Torque converter

[lordofrc]

I have a 440 and i am about to install the transmission. Are there any tips for installing the torque converter? Also i have two converters, i have a 2500 and a 3000, which should i use?

 

[moparstuart]

for street use ,the 2500 will be much more friendly

 

[Cranky]

It also depends on your combination and what you intend to do with it and what you expect. Is the engine nearly stock or....?

 

[Redhorse719]

As far as tips, make sure you dump a quart of fluid in the converter before it is mounted on the transmission.

 

[racedodge]

THE MOST IMPORTANT IS THAT YOU FULLY SEAT YOUR TORQUE CONVERTER INTO THE TRANSMISSION PUMP HOUSING. if you do not.. u will fry your tranny.

 

[1968_Roadrunner]

Let us know what mods you have done to the engine, rearend gears and what you plan on doing with the car. I have a 3000+ in my street car and I love it. But my cam requires it.

 

[polkat]

If the converter is out of the tranny, turn the converter slowly as you drop it in (gently). You should feel it click into place (I think it's three times/clicks) as it seats. There is a measurement you can use to tell if it's fully seated but I don't know the measurement. Someone here will. Make sure you lube the seal with some tranny fluid before you install it.

Then use a small clamp or wire or something to keep the converter in place while you move and lift it under the car, removing whatever you use as you bolt it to the engine. Also, I usually get two long bolts (3" or 4") the same thread size as the tranny to engine bolts and cut the heads off. Then saw some slots in the shaft where the heads were. These can be screwed into the top two holes where the normal bolts go, and used as guides to slide the tranny to the engine. Once the rest of the bolts are installed you can use a screw driver to remove them and install the last two bolts.

 

[scotts74birds]

You guys have some great info for him. But, are all TC's neutral balanced? He didnt mention the source of the TC's. I thought I read something about this once. If I'm wrong, please correct me. Thank you.

 

[YY1]

I totally agree about seating the TC on the three "steps". The last one is a pain to find sometimes and is "small" and easy to come back off of, especailly while bolting to the flex plate.

I've also seen way too many otherwise nice builds be needlessly redone (or put up in garagge for several years) because someone thought they needed a 3000-3500 converter.

 

[Kernel Sanders]

You guys have some great info for him. But, are all TC's neutral balanced? He didnt mention the source of the TC's. I thought I read something about this once. If I'm wrong, please correct me. Thank you.

Good point!

There are TQ's which are specifically for externally balanced engines having cast iron cranks. These TQ's will have some kind of weight welded to them on the front I beleive (the same face that the flex plate is bolted to but separate from the blocks that the flex plate is bolted too). TQ's meant for internally balanced engines (steel/forged cranks) will be neutral balanced.

You can use neutral balanced TQ's with an externally balanced (cast crank) engine but you need to have a flex plate specifically for this purpose.

 

[Cranky]

Factory converters had the weight welded to them but I've never seen an aftermarket converter done this way. What you do for an aftermarket unit is to buy a flex plate that's made for the external balanced engines.....but if anyone knows where to find an aftermarket unit with the welded on weight, please mention it.

 

[Coronet 500]

HP Books Torqueflite A-727 Transmission Handbook pages 152,153+154 have charts and detailed drawings for attatcing wieghts to converters.

 

[Bens69PlymouthSatellite]

Sorry to hijack the thread but I have a TC ?? as well. Can I rebuild My tsi 3200 stall converter to be a 3400 stall? Its a really expensive converter and I bought it kinda small not really knowing as much a year ago,now I am afraid a 3200 wont be enough 4 the cam and rear end combo I wanna go with,thanks alot! Sorry if this is a stupid ? !! Mine also has no weights and I was curious if anyone could recommend a good strong flexplate,that is not a fortune?

 

[Cranky]

Just adding some horsepower to the engine can change the stall speed of a converter and a cam change might just give you the extra 200 rpm you're looking for. It's been awhile since messing with automatics but sending it back for that small of a change isn't worth the effort imo and might get you more change than you wanted. It doesn't take much change in one to make a significant move...

 

[Bens69PlymouthSatellite]

So even though the cam recommends a 3400 stall the 3200 should be o.k.? Thanks Cranky.

 

[wannadrag]

So even though the cam recommends a 3400 stall the 3200 should be o.k.? Thanks Cranky.

Not every convertor is created equal.Try it,it may suprise you and flash to 3400.

 

[Cranky]

Let's say your engine modification makes 50 hp more than what it was with the same converter.....I'm betting it'll go to 3400 maybe more if it was hitting 3200 before. Hi-po converters are kinda of a black art. Getting the right one that hits the sweet spot can sometimes take a few trys. A buddy of mine went through several before he found one that did exactly what he wanted and sometimes when a converter is cut open for a 'small' adjustment, you might get more than what you wanted. If it were me, I'd at least try the 32 before sending it back to loosen it up cause it just may come back as a 3600. It's not easy and it's not set in stone exactly what change you will make when you start adjusting...seen it happen too many times. That's another reason I like stick cars. I can leave at any rpm I like depending on track conditions but I did have one car with a 4500 stall. It ran a 10.68 stalled up or a 10.69 leaving at an idle and was deadly consistent.

 

[lordofrc]

measurement

THE MOST IMPORTANT IS THAT YOU FULLY SEAT YOUR TORQUE CONVERTER INTO THE TRANSMISSION PUMP HOUSING. if you do not.. u will fry your tranny.

do you know the measurement for when the torque converter is fully seated?

 

[Cranky]

With your flex plate installed on the crank, measure from the block bolt circle face to the converter mount face on the plate. Now measure the trans mount face to the converter/flex plate mounts. The converter will actually sit further into the trans when it's full in and you will have to pull it forward just a bit when you bolt it up to the plate. When you put it in, you'll end up turning it some to make the pump drive dogs align up with the slots on the converter and when that happens, you'll know it. The converter will slip in a pretty good distance from when you first start messing with it....and I've never seen a transmission that will face up with the block when the converter isn't all the way in...and don't forget to lube the converter snout so the seal will have a chance to live.