Thread: Torque converter question

Hey guys. So I just finished rebuilding and installing my trans. I came across the same problem I had last year. I think it's all because the torque converter need more fluid.

My question is "will the converter fill itself while idling"?
I barely have reverse. The car accelerates in neutral. And when I'm in drive and actually moving the car will jerk and try to stop when I let off the gas.

You fill it first with some fluid but after it's installed and running it will take more fluid if needed.

Okay thank you! It has a lot of fluid in it but I spilled some when I was putting it in

But why would I be in a forward gear while in N,D,3,2,1?

After any rebuild ALWAYS replace converter.....just setting yourself up for issues.

check the linkage on the tranny? maybe try unhooking the cable and seeing what it does if you move it manually.

Originally Posted by m17davis

But why would I be in a forward gear while in N,D,3,2,1?

Is reverse found when still partially in P, call it between P and R? If your answer is yes.. did you pull parts from more than one transmission? If yes.. your problem is answered below.

You goofed up the manual valve length by mixing and matching parts. See the three types I knew of when I took the pic. Note there is a difference in rod and valve length.






Total length should be 8 1/8 inches (info direct from Dave at TEP when I realized there were different combo's and no one lists what the proper length should be.

My marks weren't made with the tape measure.. so they appear to be shorter than the combo.. measure it to 8 1/8 inches


You know...how I know about this ... don'tcha? a lesson learned the hard way tends to stick with ya. Although you can probably get a side cover off in record time like I can and this is no big deal to correct.

Well bill. You've done it again. I don't have reverse. But when I put it inbetween park and reverse it starts moving. But it makes a terrible noise. Is a bad noise normal when this problem occurs?

But I used the manual valve from the pump,valve body, channel plate assembly I got from the junkyard. I never switched it out

Well.. the noise is the parking pawl touching the tips of the parking gear and trying to stop you.

Either that or a band isn't on the post it belongs on.. ... but I like to go with my gut and .... it's saying you had more than one trans worth of parts. Pop the side cover, you know it's one 8mm bolt and some messing around in a tight area, but you can literally do it w/o pulling anything but the cover.

Well IDK if your supposed to measure end to end but here it is. Is it to short?

that looks to be the right length.. is that what you pulled out or is that what you've put togehter to put back in?

IDK why you were talking about a TC in your pm

Both of the valves I have are that length. I was talking about the tc cause ppl were saying to replace it after any rebuild or else I'll have problems. Do you think the tc could be the problem. Or something else

Thanks for replying. I really appreciate it. I'm desperate

Both valves the same or could you have mixed and matched for the wrong length? Because your issue on gears being in the wrong place .... or.. crap I should have remembered this earlier...but I figured this was the same trans with some parts redone. Did this trans come from a different body style car? if so.. the lever on the top that bolts to the selector rod can be different. Bonne is one, Riviera is another, PA is another and W body is one.

If the only issue you had was the gear selection, don't worry about TC. I'd have replaced it too after that meltdown.. but if it doesn't give you issues.. leave it.

Originally Posted by m17davis

I came across the same problem I had last year.

This stands out to me... What parts did you replace, what did you reuse?

I have a history with breaking these transmissions. I broke the one that came in the car. I fixed it. Than i lost third. So I got a different trans. Idk what car it came out of or what year it is. Than that one lost third gear. So I fixed it.

Now I'm here. 4th frictions and steels were melted, the sun gear was chewed up, the reaction carrier the sun gear goes into was chewed up, and the pump was messed up. "maybe because I decided to make a pull at 70mph on the highway"

I had to get a channel plate with the valve body and pump from the junkyard cause it had burn marks and the pump was bad.

So they only thing I changed was that. And I have a new problem. The manual valve length is correct. The trans I took the channel plate out of was a 98.

Let me step back to ensure I have this right.

You were driving this transmission and gear selection was good. The meltdown occurred and you snagged the channel plate/valve body and pump from a 98 and now have this issue with gear selection being off? The armature on top of the gear selector rod was not changed and had previously been in the car?

If that's the case, then a band had to have slipped off an anchor and is causing problems. However the info you had mentioned, pointed directly to the manual valve or selector armature.

Yes. This transmission was perfect for the last year. The meltdown occurred and I replaced the reaction carrier, sun gear, 4th clutch, and channel plate. And yes. Nothing with the selector and rod were changed. I just unbolted the 15mm that kept the arm on so I could drop the trans.

FWIW it's easier to pop the end of the cable off vs taking that nut off. But that has nothing to do with this..

What year trans is in the car? TMK you shouldn't have a problem with a 98 VB unless the trans is 03+

Alright. I'll check out the band. But what explains why I can accelerate in neutral

Soooooo I've posted lots of stuff and you guys sometimes need a hand finding these gems.

Last link is the one you want. I guarantee if you read all of it, you will understand everything in this trans better than most rebuilders.
http://www.grandprixforums.net/threa...ighlight=trans