Torque converter massacre: pics. Need advice

[manesfesto]

So, my torque converter on my 3rd gen has been whining for a weeks and I finally pulled my pan today to flush it. It was worse than I expected. Tons of metal inside and metallic flake all over. I had gotten everything to flush it so I figured why not. Mind you, the only symptoms I was having was late shifting when the trans was cold. After 1-2 miles it would smooth out as normal as any auto trans. I did throw codes every once in while for shift solenoids which I assumed were from metallic particles getting caught in the solenoids. Regardless, it worked; well for that matter. It whined, yes, but never slipped and never got over 200 degrees.

Back to today. I flushed it all with 11qts and put a new filter in. I topped it off and took it around the block a few times. It was butter. Even under temp. Shifted normal. It whined as it had, but that's all. Here lies my question.

Do I:

1. Take it to a transmission shop and have them install and new torque converter and flush the living crap out of it while they have it out.

Or

2. Source a refab or junkyard transmission and pull and install myself.

I have all the tools and the know how. I don't want to pull two transmissions and what not but it would probably save me a ton of money. Just curious if anyone has been in this specific boat and how they handled it.

 

[T4R2014]

I'm gonna go for the new transmission route. No point in swapping the converter and then risking the transmission going out again. Those flakes aren't inspiring.

 

[manesfesto]

My same thoughts. I can source one locally for really cheap too. Luckily the weather is good.

 

[manesfesto]

Speaking of, does anyone know specifically what transmissions I can swap into mine? It has a A340F. 2001 SR5 4x4.

 

[T4R2014]

Speaking of, does anyone know specifically what transmissions I can swap into mine? It has a A340F. 2001 SR5 4x4.

Any 01-02 A340F.

 

[PWD4R]

Following from heart of Texas.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TechWrench]

So, my torque converter on my 3rd gen has been whining for a weeks and I finally pulled my pan today to flush it. It was worse than I expected. Tons of metal inside and metallic flake all over. I had gotten everything to flush it so I figured why not. Mind you, the only symptoms I was having was late shifting when the trans was cold. After 1-2 miles it would smooth out as normal as any auto trans. I did throw codes every once in while for shift solenoids which I assumed were from metallic particles getting caught in the solenoids. Regardless, it worked; well for that matter. It whined, yes, but never slipped and never got over 200 degrees.

Back to today. I flushed it all with 11qts and put a new filter in. I topped it off and took it around the block a few times. It was butter. Even under temp. Shifted normal. It whined as it had, but that's all. Here lies my question.

Do I:

1. Take it to a transmission shop and have them install and new torque converter and flush the living crap out of it while they have it out.

Or

2. Source a refab or junkyard transmission and pull and install myself.

I have all the tools and the know how. I don't want to pull two transmissions and what not but it would probably save me a ton of money. Just curious if anyone has been in this specific boat and how they handled it.

When you said it is 'whining', is that only while moving, or also while running in park. Reason being, if it is making noise while in park (not moving), then the problem is most likely the front transmission pump (which is driven by the torque converter neck when the engine is turning) If it is the pump, replacing the converter will not fix the noise. With that much metal inside the pan, you have a serious metal on metal wear problem, and no amount of flushing will fix it. Either have it rebuilt, or replace it with a known good used unit.

 

[manesfesto]

When you said it is 'whining', is that only while moving, or also while running in park. Reason being, if it is making noise while in park (not moving), then the problem is most likely the front transmission pump (which is driven by the torque converter neck when the engine is turning) If it is the pump, replacing the converter will not fix the noise. With that much metal inside the pan, you have a serious metal on metal wear problem, and no amount of flushing will fix it. Either have it rebuilt, or replace it with a known good used unit.

Didn't touch on this but it only whines while moving. In park I can rev the engine and it makes no noise. As soon as its moving it coincides with the throttle I give and or take. It has its sweet spots where I come off the throttle and it goes silent, then as the RPMs drop it makes noise again.

Sourcing a 01 or 02 transmission is proving harder than I thought. From what I have read I can only sway a A340F from those two years into mine. I cannot find any anywhere close to Austin, TX. Only late 90s models. I am going to call a shop here tomorrow and see what it would be to rebuild, but Its probably some astronomical amount.

Might just have to be patient and wait around.

 

[TechWrench]

Didn't touch on this but it only whines while moving. In park I can rev the engine and it makes no noise. As soon as its moving it coincides with the throttle I give and or take. It has its sweet spots where I come off the throttle and it goes silent, then as the RPMs drop it makes noise again.

Sourcing a 01 or 02 transmission is proving harder than I thought. From what I have read I can only sway a A340F from those two years into mine. I cannot find any anywhere close to Austin, TX. Only late 90s models. I am going to call a shop here tomorrow and see what it would be to rebuild, but Its probably some astronomical amount.

Might just have to be patient and wait around.

OK, then if the trans only makes the noise while the vehicle is moving, then the next question is does the noise change when the trans shifts from one gear to another or is it directly related to vehicle road speed only.

 

[manesfesto]

OK, then if the trans only makes the noise while the vehicle is moving, then the next question is does the noise change when the trans shifts from one gear to another or is it directly related to vehicle road speed only.

The noise never changes with gears, only RPM. At low low rpms you can honestly not hear it. Once I accelerate and they just above 2k or so its a steady whine. :ak472:

 

[TechWrench]

The noise never changes with gears, only RPM. At low low rpms you can honestly not hear it. Once I accelerate and they just above 2k or so its a steady whine. :ak472:

If that is the case, it pretty much eliminates much of the transmission as the source of the whine. The final output shaft is the only part of the transmission that turns directly in relation to the road speed. Not sure if there are any roller or needle bearings associated with the output shaft. But, the transfer case, and or one of the differentials (front or rear), or a wheel bearing are more likely sources of your whine.

 

[manesfesto]

If that is the case, it pretty much eliminates much of the transmission as the source of the whine. The final output shaft is the only part of the transmission that turns directly in relation to the road speed. Not sure if there are any roller or needle bearings associated with the output shaft. But, the transfer case, and or one of the differentials (front or rear), or a wheel bearing are more likely sources of your whine.

So let's say I blip the throttle, I get a fairly loud whine/grind that rises and falls with the rpm at very low speeds. It sounds like a bearing. A bearing that is breaking down slowly and getting louder. It doesn't coincide directly with my rpm but close. It's hard to explain specifically. I can let off the throttle decelerating and it will diminish then make noise as it falls in rpm with no throttle......

 

[manesfesto]

The more I dig in the more I wanna say f-it and do the manual swap. It's not to difficult and way better long term.....

 

[TechWrench]

So let's say I blip the throttle, I get a fairly loud whine/grind that rises and falls with the rpm at very low speeds. It sounds like a bearing. A bearing that is breaking down slowly and getting louder. It doesn't coincide directly with my rpm but close. It's hard to explain specifically. I can let off the throttle decelerating and it will diminish then make noise as it falls in rpm with no throttle......

OK, my bad. I mistook your earlier description to mean the whine was directly related to road speed, instead of engine RPM, which is way different. So, ignore my last post.

Have you tried putting the trans in a specific gear, using shifter and seeing if the noise follows the same RPM pattern in each gear? Also, does it make the same noise if you are in reverse? Does the noise lessen or go away when the converter goes into lock-up? Also try, with the trans in gear, holding the vehicle in place with the brakes and trying to accelerate (power braking) to see if this has any effect on the noise. If the noise is directly RPM related, it may very well be a failing thrust bearing in the torque converter.

 

[manesfesto]

OK, my bad. I mistook your earlier description to mean the whine was directly related to road speed, instead of engine RPM, which is way different. So, ignore my last post.

Have you tried putting the trans in a specific gear, using shifter and seeing if the noise follows the same RPM pattern in each gear? Also, does it make the same noise if you are in reverse? Does the noise lessen or go away when the converter goes into lock-up? Also try, with the trans in gear, holding the vehicle in place with the brakes and trying to accelerate (power braking) to see if this has any effect on the noise. If the noise is directly RPM related, it may very well be a failing thrust bearing in the torque converter.

I will try this tomorrow morning, but in all honesty how much metal is in my trans do you even think it's salvageable? I was hoping to just get a new torque converter then get it flushed by a transmission shop and such. It sounds like a bearing because of the rpm whom and when I let off the gas it goes away for a s cond then you can hear it decelerate then stop once it gets below 1k.

I'm wishing my options and was hoping for the easiest and fastest to get it road worthy.

 

[manesfesto]

So I am baffled, now that I flushed my trans it shifts smoother than its ever shifted since I have owned it. Hasn't thrown a code at all. I did record some videos so you can hear the noises and watch how they coincide with my throttle and such.


let me know what you think

https://youtu.be/9YfQ4k9zWKA


https://youtu.be/7KwRC3WA0Tc

 

[TechWrench]

So I am baffled, now that I flushed my trans it shifts smoother than its ever shifted since I have owned it. Hasn't thrown a code at all. I did record some videos so you can hear the noises and watch how they coincide with my throttle and such.


let me know what you think

https://youtu.be/9YfQ4k9zWKA


https://youtu.be/7KwRC3WA0Tc

Listened to both videos, but sound quality makes it difficult to tell much. I can hear the noise, but it is muffled, and hard to make any determination as to source.

As for it seeming to shift better since fluid flush, that is not unusual. Fresh fluid can work wonders for an older trans, but don't get your hopes up too much. What ever is generating the metal shavings you found in the trans pan, will continue to do so until if totally fails.

 

[manesfesto]

Listened to both videos, but sound quality makes it difficult to tell much. I can hear the noise, but it is muffled, and hard to make any determination as to source.

As for it seeming to shift better since fluid flush, that is not unusual. Fresh fluid can work wonders for an older trans, but don't get your hopes up too much. What ever is generating the metal shavings you found in the trans pan, will continue to do so until if totally fails.

It's the raspy whine. I wanted to try and show you how it happens with the throttle. I'm still at a loss as to what to do. Take it in and have it diagnosed or just scrap it. I don't really know.

I don't know auto transmissions.

 

[manesfesto]

Bump for any advice?

 

[TechWrench]

It's the raspy whine. I wanted to try and show you how it happens with the throttle. I'm still at a loss as to what to do. Take it in and have it diagnosed or just scrap it. I don't really know.

I don't know auto transmissions.

It's your move. You have to decide what the vehicle is worth to you, and how much you are willing to invest in it. You can take it to a trans shop for their evaluation (until someone takes it apart, you will never know exactly where the metal shavings are coming from), try to locate a 'good' used unit and go through the swap yourself (not a simple as it sounds), or drive it as it is and wait until it blows up. None are ideal paths, but there is no 'magic' fix in a bottle.