Is my trans dead or is it my torque converter?

[jefffoxsr]

Stock trans beefed up by someone who is very knowledgeable. I don't know the particulars. It has about 1,000 miles on it.

I have had NO drivetrain symptoms or noises until yesterday.

Accelerating normally from a red light, after it shifted into third all of a sudden I hear a clunk and then all I had was neutral in all gears. Park works though.

The only other symptom today was a clunk when I put it from park to drive gear earlier in the day.

Afterwards I had someone move the shifter while I looked under the car. The shifter cable seems to be working properly.

There is and was no grinding or other noises.

Those of you with experience in these things, what do you think?

I hope it's only the torque converter and not the trans internals.

Thanks for the help.

 

[1buick]

I had the same thing happen to a BMW I owned at one time, and
yes it was the torque converter. It had all the same symptoms as your Buick.
I hope this helps.

 

[MeanBuicks]

It's also just as likely that you broke the forward clutch shaft or the front pump in the transmission. A quick check to see if the pup is still working is to compare the fluid level in the trans between the car running and shut off. The level should drop considerably when the engine is started.

If it does, it's still either the turbine spline in the converter or the forward clutch shaft. All three possibilities will have you yanking the trans out anyway.

 

[civicsmasher3.8]

hey man i had something happen to me like that a month ago. when i got it apart it was ALL torque converter. i bought a new converter and replaced the imput shaft just because and all is good ive been driving my car for a month now but its getting ready to park for winter

 

[bragggf]

Regardless of what it is (sounds like a converter to me) you will need at a mininum to dissassemble the trans and clean it. Have your trans cooler and lines blown out. They sell an aerosol can that can help do this.

 

[Monte231SS]

Sound like you snapped the shaft in the trans. Happened to my buddys car three times

 

[mikestertwo]

Been there 4 times, 6 neutrals and a park. Most likely you snapped the shaft on the forward drum. This is the main weak spot on these transmissions. Call Bruce at PTS, he has a redisigned shaft for this problem. Could be converter so pull the trans and verify.

 

[SBNova]

It happened to me last year, and I am still recovering from it. I broke the tubine in the converter (TCI 32-3800 stall 10" L/U). TCI charged $175 plus shipping tio fix the converter.