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Torque converter guru needed.

aussiewannabee69

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Hi I’m tearing my transmission down due to finding some blackish sludge in the pan along with some small aluminium fragments. I’ve found where the aluminium fragments are from. Planetary gear carrier has worn through.
Just wanting to know how to check my converter to know if it’s ok or toasted. I have never driven it nor can it be driven at the moment.
I’ve drained the TC and the oil was quite clean. I can spin the internals both ways. It does seem like it has some movement when I stick my fingers into the internal spline and move it around it makes a noise like it’s possibly hitting the housing.
If I stick the shaft inside and spin it sounds fine. It’s a TCI Streetfighter converter. just would like to know if it’s good to run. We don’t have any transmission shops close to where I live. Closest is probably 400Klms away.

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Without cutting the converter open for inspection there is no absolute way to verify its condition. The sensations and motions you described in your finger plunge are common to this kind of converter but are not an indicator, good or bad, of what goes on inside.
 
The way to check them is a tool the clamps into the impeller splines, then lift up and down and measure the play. Usually the thrust bushing gets worn out.
 
We reuse them all the time. Sometimes the only way to know is to try it. Flush it out good and put it back in.
 
Without cutting the converter open for inspection there is no absolute way to verify its condition. The sensations and motions you described in your finger plunge are common to this kind of converter but are not an indicator, good or bad, of what goes on inside.
Ok no worries I’m just gonna give it a crack and see how she goes.
cheers
 
The way to check them is a tool the clamps into the impeller splines, then lift up and down and measure the play. Usually the thrust bushing gets worn out.
Ah ok. Well I’ve put my pump spline in there and moved it around. But nothing close to getting a measurement from
 
Last one that I had that ground down, you could see a little mound of aluminum right where the return line dumps into the pan.
 
Last one that I had that ground down, you could see a little mound of aluminum right where the return line dumps into the pan.

The fluid return line path goes thru the governor support, through the output shaft (it's hollow) and out holes under the various rear components, then finally out the front of the shaft at the #3 thrust washer. So where the fluid ends up in the pan comes from various area's. All this fluid is unfiltered after it leaves the converter until it is puled up through the filter. This is why if there has been metal in the trans check the governor support where the output shaft rides carefully. They can get galled.
Doug
 
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