Quazz

iTrader: (1)

I'll post my combo, and then the symptoms.

1994 Camaro 383 Stroker, GM847 cam, Longtubes, full exhaust (no cats) 4l60E with a transgo Shift Kit, PTC 3600 10" converter (lockup) stock rear auto gears, poly mounts (engine, trans, torque arm) dyno tuned by late Model Throttle in Waukesha WI. Also has a B&M Trans Cooler ran in parallel with the stock in radiator cooler. Radiator is about 1 year old. After the tune the shift points seem to have been changed a bit. It honestly felt better after the tune than before...... it HAD a PCM forless tune on it prior.

The motor now has about 3500 miles on it since the rebuild, and the trans has about 3000 since rebuild.

This is what happened: When I first got the car back from getting the motor put in, it was REALLY hard to get going. Fluid level was full. I got it home, and all of a sudden I lost 3rd and 4th. Trans got real hot, and spat fluid out of the overflow/vent tube. i had it pulled out, and rebuilt. All of the seals, soft parts, band, Pump, ect were replaced with new parts. New clutches again. The converter and lines were SUPPOSEDLY flushed out by the shop that put the trans back in (rebuilt elsewhere) and everything was fine for about 3K miles. I finally got my tune done about 300 miles ago, and thats when the shift points were changed from stock. Ive raced it mabey twice in that time period. The first time I raced it, the car seemed to rev/hesitate for a second, and then the converter hit and I took off.

I drove it around quite a bit in town for a few weeks. I parked it for about two, and decided to take it out for a drive last night and this is what happened.

It seemed to be driving normal until it was good and warm. I drove for another 15 miles or so, and all of a sudden I got a shudder when it shifted into second gear. On the way home I got to about 60 MPH, and I started getting smoke inside the passengers compartment, seeping in around the trans tunnel. it seemed like the Torque converter was not locking like it should at that point, and my rpms were higher than normal at 60MPH. I let off immediately, and got off on an exit that was near. I now notice a shudder from first to second gear, and if I'm up to highway speeds and i manually unlock the converter (pressing the gas pedal slightly, or pressing the brake pedal while keeping a steady speed). Its definitely a shudder when the torque converter unlocks, not when it shifts. when the converter locks in OD, it also feels pretty weak.... or at the very least an extended engagement time. I can shift the car manually from first through overdrive without issue, and it doesn't seem to slip at all. Fluid level is full, but it smells a bit burnt, and is NOT bright red like it should be. It has a slight brownish tint to it.

Could this be a failing torque converter? My best guess is that the converter isn't locking completely at speed, allowing it to slip and heat up the fluid.

I'm sorry for the novel here, but I'm at my wits end.

lowprofile

iTrader: (3)

Drop the pan, IMO don't drive anymore until you do.

I had shudder, not exactly like your issue but similar. I had metal in the pan on a brand new combo with about 40 miles.

Trans torn apart and was fine. However, the converter builder split his converter open never got back with me, sooo...make your own conclusion.

Edit: after re-reading your issue, my issue was very similar in that it was fine at first, but after 15 or so miles and warmed up, the temp got out of control, slipped bad, shuddered and spit fluid out the vent.

Quazz

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, it seems like when the trans got hot before due to lack of fluid pressure (filter sitting in the bottom of the pan) it may have wore out the clutch lining in the converter. The car is parked for now, since winter is coming. As soon as the weather gets better, I'm pulling the trans pan and having a look-see. The fluid seems a bit burnt, not bad, but it does smell and isn't bright red. I'm guessing if the converter is slipping under normal driving, its heating up the fluid and burning it good. Like I said, since this popped up as an issue, I drove it mabey 15 miles babying it just to get it back to the driveway. One good sign is that I didnt loose trans engagement or any gears, so I'm HOPING the trans is okay.

joecar

I think you now have additional problems besides the converter.

If the TCC lining is worn/damaged from lack of pressure, then it's a good bet that all the other linings are damaged also...
and the pump may be damaged also if the filter fell out (are you using the car filter with the truck pan...?).

If it did not become toast from continued driving, then its life has been shortened.