Engine locked again, kind of

nalu · **Posted:** Sun Sep 11, 2011 10:56 pm

So I changed my rear main seal. Engine rotates fine. I installed the flywheel hub, following the strange procedure in the manual. The engine would not rotate. I ended up torquing the bolts to <25nm and using locktite. The engine would rotate just fine. I installed the transmission and started installing the flywheel to torque convertor bolts. The first two went in just fine. I go to rotate the engine around to the 3rd bolt and something clanks and stops the engine from rotating. The sound seems to come from the starter/flywheel area. The torque convertor rotates without a problem. The only way that I know how to get the first two bolts back off to remove the transmission is to rotate the engine backwards.
I am stumped as to what could be holding up the rotation.
I did change my water pump/timing belt prior to the rear main seal, but I had to rotate the engine to check the timing (which was fine). I had to rotate the engine another 360 degrees to get the flywheel to torque convertor bolts off too. I can't imagine that this could have anything to do with it, but I'm leaving no stone unturned. The new rear main seal went in just fine and seems to sit perfectly flush.
I rented the tools from Keith at GDE and am waiting for him to get back from a trip and give me some advice.
Any ideas?

racertracer · **Posted:** Sun Sep 11, 2011 11:12 pm

while you wait for Keith to return, Give Diana a call at VM Motori North America, she has a 2.8Litre tech on premises on occasion that may be able to give you some direction.

VM North America

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nalu · **Posted:** Sun Sep 11, 2011 11:43 pm

Cool Thanks!

Joe Romas · **Posted:** Mon Sep 12, 2011 7:28 am

Just a thouht :SOMBRERO:

Is it possible one of the two bolts you put in is too long and catching on something

What if you just loosened the transmission bolts allowing it to move out a tad :ALONE:

nalu · **Posted:** Mon Sep 12, 2011 10:50 am

Thanks guys! I found the shim! I took the old seal and hit it on a wood table a couple of times and it fell out. Never saw anything about a shim in the manual. Now I have to remove the transmission again and remove the rear main seal. I assume that I won't be able to get it out without damaging it, so I'll order another one. $45 lesson. Could be worse. Surely that will fix my dilemma... Makes sense as to why the torque specs didn't work for the hub. Thanks again!

racertracer · **Posted:** Mon Sep 12, 2011 10:59 am

Well your problem opened our eyes, so thanks for the heads up...... Now let us know how it turns out.

Good luck.

nalu · **Posted:** Mon Sep 12, 2011 1:07 pm

F.Y.I. the parts explosion on the Moparonlineparts website shows the thrust washer behind the rear main seal. Wish that I had noticed that sooner.

nalu · **Posted:** Fri Sep 16, 2011 11:40 pm

Got it all back together today! Runs great! Thanks again for the help. There are two funny shaped shims behind the thrush washer that are tabbed to fit in a certain way. They never came out, until I was inspecting them. Engine rotates smoothly and the torque specs worked out. Just don't miss that thrush washer! If it is stuck in the old rear main seal when you pull it out, it looks just the same as the part that it is stuck in.
Everyone told me that I should do my torque converter when I do my rear main seal.
My advice is to do your rear main seal if your doing your torque convertor!

Engine locked again, kind of

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