Moosestang problem - Torque Converter?

[Agnem]

I think the Moosestang may have developed what I'm hoping is a torque converter problem, and it's sidelined at the moment by this. What I get (which developed all of the sudden it seems) is a violent chatter similar to a bad manual clutch on acceleration in all gears, and it persists slightly under any load. Coasting or decel is fine. I know it's not an engine miss. The steering column and the whole front end gets to hammering pretty bad, so I'm letting it sit until I have time to work on it. The reason I suspect the TC, is it was custom built, and is a low stall design that probably is not something the outfit that built it has a lot of experience with. I can envision what would happen if one of those fins inside lost a weld and folded back or something. What do you guys think?

 

[Michael Fowler]

I am puzzled by your description that the steering column and whole front end gets to hammering.
From that, I would suspect motor mounts. At least motor mounts are easy to diagnose, and eleiminate from consideration. Just set the brakes, drop in gear ( forward and reverse) and watch the engine as you give it some fuel. If it tries to climb out of the engine bay, you've found the problem.
Upon further thought---The Moosetang is 4WD, so a driveline (TC) issue could be felt as you describe.
I'd still check the motor mounts first

 

[rthomas]

drain the tc and see what comes out, if your getting that kind of violence from it you will have evidence in the fluid. is the shifting ok?

 

[sassyrel]

have vacuum to the modulator??? you rebuilt this trans----didnt ya???? sounds like pressure internal is low--or a seal lip tore--if its in all gears as you say--pressure low--thats why i said check vac----

 

[77f250diesel]

Mel the exact same thing happened to me. I had the tc built low stall locally and it self destructed and filled the newly rebuilt trans w/metal shavings.
To top it off the converter rebuilder went out of business.
Good luck to ya

Dennis

 

[6.9poweredscout]

looks like time to swap in a stick!!

-Jon

 

[trackspeeder]

Check for metal in the fluid. TC may have balooned and is self destructing.

 

[RLDSL]

Any chance you just cracked the flex plate? that can cause a heck of a racket and some similar aggravations

---------Robert

 

[sle2115]

I would think a low stall converter would be tortured by a diesel. The torque multiplier - hi low RPM torque = higher stall - would be very difficult to manage on one of these rigs. Not to mention, the shear weight the driveline has to get moving.

I would check motor mounts as suggested, take a good look at the flex plate and then get the converter drained. Did they by chance install a drain plug in the converter? If not, you can install one, but that is about the only way to get it out. We always drilled and tapped to 1/8 pipe or possibly 1/4 pipe if fin dimensions allowed.

Good luck, hope it is something simple.

 

[typ4]

I am guessing the over running clutch in the stator in the conv, just a thought.

 

[Agnem]

Great suggestions everybody. I haven't really had any time to look at it yet, but wanted to get a check list going. The only thing I did so far was check the fluid, which is clean, pink and full. The idea of metal bits entering the blood stream had not occured to me, so I'm glad I parked it. Guess I have some wrenching to do.

 

[Double-S-Diesel]

maybe just a rear u joint going bad.
pop the Transfer case in neutral, and drop the trans in drive, see if the vibration still there.

 

[Agnem]

Nick wins the prize. The torque converter place had suggested it was a U-joint as well. With the holidays and Suzi's surgery and recovery, I hadn't had a chance to look at it until last night. The ol' "lubed for life" rearmost U-joint was indeed shot. I put three new Motorcraft (Spicer) joints in and it's good as gold again. Amazing how driveline vibrations can seem to come from all over the place. So the Moosestang got almost a 2 month vacation, but now it's back to battling beamers on 202 every day. Sure was glad it was simple and easy.

on edit...
I wanted to mention - I wasn't real happy with what I read on the U-joint package. "Cross made in China. Other parts sourced locally." I know Ford isn't making them, and they just get them from Spicer, but Spicer doing business over there is just as bad.

 

[icanfixall]

The Universal joints were what I was going to suggest when I started reading this today but... Glad you have it fixed and that the wife is back from table. I wish both of you a speedy recovery and here's hoping she doesn't need any more table visits.....

 

[adam g]

Best wishes for the misses. Good trucks get fixed when they do. Good women that understand us wrenching are beyond definition.