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brand new converter bearings gone...twice!! Cause?
I have a 2007 silverado 4L70E I had rebuilt with a lot of high end parts. I bought a 2800 name brand stall from a dealer.
Builder installed it. I drove off in it. Got 5 miles down road and trans temp climbed and dash light flashed "PULL THA F OVER AND IDLE" so I did. I had it towed back to the shop. they pulled pan and there was 2" of shavings in pan. Pulled it out. Converter bearings burnt and came loose. Converter went from a converter to meat grinder, chewing itself up from the inside out distributing contents into my trans.
Well they sent another one. After the builder took an entire week of cleaning and replacing parts (video the entire process including the re build and new parts seals etc) he said come get it. With a friend in the vehicle for an eye witness, the trans got hot again. As soon at the temp started to get to 190 we took it back. Now I know that temps vary around 20 lower than engine temp. I have another truck just like it that once up to temp it plains out around 185-190 on interstate after about 30-45 min of passing down shifting, OD etc. The builder pulled the pan again and once again shavings all in trans. Pulled trans out. Once again converter.
What is causing this? There isnt much to a converter so what is causing this other than a bad run of bearings?
Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated as the builder isnt a fly by night shade tree mech and the converter people are suppose to be very good as well.
thanks
The GM 278mm and 300mm converter has been known to puke out bearings when tolerances change internally. We have integrated a bearing retainer and over sized bearing into our versions of these converters to eliminate this issue. Check it out.
Until you get into the $700+ billet converters, even the "brand name" converters are just GM 278mm or 300mm converters with some mods and part swaps.
ferrellrooster: You are welcome to mention the "brand", even if it is a sponsor; or send me a PM and I will personally contact the sponsor.
And if not a sponsor (Yank, FTI, CircleD), we all like to know what to avoid. We all know who the most advertised brand is, and other than perhaps their $1000+ converters, they are pretty bad.
Until you get into the $700+ billet converters, even the "brand name" converters are just GM 278mm or 300mm converters with some mods and part swaps.
ferrellrooster: You are welcome to mention the "brand", even if it is a sponsor; or send me a PM and I will personally contact the sponsor.
And if not a sponsor (Yank, FTI, CircleD), we all like to know what to avoid. We all know who the most advertised brand is, and other than perhaps their $1000+ converters, they are pretty bad.
well at the moment I dont want to call anyone out and mention anyone but will before its over with once I get to a conclusion of who the problem originated from that being the converter or the trans builder. Only because
no one wants to take responsibility and pay for damages. The Trans builder is pointing fingers at the converter and the converter is pointing them back at builder. Builder has been in business sense 1976. That doesnt mean he is perfect but dam near it with the work I know he does on hundreds of other vehicles. I also understand there isnt much that can go wrong in a converter as well. But what is going to make this happen?
Thing is that I had one call the other and the Builder told me that the Converter guy admitted getting a bad run of bearings. When I talked to the converter guy he said that the bearings went out and it just happens sometimes. They said its not their fault. I have brand new trans parts that got trashed from heat etc. from faulty bearings that they fessed up to, but they dont want to pay for extra labor or the trashed parts. So Im on the second converter with same problem. I just want my money back and they can have it back, trashed or not. But it would be STAND UP to pay for damages and labor needed to correct it.
Im going to take it to a third party and spend another grand getting the dam thing cleaned out for the 2nd time and 3rd build within 30 miles, hopefully not to much is toast in there. And when I do get to the bottom of it weather it be the builder or converter one of the two is getting hammered.
We certainly sympathize with your problems. It is unfortunate that the converter company will not "man up" to take responsibility and at least refund you for the converter(s).
I wouldn't know how to incorrectly build a trans to ruin the bearing in the converters; I seriously doubt it was due to the trans builder. It does sound like a bad batch of bearings, but then the company that builds a product with them has to take responsibility.
You PM'ed me asking if taking the car to a more distant shop that both builds converters and rebuild transmissions is a good idea. Especially in your case I would say yes. Or any decent shop that will replace your converter, rebuild your trans, -and- give you a written and signed 1-year warranty. Realistically some very small shops cannot afford e.g. a $3000 mistake and therefore refuse responsibility'; probably best to avoid those.
Update.....2 months later...lol
Well after 2 months and the third build, and putting a stock converter in the truck the trans runs great. The 2800 stall converter bearings came apart AGAIN. So builder as disgruntled as he was over something that was not his fault AT ALL, helped me out sense the converter place said they would not, and and re-built it again, put a stock converter in it, and builder has been driving it for 2 days with no problems. So we think it is safe to say that it WAS the converter, (nothing stopped up with shavings) even though I had so many people tell me that it would be very unlikely for that to happen once much less twice. Bad run of bearings that the converter place claimed they had to the builder on the phone, was a true statement even though they retracted their words to me when I spoke with them. But did the converter place pay for the extra labor caused by their faulty product? No. Did I at least get my money back for the converter? not yet.
I'm giving it a few more days and a few more phone calls to see if I can get funds back and some compensation for the unnecessary labor of 2 extra builds caused by their bad product, if not their name will go up on sites across the nation. I hate to do that but dam, this isnt chump change.
Builder also said if I get another 2800 stall converter he would put it in as long as it is from a top dog converter company. We are also installing a 14"x14" cooler with a 10" fan so it should be well compensated for heat exchange even though the factory stall doesn't need it at this time and temp is running below 180 unlike the 2800 stall when temp was above that.
Thanks for listening guys.
I would be surprised if they refund the price of the converter, They will offer to fix the converter most likely.
You can forget them paying ANY labor or damages to your trans, I'm sure it is in the fine print that they are not responsible for ANYTHING besides the Converter.
Been there, Done that, Got the T-shirt.....It could be worse!!! I have had a couple "Balloon" & take out the Engine & Transmission, Thank god the customer supplied those converters.
Great news....... DO NOT BUY FTI......After the bearings going out in two converters from FTI and it costing me two tows at $150 a pop and 2 extra builds because of it and an additional $800 for labor and destroyed parts, My truck finally runs with the help of getting a real converter from circleD and a very patient and considerate builder that I must thank 1,100 times, the same amount in dollar worth that FTI cost me for attempting to use the Street Brawler that should be actually compared to a heaping steaming pile of excrement.
Thinking that FTI would actually take responsibility as would any other reputable company would at the drop of the hat, I ask FTI for compensation for the unnecessary extra funds spent since it was their feeble product that caused all the unnecessary damage WITHIN 30 miles of install...TWICE!!! And NOT the builders fault as they admitted at least to the builder, but they informed me they were NOT paying anything. If you haven't seen a crawfish just talk to these guys about taking accountability for something they are responsible for. They finally did give me the initial cost of the purchase back for the frail converter but not the major money for the major problems their JUNK caused. It wouldn't even make a good boat anchor. It would probably fall apart on the way down in the water.
If you have a Chevy or GMC truck, STOCK mind you, and are looking for a converter, DO NOT and I repeat DO NOT buy the Street Brawler from FTI unless you want to totally wreak havoc and dump a coffee can of metal shavings into your trans from their decrepit bearings falling apart. TWICE!! But if you want to spend the next three months with no vehicle and have a few thousand dollars to throw out the window, then go with Freakn Turd Ind. Also expect to come out of pocket for the additional work you will have to do to clean it all up and rebuild the trans again along with replacing the obliterated parts. TWICE!! Not to mention the charge of the tow trucks when it leaves you on the side of the road. TWICE!!
Also don’t be surprised when they point fingers at your builder blaming them for what their inadequate product created. (Refer to crawfish comment above) They, FTI, admitted to the builder they got a bad run of bearings, but told me that wasn't the case, that it was builder error and by no means would their product be to blame. BUT, they said, there is a very small chance, less than 2%, it could be and they would send the second heap converter. Well as I said before, that one came apart as well. So I would say they were off on their 2% failure rate and this would make 200% more than probable.
When FTI was explained and presented a bill for additional cost of rebuild TWICE, and asking them for the money that I had to come out of pocket because of the junk product, they bounced back with a "NO" faster than the Murder Nova in the 1/4, it was followed with "but we are sorry." We can’t do anything but were sorry. Who gives a crap about your sorry. Yes you are sorry, sorry as they come when I'm out money and a truck for three months due to your junk. And they had the gall to say the builder said he would re build it for free. NO the builder would not touch it was the problem after FTI junk destroying his build. TWICE!! I had to freakn beg him to do the work when no one else in a tri state area would even look at it after finding out what FTI junk did to it. This was not some junk rebuild master kit put into this transmission unless Alto Red Eagle, Borge Warner and Sonnex are now considered junk, it would be the first I heard about it. But FTI gave it their best shot to totally annihilate everything put in the trans that’s for sure.
And by the way..... it wasn’t free jack hole. I mean who in their right mind would totally rebuild and clean a transmission TWICE for free? That sounds about as stupid as me or anyone else buying your product. The builder was such a man that if it WAS his error he would have fixed it for free but this was not the case. So no it was not free no matter how hard your delusional mind tries to twist his words to justify your garbage.
What gets me is that FTI was "all for" the builder to fix it for free if it was his fault but they were not when it was Freakn Turd Ind. fault. That’s what’s so repugnant!!
Now then, if FTI aka "Freakn Turd Ind." is a sponsor on here they need to go sponsor the cleanup crew that is picking up after them and pay for the problems their product causes. Now that I have done more research, I find I’m not the only one.
A simple "here’s your money back for the heap converter, deal with the aftermath" after $1,100 unnecessarily spent because of the feculence pile, considered by you a converter, is not resolving the issue nor is it taking responsibility and it is definitely NOT taking accountability and doing what is right. Wussing up is more like it and is absolutely bad business but expected from a company that produces such a substandard product. I guess they go hand in hand.
This was absolutely the most harrowing experience ever. I would not wish this atrocity on anyone so take this advice…..or not…. it’s your decision as it was mine to actually think FTI would take the encumbrance and pay for the destruction their junk caused.
DO NOT BUY FTI!! Yes I had that made into a bumper sticker....and it cost $2......about $1,102 more than what FTI "Freakn Turd Ind." converters are worth.
We just stopped using fti aswell street brawler converter is trash..had 4 bearings come apart in the past 6 months in 4 different trucks never again will i buy anything from them..started using circle d and have yet to mess one up
That is disappointing to hear. A few years back Greg went out of his way to fix up a TH350 converter that someone else jacked up. Now I am using an FTI converter with my 4l60 and it has worked great.
09-08-2015, 03:07 PM
brand new converter bearings gone...twice!! Cause? 
Great news....... DO NOT BUY FTI......After the bearings going out in two converters from FTI and it costing me two tows at $150 a pop and 2 extra builds because of it and an additional $800 for labor and destroyed parts, My truck finally runs with the help of getting a real converter from circleD and a very patient and considerate builder that I must thank 1,100 times, the same amount in dollar worth that FTI cost me for attempting to use the Street Brawler that should be actually compared to a heaping steaming pile of excrement.
