Fuddle converters: Good or Bad?
I'd stay away from Fuddle... PI or Yank are the only two I'd ever buy from. I had a fuddle 3400 and yeah.. it was a costly mistake. I had to have my 3 month old FLT tranny rebuilt after the Fuddle destroyed it and the lockup was never right in it. I replaced it with a Vig 3600 which had a perfect lockup, nicer street manners, and 2mph gain in trap speeds. the only thing I don't like about the vig is the color of the converter... Pink.. Why pink? .. lol.
I'd stay away from Fuddle... PI or Yank are the only two I'd ever buy from. I had a fuddle 3400 and yeah.. it was a costly mistake. I had to have my 3 month old FLT tranny rebuilt after the Fuddle destroyed it and the lockup was never right in it. I replaced it with a Vig 3600 which had a perfect lockup, nicer street manners, and 2mph gain in trap speeds. the only thing I don't like about the vig is the color of the converter... Pink.. Why pink? .. lol.
Curious what series fuddle converters are you guys running or did run.. regardless of it being broken or still running?
mine was a Performance Series converter, the lowest cost one.. lockup was clunky and chattery and it let go. Possibly the reason some people have good luck is that they are running the High Performance street or high performance race series.
interesting side note... Fuddle doesn't appear to be a sponsor on Tech anymore.
mine was a Performance Series converter, the lowest cost one.. lockup was clunky and chattery and it let go. Possibly the reason some people have good luck is that they are running the High Performance street or high performance race series.
interesting side note... Fuddle doesn't appear to be a sponsor on Tech anymore.
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 62
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From: Last seen: lurking
I had a Fuddle performance series 3200 stall converter. Lockup clutch burned up within 3 months after install. I cannot express how truly disappointed I was. If Fuddle had made good on it, and helped me out, I wouldn't feel the need to vent this.
But because of the total failure of both their product, and the customer service I would expect behind it, I feel a little better letting others know what a complete disaster it was before they **** their money away on an inferior product.
Point is, it didn't have to be this way! Fuddle had their chance to correct it and did nothing.
For those of you running a Fuddle, I'd start saving your money. You'll need it. They didn't stand behind their product when I needed them to, I wouldn't expect them to treat you guys any differently.
I'm not sure why my PI converter is pink! Gotta have some meaning behind it!
Maybe it serves to remind you it isn't a Fuddle!
Hmmm... Fuddle doesn't sponsor here anymore? I wonder why that would be...
But because of the total failure of both their product, and the customer service I would expect behind it, I feel a little better letting others know what a complete disaster it was before they **** their money away on an inferior product.
Point is, it didn't have to be this way! Fuddle had their chance to correct it and did nothing.
For those of you running a Fuddle, I'd start saving your money. You'll need it. They didn't stand behind their product when I needed them to, I wouldn't expect them to treat you guys any differently.
I'm not sure why my PI converter is pink! Gotta have some meaning behind it!
Maybe it serves to remind you it isn't a Fuddle!
Hmmm... Fuddle doesn't sponsor here anymore? I wonder why that would be...
Last edited by PrototypE; Apr 9, 2008 at 12:36 AM.
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has the guy from fuddle, ever post why his verters keep having issues?
like i said, since our trannies are somewhat suspect, why would u guys even think about putting in a cheap verter? go vig or yank!!
like i said, since our trannies are somewhat suspect, why would u guys even think about putting in a cheap verter? go vig or yank!!
No, he hasn't. That's hard to do when you don't even build your own converters
I have had them all blow up. High mailes and high HP take a toll and the bearings need replaced every few years IMHO.
That being said I had to re-rebuild five transmissions in a six month time because the Fuddles let go. . .
That being said I had to re-rebuild five transmissions in a six month time because the Fuddles let go. . .
I will say I bought a fuddle 3200 stall converter and installed it a couple years ago. It was great for a month or so, like a whole new car! My '99 t/a is a mild DD car, nothing wicked, and has never been to the strip.
The fun was short lived though, and after a month, I could hear it begin grinding on 4th lock-up. I suspected a lockup clutch failure, and that was eventually confirmed.
After repeated attempts to get ahold of John at Fuddle to resolve this issue, my phone calls went unreturned.
I completely regret ever buying my Fuddle converter!!
I can say this, because I've been through it, and it pissed me off to an extreme extent.
In my experience, not opinion, the customer service sucked, and the product sucked.
I didn't do anything unusual, followed all precautions, and installed a large trans cooler.
I should have spent the money the first time, and bought my Precision Industries 3600 from the start. I'm sure many ppl have had a good experience with them, and that's great, good for them, but from my terrible experience with Fuddle,
I OFFER YOU THIS WARNING!
I highly recommend you save your pennies and not waste your time with cheap converters.
Learn from my lesson, and choose at your own peril. Bite the bullet, spend the extra money on a quality converter from a reputable company like Precision Industries or Yank the FIRST time.
Now, all I have left is a $450 paperweight taking up room in my garage, courtesy of Fuddle.
The fun was short lived though, and after a month, I could hear it begin grinding on 4th lock-up. I suspected a lockup clutch failure, and that was eventually confirmed.
After repeated attempts to get ahold of John at Fuddle to resolve this issue, my phone calls went unreturned.
I completely regret ever buying my Fuddle converter!!
I can say this, because I've been through it, and it pissed me off to an extreme extent.
In my experience, not opinion, the customer service sucked, and the product sucked.
I didn't do anything unusual, followed all precautions, and installed a large trans cooler.
I should have spent the money the first time, and bought my Precision Industries 3600 from the start. I'm sure many ppl have had a good experience with them, and that's great, good for them, but from my terrible experience with Fuddle,
I OFFER YOU THIS WARNING!
I highly recommend you save your pennies and not waste your time with cheap converters.
Learn from my lesson, and choose at your own peril. Bite the bullet, spend the extra money on a quality converter from a reputable company like Precision Industries or Yank the FIRST time.
Now, all I have left is a $450 paperweight taking up room in my garage, courtesy of Fuddle.
Im in the same boat....my old fuddle is sitting in the garage taking up space.
Curious what series fuddle converters are you guys running or did run.. regardless of it being broken or still running?
mine was a Performance Series converter, the lowest cost one.. lockup was clunky and chattery and it let go. Possibly the reason some people have good luck is that they are running the High Performance street or high performance race series.
interesting side note... Fuddle doesn't appear to be a sponsor on Tech anymore.
mine was a Performance Series converter, the lowest cost one.. lockup was clunky and chattery and it let go. Possibly the reason some people have good luck is that they are running the High Performance street or high performance race series.
interesting side note... Fuddle doesn't appear to be a sponsor on Tech anymore.
I run a VIG 3600 now and i LOVE it.
Some basic facts:
There are many Fuddle converters that are still in use and holding up in all applications.
Fuddle does not mass produce converters, they are built on the same block in the same city.
Other converters have about the same ratio of holding up and failure. Yank is a well known name as are the Vigs for good reason.
There really is no one better than the other on the market - it's all in installation, set up and maintence that will keep it alive for long periods.
There are many Fuddle converters that are still in use and holding up in all applications.
Fuddle does not mass produce converters, they are built on the same block in the same city.
Other converters have about the same ratio of holding up and failure. Yank is a well known name as are the Vigs for good reason.
There really is no one better than the other on the market - it's all in installation, set up and maintence that will keep it alive for long periods.
Some basic facts:
There are many Fuddle converters that are still in use and holding up in all applications.
Fuddle does not mass produce converters, they are built on the same block in the same city.
Other converters have about the same ratio of holding up and failure. Yank is a well known name as are the Vigs for good reason.
There really is no one better than the other on the market - it's all in installation, set up and maintence that will keep it alive for long periods.
There are many Fuddle converters that are still in use and holding up in all applications.
Fuddle does not mass produce converters, they are built on the same block in the same city.
Other converters have about the same ratio of holding up and failure. Yank is a well known name as are the Vigs for good reason.
There really is no one better than the other on the market - it's all in installation, set up and maintence that will keep it alive for long periods.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/automatic-transmission/862534-torque-converter-education.html
After seeing that u can tell me there isnt a difference and that its all in the install to whether a converter will last.
I've been to a converter shop and seen the process.
I've been here and seen Fuddles problems, they sell rebuilt cores! Just like B&M, and TCI.
Precision Industries, Yank and Circle D do not.
Have you seen the latest Circle D converter? Pictures posted here in this forum, now how in the hell are you going to say thats no better than a fuddle?!
To the OP of this thread and anyone else interested do a search here on fuddle and after 8 hours of reading the hit or miss stories you'll realize they are ****. From customer service to the finished product. And yes fuddle does not build their converters, someone else does.
PI, Yank and Circle D are sponsors here just like fuddle (was, is? ) the forum is open to all complaints, but who's name comes up in most any converter complaint?
After the FLT rebuild and Vig 3600 I went back to the box stock trans settings with only the PWM changed to 98% across the board and the Lockup was perfect. no chatter, better street manners, higher trap speeds.. like I said before.. the only complaint... Vig are pink.. lol. god I hate pink..
Also I will add after it was said and done I got a hold of Fuddle Literally 4-5 months later and was told I should have saved the converter and kept the trans untouched or at least saved all the parts so he could inspect it. imo there was nothing to inspect the converter failed. An FLT Level 4 tranny that gets completely run in and tested on a dyno before it goes into the car... or a reman converter from a 4 cyl car cut up to fit a LS1 as a high stall option. which do you think failed?
TECH Regular
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 411
Likes: 0
I bought a 4000 Fuddle
It was a 5000 that arrived.
It was restalled to 4000.
It came back as a 2800...
Do you know how slow a powerglide car goes with a 2800 stall?
They never failed, leaked...they were just built completely wrong both times. Costly error for sure.
It was a 5000 that arrived.
It was restalled to 4000.
It came back as a 2800...
Do you know how slow a powerglide car goes with a 2800 stall?
They never failed, leaked...they were just built completely wrong both times. Costly error for sure.
Way to go leaving out probably the most important part of my post. But then again, its a lot easier to e-kick someone.
Other converters have about the same ratio of holding up and failure. Yank is a well known name as are the Vigs for good reason.
I've had issues of failure with some that sing high praise for a couple of converters listed here. Some of it was overall set up, some from abuse, some from factory. Doesn't matter. I know who uses what in their builds on just about every part that can be stuffed into an LSx, research is key and this isn't research, it's IMO.
Other converters have about the same ratio of holding up and failure. Yank is a well known name as are the Vigs for good reason.
I've had issues of failure with some that sing high praise for a couple of converters listed here. Some of it was overall set up, some from abuse, some from factory. Doesn't matter. I know who uses what in their builds on just about every part that can be stuffed into an LSx, research is key and this isn't research, it's IMO.