I bought a used torque converter a while back from a member here and decided to put it in this weekend. While I was at it I changed the shift shaft seals, modulator, front and rear seals, band nuts, and filler tube O-ring. Got everything put back together OK, trans slid all the way up to the engine without any persuasion of any kind. Filled her up with fluid while up in the air, shifted fine through reverse and drive ok, even let it sit in gear with the parking brake on for a little while to heat it up while I was checking the fluid. Put it down on the ground for a gentle test drive. Shifted fine into 3rd before I got to the end of my street, stopped & turned, shifted fine again to the next stop. Made another turn, got on it a little more, shifted into 3rd and then nothing but a grinding noise, much like splines are stripped. No drive in any gear, makes the same noise in Neutral, and appears to be making the same noise when we towed it slowly a half block back to the house. Obviously its coming back out but I was brainstorming possible issues and looking for suggestions. My first thought is the input shaft area (shaft and/or converter). I did check back through my messages about the converter, it is a 26 spline unit as was the old one. I know I did glance in there but did not verify 26 on the one I was installing but I'm 99% sure I verified that by the part number on the unit after I got it. I did not thoroughly inspect the input shaft either (my bad, I know). I did glance at it and run my fingers around it. Pretty sure the converter was fully seated because everything slid right together no problem (I've actually bent a flexplate in the past and learned my lesson). Any guesses? Winner gets a prize when I pull it back out.
Sounds like it wasn't seated on the "second" set of splines good. Just a guess though. May not be it at all. I had something similar on an aftermarket TC once, and thought the trans had burned up the clutches...turned out that I had pretty much exploded the sprag in the TC. When you tilt it side to side, it sounds like marbles in it. You may have done something similar as well. Won't know until you get it out. Sorry I'm not any help lol...let us know how it turns out...
Well... If I was more familiar with torque converters I would have realized that was a problem. I sent the photo to the member who sold it to me, we'll see what he does...
Just spoke with the man that sold it to me. He's going to refund my money! Probably take my old converter and have someone go through it.
