bellhousing dust cover question

[Dirty D]

this is sort of a how screwed am i question, finally getting my 5.7 back together after a case of the infamous lifter failure. engine is in the bay, bolted to motor mounts, flex plate bolted to torque converter. i started bolting in the bell housing and the structural dust cover and then came across the bell housing dust cover in my parts bin *facepalm*. p/n 52104344AA . when i threw the long block in it slid right in the trans real easy and left no gap between the bell housing and the back of block. i guess the question i am asking is, am i unbolting the block and dragging her out a bit to fit the dust cover in? or is there a creative way to some how get a few MM of space to slide the dust cover between the bell housing and block?

 

[Wild one]

this is sort of a how screwed am i question, finally getting my 5.7 back together after a case of the infamous lifter failure. engine is in the bay, bolted to motor mounts, flex plate bolted to torque converter. i started bolting in the bell housing and the structural dust cover and then came across the bell housing dust cover in my parts bin *facepalm*. p/n 52104344AA . when i threw the long block in it slid right in the trans real easy and left no gap between the bell housing and the back of block. i guess the question i am asking is, am i unbolting the block and dragging her out a bit to fit the dust cover in? or is there a creative way to some how get a few MM of space to slide the dust cover between the bell housing and block?

If you're referring to the block plate,it's probably wise to seperate the engine and transmission far enough to install it.It has a couple purposes 1 is to help keep crap out of the bellhousing ,another is to help support the starter,and the last one is to prevent the convertor from bottoming out against the pump.It's your call,but if it was my truck,i'd be installing it.

 

[Dirty D]

oh its definitely going in, the question was weather or not im stuck unmounting the block and pulling it out a bit or if theres a way to "create" some space between without backtracking all the way to the start lol

 

[Wild one]

oh its definitely going in, the question was weather or not im stuck unmounting the block and pulling it out a bit or if theres a way to "create" some space between without backtracking all the way to the start lol

You'll have to seperate the engine and transmission far enough the dowel pins are standing free,and then you should be able to slide it in and rotate it into place.So yes you're unbolting the engine and transmission,and either lifting the engine off the mounts and moving it forward about an inch or so,or unbolting the transmission and driveshaft and sliding the tranny back about the same amount. Not really any easy way to get into place if the dowels that line the engine and transmission up are in place

 

[Dirty D]

You'll have to seperate the engine and transmission far enough the dowel pins are standing free,and then you should be able to slide it in and rotate it into place.So yes you're unbolting the engine and transmission,and either lifting the engine off the mounts and moving it forward about an inch or so,or unbolting the transmission and driveshaft and sliding the tranny back about the same amount. Not really any easy way to get into place if the dowels that line the engine and transmission up are in place

yep, think i already knew the answer lol. was just sniffing the hopium

 

[Wild one]

yep, think i already knew the answer lol. was just sniffing the hopium

Don't worry you're not the first guy who's forgot to install that plate until the engines sitting on the mounts and the transmission is bolted back up,i ain't saying a word