After pulling my engine, I noticed that there was a washer that looked like it was supposed to mate up to the front of the torque converter, but mine was seriously buggered up... I had been hearing a loud rattling noise that I couldn't pinpoint that last several times I started the car... I couldn't find any obvious source for the noise, so I'm thinking that this was probably it:





What should I do about this? Do I need a new torque converter, or is this washer not really necessary? If I need a new converter, does anyone have any recommendations as to what would be a good choice for this engine: http://corvette.ficker.net/engine_spec.php

 

I dunno what or who is playing around, but in fact that washer is not a legit part belonging in any torque converter install I have ever seen....not ONE of them...I think some amateur mechanic was having fun....

GENE

 

-Note that I ran a machine shop for eight years that re-built torque converters-

That "washer" is in fact the pilot of your 13" THM400 torque converter. This is a fairly common failure with this unit, I have replaced hundreds of them myself. Unfortunately, it is not a job for the typical home mechanic.

You need a new or rebuilt converter.


[Modified by 45ACP, 7:04 PM 6/2/2003]

 

mrvette: Pretty sure that washer does belong there as I had my father ask a mechanic friend about it, only problem is that the message kept getting scrambled, or he didn't ask for enough information... He forgot to ask if it is necessary, so I posted the question here :crazy:

Was afraid so... Time for an upgrade :D So is the pilot used for alignment of the torque converter? Any recommendations on a good stall for this combo:
110 ° center line
488/495 lift (1.6 ratio correction = 520/528)
230/230 duration @ .050
TH400 coupled to a 3.08 Rear

 

"So is the pilot used for alignment of the torque converter?"

Yes, absolutely. You must NOT use that unit without the pilot. There is Big Trouble(TM) to be had by those that ignore this advice.

"Any recommendations on a good stall for this combo:
110 ° center line
488/495 lift (1.6 ratio correction = 520/528)
230/230 duration @ .050
TH400 coupled to a 3.08 Rear"

Without knowing what use you have in mind for the car? No, sorry.

 

Thanks. I'd much rather do things the right way once.

I suppose that was a bit generic... Sorry :) I intend to mainly drive around town with perhaps a few longer trips. I'll also be taking it out to the track for 1/4 mile runs. I'll also be using a 100-175hp shot of nitrous on the track... Who knows what the future holds :D

 

I not argueing the use of the washer there, guys, I you say so....but in all the old Pontiac, OLds, and now my SB chebby '89 truck block with 700r4, I have never seen anything other than the concerter large center **** sliding into the crank and that was it.....slid home and spins into position to bolt to the flex plate....same thing on most *** cars too....that damn washer looks like a pilot bushing type thing on a stick shift, and as such with an automatic tranny/torque converter, I do not see the need of it....what specific function does it do???

makes NO sense to me at all....

GENE

 

That torque converter is not an original factory item. It is a Re-man. The metalic gray paint indicates that. Also the same torque converters were used on other engine applications. Some units from the re-manufacturer had washers welded on like the one here for the pilot alignment.

 

Doesn't surprise me at all if someone replaced the torque converter... My car has been gone over very thouroughly by Bubba :crazy: So we have determined that this is indeed the pilot... So do some converters somehow not need the pilot for alignment then? I'm very confused :confused:

mrvette: I'm not arguing either, I am just stating what I've been told so far. I really don't know what the real answer is yet...

 

[QUOTE]So we have determined that this is indeed the pilot... So do some converters somehow not need the pilot for alignment then? I'm very confused :confused: QUOTE]

All converters need a provision for alignment to the crankshaft. Each application could be a little bit different. I've seen washers, cups and studs in the center of the converter. (different cars) But they all had some form of centering device. If it weren't there, a severely out of balance operation would result. There is no way to center the converter well enough on the flywheel plate just using the three or four attatchment bolts/nuts.

 

"That torque converter is not an original factory item. It is a Re-man."

You are probably right, it has probably been re-built, but that IS a stock turbo 400 converter.

"The metalic gray paint indicates that."

Probably right, most converter re-builders paint them after re-building. The General never did. This does not mean that somebody, perhaps an overly enthusiatic owner, didn't paint the thing at some point. Those things have been around a few years now and there is no telling what may have been done to them.


"Also the same torque converters were used on other engine applications."

That style unit certainly was, but they tweaked them with slightly different impellers to get different stall speeds. Small block Chevy, big block Chevy, Pontiac 455's, Jaguar V12's, Rolls-Royce V8's, Cadillac V8 in FWD's, etc, etc . . . lots of different uses for sure.


"Some units from the re-manufacturer had washers welded on like the one here for the pilot alignment."

As I mentioned above, that unit is OEM style for sure, but I've seen "washer" style pilots on aftermarket high-stall stuff that were highly modded. Except for THM400's, I don't recall any on other OEM units.


[Modified by 45ACP, 7:37 PM 6/3/2003]

 

:iagree:

Thanks for the refinement...... :cheers: