it made the two clunking noises/ seated a good ways into the housing. Turned the torque converter until the bolt holes were lined up right on the flex plate and got the tranny to where the dowel pins should slide in but still couldn't get it all the way on. I pulled it off and retried a few times until I finally gave up and just started bolting to try and draw it in (criminal I know) and it made a clunking which I was pretty worried about but nothing was cracked anywhere or anything so I figured it was the torque converter seating somewhere (meaning I had screwed up earlier anyway somehow) and the transmission went on the last inch pretty easy after that. I had been checking the flex plate/ engine connection to make sure I could still get my bolt that was started on there going (making sure i wasn't turning the TC or anything as I drew the tranny in) but then I found I couldn't turn the metal plate on the engine that bolts onto the flex plate (I cannot find the name for the life of me no it's not the flexplate it has no teeth feeling dumb here but oh well). I tried turning the crankshaft bolt but couldn't (after much effort but honestly that could just be the devilry that is crank shaft bolts) but last time I had no issue just turning the flexplate and the piece it mates to with the teeth of the flex plate, so I was a bit confused. I loosened the bolts connecting the engine and tranny and found I could just turn the TC so I decided TC/flex plate weren't on the engine properly and undid the whole thing again.

Now I'm kind of thinking about just putting up the torque converter first because I know getting that to line up into the tranny under the car is somehow actually easier despite having to lift the tranny off the jack to slide it on, my engine is already jacked up as well, and well...nothing else it working so

For now I'm gonna go try reseating the torque converter in the transmission and see if something is wrong there, give it one more shot the usual way, if I still can't get it tomorrow I'll probably try doing it the stupid way. If anyone's got advice lemme' know thank you. : )

Welp wish me luck with my continuing series of inexperienced bad decisions hahaha

 

Maybe I should I never touch a car again, the torque converter is now stuck in the transmission, likely due to me drawing the transmission in with bolts. I know not to force it, but I guess somehow didn't feel that was forcing it. Ouch.

 

They do tend to hang on fairly tight..... It should sit about an inch or so back from the trans/engine mating surface. If it does, does it spin freely??

 

Originally it was sitting an inch and change back and spun freely, then I got it jammed like a dingus and it would not spin at all or come out. I worked on it for awhile and currently it spins freely and is sitting a bit over the edge of the bell housing but will not come off the rest of the way.

 

Gonna have to get serious with it. Use a couple pry bars, or, couple pieces of wood, if you have 'em, one on each side, and try and pry it off. Once you have it off, replace the front seal.

 

Thank you! I was afraid of cracking the bell housing but after saying screw it and really prying at it I got it off the rest of the way. I replaced the front seal and unfortunately didn't notice until afterward cause I didn't get out to work on it until late; the pins that line up with the gaps on the torque converter were broken. There were two little chunks of metal stuck in the back and I've gotten one out but there is still another stuck in there.

​​​​​​If I can get the metal out is there any way I can still use this transmission as is or will it absolutely have to be fixed first?

 

I can't get the metal out so I'm gonna try replacing the whole front pump. Found one I can get near me but I'm pretty worried about trying to do this since A) I don't have a slide hammer (gonna try just getting some longer bolts that fit the two threaded holes on the front pump and tightening them in), B) I would then have to figure how to reinstall it properly, and C) it is used so I'm gonna try just replacing the front seal with mine but who knows about the bushing and outer seal.

I am just so out of time and money for all this, gonna' go hurl real quick haha.

*Edit: actually I just realized the pins sit further back than the front pump so replacing the front pump wouldn't solve the issue. Still gonna try and remove it so I can get the broken metal out.