Something must be broken, please help

[SBNova]

I was driving my car a few months ago, the 2nd band has been slipping so I know that is a problem, but I started down a road and got on it a little and instantly something must have gave and I lost movement. As I rolled to a stop I realized that if I revved the engine high (3-4k rpm) the car would still move, just not much. It would move in any gear, even reverse, just with severe slippage.

It took quite a while to get around to fixing it, but I finally tore it all apart a few days ago.

Some history on the trans;
This is a 2004r that I built myself a few years ago using a TCI kit. I ran flawlessly for quite some time, then one day it wouldnt shift out of first. I tore it down and the only thing I found was the TV linkage rubbing/sticking on my replacement lockup solenoid. Put it back together- no more problem.
About two years later, the above happens and this is where I am today-

While taking the trans out of the car, I drained the fluid, then noticed that the TV cable had fallen off the carb. I figured that this was probably the problem why the car stopped driving. I knew 2nd was burned so I continued on anyway.I tore the tranny down and replaced the band and drum with the wide band. I put in a PTS extreme servo too to cure the 2nd problem. I looked at every clutch pack, checked the steels and replaced the direct clutches and steels as they were hot spotted. I check the clearance of all the packs and all were good. I didnt get too thorough thinking that the TV cable falling off was the real culprit.

Today- finished putting the tranny back in and fired it up with 4qts in the pan and topped it off as I moved through the gears. It never did "grab" any gear and the level was now good after about 8 qts (re-used converter).

I still have no gears. I will move under its own power, but barely, in any gear I want including reverse. This is exactly how it was before I tore the trans apart. I checked the pressures and I am above the specs in my ATSG manual, at 1k rpm ive got 80 in P/N, and 140 at D4/D3 and 180 in D2/D1 I forget what reverse was, maybe 180 as well. At full TV I was seeing up to about 280 (I have a short hose on the guage and could barely see it when I was operating the TV cable).

Any Ideas on what to check now??? The ATSG says it could be the OD roller clutch- would that give these symptoms? Honestly, thats the only one I didnt disassemble. What about the converter? How would I check a converter? Its a TCI 10" lock up 32-3800 stall.

Sorry so long I just wanted to include evrything I could to help get this fixed.

 

[MeanBuicks]

If your pressure checks good then it's a good possibility that the pump is fine and perhaps the turbine spline broke in the torque converter. The only way to verify that though would be to pull it back out.

 

[Sleeper-6]

A few years ago, My did the exact same thing. The diagnosis by Eric at Dynotech was that the converter went south sending a buunch of trash through the tranny ans chewing up my pump.
I have since burnt up the Hi-Pro he built me and am just finishing up rebuilding it myself with CK's book.
Since you went through the tranny and your pressures sound good, I'd try swapping out that converter and see if that's it.

 

[bison]

Sounds like a broken converter. It probably sent a bunch of crap through the trans when it went.

 

[SBNova]

I was gonna pull the tranny out last night but decided to leave it in and swap converters. My friend might have a decent stock 200 conveter to try. If I do pull it apart, how can I tell if the converter is bad? I had these same symptoms before I tore the tranny apart, yet I found no trash in the trans. Just the usual clutch dust- no fragments or metal shavings/pieces anywhere.

BTW- my high pressure reading is more like 250. I held the gauge up a little while I checked it again.

The ATSG book says it could be the OD roller clutch, would that affect forward and reverse gears and give symptoms like I am having?

Is there anyone in Central Florida that has a good used converter I can borrow to test it? I would hate to drop good money on a converter and have it not be the problem.

 

[SBNova]

I dont know if TCI will rebuild a converter, will any other shops rebuild a TCI ?

 

[SBNova]

Anyone???

How do I tell if a converter is bad if its out of the car and in my hands? Is there anything to measure or any procedure? I dont want to spend $500 on a converter and have the same problems when I am done. I also dont want to tear the trans apart again if its the converter.

Can anyone with a broken converter chime in and tell me they had the exact same symptoms? My car will move, in any gear, at 3-4K rpm but it wont go more than 1-2 mph.

 

[bison]

Anyone???

How do I tell if a converter is bad if its out of the car and in my hands? Is there anything to measure or any procedure? I dont want to spend $500 on a converter and have the same problems when I am done. I also dont want to tear the trans apart again if its the converter.

Can anyone with a broken converter chime in and tell me they had the exact same symptoms? My car will move, in any gear, at 3-4K rpm but it wont go more than 1-2 mph.

The only thing you can check is the sprag if you use some snap ring pliers to check for slippage in one direction and the direction the whole converter should rotate in the direction you are turning it. If there are no metal flakes present then there isnt much you can do. You may have rolled over a roller clutch in the trans. It would have the symptoms you are explaining.

 

[SBNova]

Thanks for the reply.

So I want to hold the inside part of the converter, prbably the part that engages the approx 1" diameter shaft- not the stator support splines right?, and turn it and see if the whole converter turns?

Also, what roller clutch would you suspect? I checked to one closest to the tail of the trans when I was assembling the tranny last week, and I just took the trans out and checked the one right behind the pump- both only turned in one direction pre the ATSG.

 

[SBNova]

I drianed as much of my converter as I can, and I was able to easily turn the stator splines on both directions. The other set of splines- approx 1" diameter- were more difficult to turn. While holding the converter flexplate side down, I could turn it to the left or counter-clockwise easier than clockwise. But it would turn both ways. This means its junk right?

Who can rebuild a TCI converter?

 

[SBNova]

I decided to send my converter back to TCI. They said they would rebuild it for $125-$200 plus s/h. This was the best price I found, and I liked the stall and was happy until "the problem".

After a few days, I called to check the status. They said the turbine splines were broken. I asked if there was an upgrade and they said they didnt think it was necessary. They believed my incident was an isolated failure but didnt elaborate.

I guess I am happy. I wish I could see the broken converter parts myself though. I hope it lasts longer next time. This one had 24k miles on it. ( I initially thought it was less) There were only 10-15 passes at the strip though.