I swapped in a 4.8 into my car while using the 700r4, so I got a new torque converter and Tci flexplate with the crank pilot spacer.

When I bolted the engine up to the transmission, I had an 1/8th inch space between the flexplate and the converter. I thought that was fine and bolted it up. I read that you don't want the converter all the way into the pump because the flexplate will flex and push it farther in, possibly damaging something.

So my question is, does my torque converter look like it is pulled too far out and will not properly engage with the pump teeth, or does it look normal?

 

1/8" gap is just about perfect.

In fact anything up to about ¼" is fine.

 

I like to see a total of .075" minimum to .125" maximum movement for the longest life of the rotor. Add machined washers to reduce the clearance. All three washers if needed must be "exactly" the same in thickness when reducing the clearance.

 

I have a 400 b/b and b/s to a 464.
I had a thin adapter plate from my 400 block to a hardened 700R4. Changed over to a front plate/mid engine plate motor mount. The mid plate was substantially thicker. Had to pull (lots of fun) the block’s bell housing alignment pins and replace them with longer ones (my freezer helped). The mid plate came with knockouts to use as spacers for the torque converter to flexplate to keep the spacing correct. To make it easier and to keep my system’s balance, minimize washer movement, and make installation easier I had the washers welded to the flexplate and the flexplate balanced after that. Specs are 1/8 - 3/16” clearance on the transmission side, and this fit perfectly. The other issue is marking sure you have adequate clearance from your pilot into the crank - there is a minimum depth you need to be in to ensure proper alignment, but if it bottoms out when flexing you can create other issues like thrust bearing failure etc. I had an extra pilot button welded to mine which gave it plenty of depth, and I tested out how far it would go before bottoming out. Specs are, I believe, at least 1/8 insertion depth after chamfer. I don’t believe I ever found a pilot to crank clearance spec, but I test fitted mine and measured and found that I had plenty of clearance even after it was seated at .200 past the chamfer. I figure it should have at least the same minimum clearance left as the 3/16” needed for the flexplate to torque converter side.