[professorbob]

I just spent 257.00 on a new forward pump, and torque converter, because I did not understand how the converter mates with the pump. The converter hub has about 2" slots that would lead one to believe that the mating tongs would be at least an inch long in the pump. NOT. The pump impeller has just about 1/4 inch to engage the converter.
We had the engine on a hoist and transmission on a table. The converter went up fine until about that last 1/4 inch. I thought there was a little binding in the crank to converter center shaft. While pulling up the bell bolts, we hear a pop and thought it was threads scraping the backer plate on the engine. NOT.
Turns out we had the converter 90 degrees off the impeller tabs. This excess pressure broke the cast iron pump pied in three pieces.
The transmission builder said it was not an uncommon occurrence in a DIY install.
Well lesson learned. The builder installed a new pump, primed the new converter and did the actual mating of the two units.
When we came back to the table, the two units mated perfectly.

Just remember to feel for that final 1/4 inch when doing the converter install.

Car is not back together and ready to roll.
Prof.