Trans frustrations

I spent over ten hours today cleaning and putting news seals and filter in a trans to put in '46 ford truck. when i got the trans in place under the truck it won't bolt up. I get a quarter inch gap at the bottom and I don't want to just crank it tight and mess up the pump, etc. I'm sure the comverter is seated, two nice "clunks" and it far enough back that the studs don't stick out past the flexplate, they are in the holes, but not through them. I took the trans back off several times and all appears to be right. Am I missing something? This is on a BB Ford with a C-6 trans. I don't have hardly any experience with Ford stuff, but can it be that different from a Chevy? Very frustrating, i was on my back under that thing for about three hours!!!

 

You may need two jacks to get the motor and the trans into place. If they will bolt up on the floor, they will bolt up in the truck. You just havnt found the combination yet. Never give up.

 

Check the pilot bearing pocket in the crank, FE big block Fords used two different size pilot holes and require different converters. Try removing the converter from the trans. and inserting it in the crank!
Also make sure their is no pilot bearing in the crank.

 

I tried the two jacks...and this isn't an F.E. motor, it's a 429; I measured the crank and the stub on the converter, it will fit in there easily......I'm stumped, this should be simple....

 

Just went to s.s. and s, while dropping a stink pickle I remembered the one thing Ford has that G.M. doesn't! Check the converter drain plug, early auto. flex plates only had one hole for the drain plug and the converter will only go in one way.
When you have the trans. bolted up make sure the converter can be moved back and forth 3/8" to 1/2" before installing the converter nuts, this will confirm no binding and keep from bending the flex plate around the drain plug.
Hope this helps!

 

This one has a larger hole for the drain plug in the flexplate next to each hole for the converter stud. The first thing i did was to line up the stud hole and the drain plug hole properly.

 

what about the other drain plug? there are two (2) plugs (yes, TWO drain plugs) on many Ford converters.

 

Just some quick info in case anyone else runs into this problem....there are TWO different torque converters for this combo, BB Ford and C-6, the difference is in the pilot "stub" that is on the front of the converter and goes into the crank. one is longer than the other, of course i had the wrong (too long) one. I hope this helps someone in the future...