Getting tranny off of siezed motor??

[Trent]

Hey all, I havent been on the boards in a while. My 61 eldorado is going through it restoration and is only about 3 weeks from being done. But...

There is always a but.

I need to get the tranny off of a spare motor that I have so that I can get it rebuilt. The problem is that the 390 cid motor is siezed, and I cant rotate it to get to the flex plate nuts. So basically, I need to know if there is another way to get the tranny off.

Otherwise... Im firing up the plasma cutter! hehe. Just kidding.

Thanks guys!

-Trent

[Ivan Zanatta]

You can remove the trans without unbolting the torque converter on a chev v8 -powerglide, you just unbolt your trans to engine bolts, and slip the trans back- it has a spline up inside the torque converter. I cant see the caddy trans set-up being much different. The torque converter stays bolted to the flex plate, and can then be removed. Just watch out for a few litres of trans fluid all over the place!
Ivan

[Trent]

The trans/motor in a 61 cadillac is a little different than the Chevy and Ford world. The flywheel and torque converter are connected to the trans, and before you can separate the trans from the motor you have to rotate the motor and remove 4 nuts that bolt the flex plate (I know thats not what this is called, but I cant remember the technical term right now) to the flywheel. This flex plate is connected directly to the crankshaft. There isnt that typical splined shaft connection like on a Chevy or Ford.

With a little prying, and a newly modified 1/2 wrench, I was able to separate the trans from the motor. I was worried there for a while. I had to get this done tonight so that I can drop the trans off to get rebuilt tomorrow!

All is good for now.

-Trent

[Bruce Reynolds # 18992]

Gday Trent,

Good to see that you managed to get it apart.

The plate is called a Drive Plate as far as I am aware, and as you say, the Fluid Drive is attached to the transmission and then the whole lot is mated up to the Engine.

I was going to suggest that you use a screw driver to inch the engine over via the teeth on the ring gear, but thankfully that isnt necessary.

Bruce,
The Tassie Devil(le),
60 CDV

[Trent]

I tried the screwdriver on the ring teeth. The motor is completely seized. It has been sitting in a junk yard for who knows how long.

Funny story. I took that trans (bought from a junk yard) to a guy here in phoenix that specializes in these transmissions. He is 76 years old now, and has taught his grandson the tricks of the trade. Well, a couple hours after I dropped that tranny off the grandson called me and told me I should go buy some lottery tickets because once he opened the tranny up he found all of his grandpas markings from about the mid 1980s! Crazy that after about 20 years that this particular transmission would find its way back to this exact same shop!

Oh, and he said the tranny was in great shape. Wish I could say the same thing for the motor.

-Trent

[Thomas Lindholm CLC #13781]

Hi Trent
This is a small problem, you can always separate it a little bit and then cut the dowel pins.
After they have been cut you can rotate the whole transmission and remove the bolts.
I have done this on several flatheads with hydramatic transmissions.
Thomas

[Trent]

I hadnt thought of that. I will log that away in long term memory though. Thanks for the trick.

-Trent