Changing my flex plate

[70Custom10Nut]

Ever try to talk somebody through changing a flex plate over the phone? I spent the better part of two hours trying to explain to my son how to do it. He's in SC and I'm in Germany. Question. Once the three mounting bolts are out, the torque converter should slide back enough to get the plate out, right? He says it won't move back far enough to allow the bolts to fall free. It's been about 15 years since I did this , but I don't recall it being that difficult. Please tell me he can do this without separating the engine and trans.