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View Full Version : Torque Converter Replacement?


per0xide
07-18-2005, 12:28 PM
I'm probably going to end up having to buy another car... but in case i get refused on a loan, or cant find one i like.. I need to know whats wrong with my car.

My car has always had some tranny issues... like if i set the cruise control to 55mph, and went up a hill, it'd sometimes down shift, then up shift, several times until i just sped up... which, didn't happen very often, so i ignored it.

However, now, it's gotten much worse. Like for instance, i was going to lunch from work, (taco bell) and was going up a hill with the cruise control on, at 55mph, and was listening to the radio, so i couldn't hear the car.. then something told me to look at the tach, and it was at 4500rpm. and climbing, but i was still going 55.. so i killed the cruise control, and it dropped back down to 1500rpm immediately. from that point on, it would constantly slip if it was in drive. However, if i put it in 3rd, it'd be ok, unless i was starting from a dead stop, then it'd do that in 2nd. From the looks of this, i started thinking i needed to rebuild the tranny. but then i got pissed off at it, and when it started slipping, i gave it more gas, and it caught.. it seems like now, i have to drive it even harder than normal, in order for it to shift.. but that only works sometimes, as it also does the slipping part at 70 as well.. if i'm on the highway, and i'm going a constant speed of 70-75, (kind of afraid to take it to 80+ now) then it'll do ok, as long as i don't go up a hill... then i have to manually drop it down into 3rd.

Also, another thing i've noticed, is that if its cold (the engine, not really temperature as i'm in tx..) it'll drive fine.. but when i do some stop and go traffic, then it starts slipping.

also, if it IS the torque converter.. is it possible to replace it yourself? i've done tranny swaps and rebuilds on rear wheel drive cars, but what i've heard lately is that you have to pull the engine to get access to the tranny?? Hopefully, they were wrong.. as i only have one car, and pulling the engine would be more than a weekend project most likely..

per0xide
07-18-2005, 12:37 PM
just for some pointless clarification.. i was goint to taco bell for lunch.. i work for Nextel.

Spy
07-18-2005, 03:07 PM
Originally posted by per0xide@Jul 18 2005, 04:37 PM
just for some pointless clarification.. i was goint to taco bell for lunch.. i work for Nextel.
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you're gonna have to either remove the motor to get to it, or remove both motor and tranny to be able to do the work...

per0xide
07-18-2005, 11:02 PM
great.... but does it sound like an issue with the torque converter? or something with the transmission? or is it a situation where it could be either or, or both?

Spy
07-19-2005, 03:58 AM
Originally posted by per0xide@Jul 19 2005, 03:02 AM
great.... but does it sound like an issue with the torque converter? or something with the transmission? or is it a situation where it could be either or, or both?
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personally wish i could tell you.. I haven't owned an auto tranny car beyond my jeep since 2000.. have never had tranny problems...

I would shop around and get a few opinoins from some tranny shops, and local repair garages, to give you a better idea with what you are dealing with... it does seem like the torque converter is acting up, but honestly I'm not 100% sure.

Fast Eddie
07-19-2005, 09:36 AM
My only experince with an auto is in the wife's car and it slips if the tranny fluid gets low. I know that's hard to top off on the aleros though.

per0xide
08-12-2005, 10:01 PM
well.. i never did anything to it... just drove around trying to see if i could find another car to buy... came up empty handed.. so i looked around for a torque converter, and instructions on how to pull the motor.. and then one day.. i got in it, and it drove normally.. hasn't slipped since..

so apparently, it mysteriously fixed its self.. either that, or someone came over and fixed it while i was asleep, either way, i think i'm ggoing tokeep the car around a bit longer.. especially since i found out that even if the tranny was fixed, and there was nothing wrong with the car, it'd only be worth about $2000... so.. once i find another job, (i got laid off) then i'm going to start adding stuff to it..

2fst4u
08-28-2005, 09:04 PM
with a testy tranny, i wouldn't add anything to it until you get it weeded out. you can get a complete tranny off ebay for less than a hundred usually. get that fixed and use some performance fluid before you go dual turbo-ing it.