Balooned Converter??

[captndave737]

I had the thrust bearing go on my engine and was told thrust bearings don't go without a reason and to suspect the Torque Converter.

When I disconnected the flexplate from the converter the converter slid back without a problem. It wasn't pushing the crank shaft forward.

So my question is what exactly is a ballooned converter? Does it expand and stay that way or does it just happen under pressure? And am I even thinking of it the right way?

 

[INEEDAGN]

Ballooned converters are actually very rare. Especially in "regular" performance street cars. The one that I've seen in person was a heavily modified diesel that got extremely hot and had large stress cracks over damn near every inch of the converter and burned most of the paint off it. Wish I had pics of it, it was crazy looking. It didn't hurt the motor either, but the trans was burned crisp from tip to tip. Required a different core and trans cooler and anything plastic that touched the trans or trans lines.

Th400 transmissions are known to exert more force on the thrust bearing due to design and create problems on certain engines (ours included) but it's nothing to do with a ballooning converter. I think engine builders use the converter as a scapegoat for incorrect builds.

 

[ITSAV6]

With the converter bolted up did you have the correct gap between the converter and flexplate?

 

[mikestertwo]

Too much converter pressure will do that forcing the converter forward.

 

[captndave737]

With the converter bolted up did you have the correct gap between the converter and flexplate?

yes, it was to spec.

 

[captndave737]

Too much converter pressure will do that forcing the converter forward.

How do you get too much pressure in the converter?

 

[captndave737]

Ballooned converters are actually very rare. Especially in "regular" performance street cars. The one that I've seen in person was a heavily modified diesel that got extremely hot and had large stress cracks over damn near every inch of the converter and burned most of the paint off it. Wish I had pics of it, it was crazy looking. It didn't hurt the motor either, but the trans was burned crisp from tip to tip. Required a different core and trans cooler and anything plastic that touched the trans or trans lines.

Th400 transmissions are known to exert more force on the thrust bearing due to design and create problems on certain engines (ours included) but it's nothing to do with a ballooning converter. I think engine builders use the converter as a scapegoat for incorrect builds.

Well this was a stock unopened engine so it was built by GM. They were not the ones saying to suspect the converter. A very well known builder and vendor on this board suggested I find out what caused the thrust bearing to go and he suspected the converter. That was before I knew I had spun a rod bearing. Don't know if that would have an affect on the thrust bearing or not.

 

[dank GN]

Okay I've had to modify my pump lower the converter pressure so it doesn't take out my trust bearing . There is a write up on it if u google it .

 

[dank GN]

https://www.turbobuick.com/threads/turbo-400-pump-converter-feed-restriction.233553/page-2

 

[INEEDAGN]

The above concerns only apply to people running a 400. Assuming you're still running a 200-4r, if it was my car, I'd assume gm fucked it up when they built it or the spun rod bearing played a role. It wouldn't be the first time or the last gm built subpar quality and said "ship it".

 

[Mr.Spool]

Well this was a stock unopened engine so it was built by GM.

With 210 k?you really can't be upset with that.send the converter out to be looked at rebuild the motor check line pressure and go on.you have a lot of time on that stuff

 

[mikestertwo]

How do you get too much pressure in the converter?

By grinding off one of the lands on the pressure regulator valve to increase flow through the converter. It used to be common practice back in the day.

 

[captndave737]

With 210 k?you really can't be upset with that.send the converter out to be looked at rebuild the motor check line pressure and go on.you have a lot of time on that stuff

No, I can't really complain about 210K. The converter is a 9 1/2" LU built by Lonny Diers. It has about 30K on it.