Couldn't happen at a worse time...

[Goofyexponent]

Over the past 3 weeks I have niticed a little shudder in the truck when the torque converter locks up. I KNOW it's TC related because when I engage the 4 ways or touch the brakes the shudder goes away. Let the TC lockup again and it comes back. Only did it while cold though, once she warmed up to operating temp. she was fine...no more shudder.

Now, the front seal in the transmission has a slow but steady leak, but the fluid never got low enough to where I would say it was too low to drive....always at the lowest point on the stick, so I didn't run her dry!!!

Tonight, while climbing the ONLY hill on my run home I noticed a shudder ....while warmed up. It's not really a violent thing, just REALLY noticable.

I don't have or want to spend $1500 on a new TC and trans right now....if I had to spend that coin I would want to switch to a ZF and be done with that slushbox.

Is there anything I can do to check to make sure that it is the TC barfing it's guts? The fluid is still clean and not burnt..and I want to keep it that way. If it is teh TC, where should I buy one and what should I do while the trans is on the floor of teh garage when I pull her...

I just spent $2000 on this truck (tires, coolant, thermostat, ball joints, tie rods, wheel bearings, seals, rearend fluid for both ends, transfer case and transmission fluid that needs to be changed still, front end alignment, all needed bodywork and bought all the paint and guns to paint her), so I am not gonna let her go to another home....I'll park her and save for a built E4OD or a ZF before I sell her.

 

[MUDKICKR]

change the tranny fluid and filter.

 

[Worstenemy453]

If you want you could rebuild it. I dont know the cost of a rebuild kit for it but check TCI.

 

[Jake_IN]

Just a thought here as far as prolonging its life. Could you just make it so the torque converter doesn't lock up? If I recall correctly one of the wires going to the brake switch unlocks the TC. It will kill your mileage but at least you could get around until you built up the funds to take care of the situation.

 

[Worstenemy453]

http://www.compperformancegroupstor...Screen=PROD&Store_Code=TC&Product_Code=499101

 

[towcat]

This is something I don't reccomend doing if the fluid smels burnt, but I've been putting in torque convertors only for the last couple of years to get the E4DOA's to limp along. One guy even went ahead and put his truck back to towing duty. The ungodly amount of labor to R&R the trans doesn't change but the rebuild cost is avoided for a little while. It's a gamble, but if that's all you have is a lockup shudder, this might work for you. Cost of a HD billet cover convertor...$300 labor...$400 fluid...$100. that should be what a local shop to you should be charging to do the job. Warranty? forget it. That's not happening.
just an alternative to think about. In better economic times, you wouldn't catch me suggesting work like this.

 

[dyoung14]

I have a E4OD convertor, not sure on condition its in a parts truck, and its 2wd if that matters

 

[Devilish]

I agree with Towcat. I recommend that you park the truck now to avoid further damage. Remember to change the front pump seal.

 

[LCAM-01XA]

Calvin may be onto something there - I for one know my converter ain't factory, the previous owner did mention it being replaced with a new "beefed-up" unit but said nothing of the transmission being rebuilt or anything. When I dropped the VB to install a shift kit I found out there was one in there already, so some trans work was done at some point in her life, but whether the entire transmission was rebuilt or not I dunno, I'm erring on the side of caution and assuming it was not...

Where I'm going with this - you see no signs of overheating and shear damage in the ATF on the dipstick, but do pull the trans pan and see what's on that magnet there - for all you know all the clutch material coming off the lockup clutch in the TC could be all piled up on there. If you see nothing or not much of anything then it may be fairly safe to assume that converter may be dying but it ain't taken the rests of the trans along with it yet, so a "new" converter (something that you know worked good) may indeed be an option for you, at least for the time being.

 

[towcat]

Calvin may be onto something there - I for one know my converter ain't factory, the previous owner did mention it being replaced with a new "beefed-up" unit but said nothing of the transmission being rebuilt or anything. When I dropped the VB to install a shift kit I found out there was one in there already, so some trans work was done at some point in her life, but whether the entire transmission was rebuilt or not I dunno, I'm erring on the side of caution and assuming it was not...

Where I'm going with this - you see no signs of overheating and shear damage in the ATF on the dipstick, but do pull the trans pan and see what's on that magnet there - for all you know all the clutch material coming off the lockup clutch in the TC could be all piled up on there. If you see nothing or not much of anything then it may be fairly safe to assume that converter may be dying but it ain't taken the rests of the trans along with it yet, so a "new" converter (something that you know worked good) may indeed be an option for you, at least for the time being.

just remeber to save the trans fluid if it's good. that's 17quarts of fluid there.

 

[rjjp]

Personally I would do as Calvin said. My converter was replaced (at a stealership $1100) about 20,000 ago for a different failure.

 

[OLDBULL8]

Being a cheap ass that I am, this is what I got for my 90 3 years ago, that's the truck I loaned to my Nephew to cut wood, he loads the bed fuuuulll and pulls a trailer besides loaded, been going ever since, no problem's with it.
If in fact it is the TC, you don't have to pull the tranny, unbolt the TC (4 nuts), disconnect the drive shaft, unbolt the tranny slide it back, just watch so the tc don't fall out. Check the flex plate for crack's. Seal on the shaft, be sure it's a Teflon seal when replacing. Pix below.
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/pa...rByKeyWord=torque+convertor&fromString=search
!st pix is where I worked on the pump without pulling the tranny.
2nd pix is how to work on it, if you pull it.
3rd pix is on on the pump.

Hope this saves you some problems you might run into. Forgot to mention jack the truck up like in the pix. Support it real good like I did.

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[LCAM-01XA]

just remeber to save the trans fluid if it's good. that's 17quarts of fluid there.

Oh yah, that's right - I didn't think of mentioning it cause I always drain the ATF in a spotless clean pan so I can then use it in my fuel tanks I did reuse my ATF once tho, when I dropped the pan three times in one night while tweaking the VB - after first reassembly she got all new ATF (tho that wasn't necessary to begin with, but I got a good price on it so might as well), after the test runs and further tinkering with the the VB the same ATF was reused.

 

[Goofyexponent]

Thanks guys....I bought new fluid for her last week when it was on sale for $7 a gallon.....bought 5 gallons lol. THAT should be enough to change it.

For now, I parked the rig. Travelling with Vicki in "that damn car" until I get next week's pay. I'm a cash hoarder, and have my last weeks and a half's pay in cash, on me still. A couple hundred more and I can afford a re-built trans from a company in town....then I just gotta buy a new converter....should be able to do all the work for about $1900 ish.

But the idea of a ZF swap is sounding more and more appealing as I get into the cost associated with it....at least with a ZF I would be a little more reliable, able to jump start on a hill, don't have to worry about overheating it as much while towing, and a clutch is easier to find around here than a torque converter...and cheaper too if I use a SMF. The downfall is finding a 4x4 ZF s5-42 or a S5-47 in my parts....they are pretty scarce.

The rest of the swap would be a JOKE for me!

 

[LCAM-01XA]

Is finding a ZF5 out of an F-Superduty any easier? Cause it's actually a 4x4 transmission, only with a parking brake assembly bolted to it instead of a transfer case...