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Bad torque converter

3K views 6 replies 3 participants last post by  crash 
#1 · (Edited)
My 65 Elky has a chevy 350 and turbo 350 trans. It started making a noise from the TC area and my trans guy says the TC is comeing apart, it was rebuilt 3 years ago and maybe has 1000 mi. on it, and I only drive around town, no racing, I'd think a TC would hold up better than that. He says he has to pull the trans apart because there is likely damage to the trans from the fluid in the TC. The car still drives great, just makes noise like gravel rolling around in the TC when you put it in rev. or drive, then it comes and goes as you drive.
My friends say I just have to pull the trans. and put a new TC in, and change the fluid and filter and it will be fine. They say the trans guy is going to rip me off and tell me he has to rebuild the trans , I also told him if thats the case I'm thinking of swapping a 700R in it for the OD feature, he says they're no good and don't hold up like the 350 does.
Of course I like my buddies solution best, but I don't want to do the work then it all goes bad next week.
Anyone else have this problem, and how did you fix ?
Thanks, Crash
 
#2 ·
the torque converter and the trans obviously share fluid.

If the converter is creating metal debris, it will be inside the trans too.

I can not say your trans person would rip you off, but his info is on solid ground to my experience
 
#3 ·
I would drop the trans pan and see how much metal if any is in it. You said it has been rebuilt with about 1000 miles on it? The pan should have virtually no metal powder or shavings. If it looks clean, you might want to take a chance and swap converters. The noise could be a bad roller in the stator sprag, or a bad thrust torrington bearing (if it has any).
If could be a cracked flexplate too. You never know.
 
#6 ·
crash said:
I'll drop the pan and check for metal, I thought the trans filter would keep any junk out of the trans ?
A bit long post, I am sorry


Here is the flow of fluid inside the trans..

oil is picked up by the pump threw the filter.

oil is pumped into the trans under pressure for clutch packs, also into the converter.

Converter has stuff rattling around..like yours

Converter oil is pumped out the cooler fitting to the cooler line

Oil is returned from the cooler to the trans "in" fitting on the case.

oil goes into the lube circuit to cool and lube the trans.

if the converter is making metal debris... it does not get caught by the filter till after it is all over the internal parts of the trans
 
#7 ·
Bad tourque converter

Gotcha, I'll drop the pan ans see how bad it looks.
Someone else suggested haveing the trans flushed out, may try this solution, if I figure how to flush it. Is there a way to tell which is in and which is out, or does it not matter for flushing purpose ?
Thanks, Crash
 
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