torque converter cover support question

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cngodfather

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Hi guys! On my 1992 k1500 my engine has two support bars that connect to the torque converter cover. Has anybody left the cover off and left the bars off? I will not be off-roading and they seem like overkill for driving on the street. just wondering.
 

Schurkey

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You want rocks and dirt thrown up by the wheels to get into the torque converter seal area? You want chipped teeth on the flexplate?

Of course the cover is needed. GM would not spend the money to install it if it wasn't. The struts from engine mounts to converter cover make the engine/trans assembly more rigid.

I went out-of-my-way to reinstall the missing strut rod on my K1500. Had to grab one from a salvage yard, and dig the broken bolt out of the aluminum cover. Broken bolts on those covers seem common, I have two more covers that had broken bolts in them. Fortunately, it's not to tough to get the broken piece to unscrew leaving decent threads in the cover.
 

alpinecrick

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Yes, the struts are needed. All you have to do is look at the absence of support from motor mounts to trans mount at rear of trans to see whey GM added those struts at no small expense.........
 
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cngodfather

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ok. That is the info I needed. Not what I was hoping for, but I get it. The cover was a PITA to get off and the top bolts for the supports look difficult to get to. I will do it though. ugh.
 

alpinecrick

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The top bolts on the struts are indeed a PITA to remove and install. A ratcheting wrench is your friend. I think the bolt head is a different size than the nut. I'm pretty sure one of them is 18mm.
 

cngodfather

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Also, I think I remember someone saying the exhaust is in the way of removing the transmission pan. My guess is that my exhaust may not be an exact stock replacement. On my truck the exhaust runs straight across the torque converter cover. I had to loosen the exhaust and rotate it out of the way to remove the cover.
 
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