Autostick slight scraping with Torque Converter Installed

64 posts · joined Oct 2010 · 12 Sep 2011, 10:54 am

#861584

Hey guys, well I managed to get my gearbox in over the weekend. Quite a job to do solo as it was filled with oil and weighs a ton. Balancing on the trolley jack was a bit scary.

Anyway, I reinstalled the torque converter. I had to spin a little and jiggle it until it "clunked" in properly. It now spins on the shaft, but I can hear a little scraping/grinding as it spins.. I'm curious as to whether I may not have seated the TC seal properly. I did belt it in fairly well with my home made tool so I'm fairly confident it's in all the way. My question is - when I install the motor and bolt the torque converter to the flexplate, does this pull the TC back to the motor a little and therefore likely stop the slight scraping sound? Any guidance on this would be greatly appreciated.

cheers Pete.

71 Clementine Superbug Autostick

ctefeh Wolfsburg Wizard

479 posts · joined Apr 2005 · 12 Sep 2011, 4:27 pm

#861643

Pete,
You peined that seal on, right? It isn't just sitting there although you belted it on? It needs at least 4, minimum 3 pein's with a blunted chisel to hold that thing on so there is no leaking.

You're right (initially) about the TC being pulled back toward the donk when tightening the bolts on the flexplate (to the TC).

Scraping...well, they (TC's) are sloppy when off due to them being three part. Stator/Impleller/Turbine. Once on the trans things "centre up" so to speak. The TC Support tube locks the impeller in place, followed by carrier plate shaft locking in to the Turbine. That TC seal seals off the Impeller. There are bronze bushes throught to control slop. Lastly, notice your TC has a bung on the engine side? That centres in the gland nut.

So...everything being equal that scraping "should" disappear once everything is bolted home. Downside? All the bushes & torringtons are 30 years old approx.

If you don't see scoring and/or grooving on the support tube or carrier plate shaft...you should be O.K.

Now, make damn sure the TC is back in the bellhousing and has clearance to the flex plate when bolted up. As young BajaChris88 found out, you may wind up pulling the engine onto an incorrectly centred/fixed TC.

Hazy memory says there are piccies on VWAR of what it should like, or Lee (68Autobug) may have a piccie lying around.

My brain huts now...

Enjoy
Ctefeh

chillihilli Commited Dubber

64 posts · joined Oct 2010 · 12 Sep 2011, 5:02 pm

#861654

ctefeh wrote:Pete,
You peined that seal on, right?

Not yet - I kind of trial fitted the TC, so I'm gonna take it back off tonight and give it a belt. When you say "pean/pein" is that from the outside in at the base of the seal of from the top down - at the top of the seal?

I also realised that I can fit it back on to the old gearbox and spin it to see if it makes the same noise.

I'm pretty sure it's well seated as I really belted it on. My homemade tool is a piece of tongue and groove flooring with a hole cut out just the right size for the seal. The board is thick enough so that you are not belting the top of the seal. I placed a piece of wood on top again to keep in nice and flat and whacko.

So...everything being equal that scraping "should" disappear once everything is bolted home. Downside? All the bushes & torringtons are 30 years old approx.

I'm confident my TC is perfectly serviceable. Gear changes on the old box were both smooth and solid. I changed it because the bearings were shot and it made a constant grindy/groan.

Now, make damn sure the TC is back in the bellhousing and has clearance to the flex plate when bolted up. As young BajaChris88 found out, you may wind up pulling the engine onto an incorrectly centred/fixed TC.

I assume if it "clunks" into place and spins true it should be perfectly positioned. My final test will be putting the car in gear and spinning the TC to see if it spins the gearbox drive flanges.

By the way, I found a great way to hold the TC on whilst it's sitting there in the trans - two plastic cable ties in the bolt mounts to the slots in the bell housing hold it nice and snug so it doesn't risk falling out.

..or Lee (68Autobug) may have a piccie lying around.

Yes - Lee's site is bookmarked and very useful for reference - especially with the snazzy coloured parts ! It's becoming a regular reference for me - thanks again Lee!

Thanks heaps. Will check it tonight and report back.

71 Clementine Superbug Autostick

chillihilli Commited Dubber

64 posts · joined Oct 2010 · 12 Sep 2011, 10:12 pm

#861761

Ok so I had a look at it tonight. I removed the TC and checked the seal. It all seemed A OK, but I got a centre punch out and popped it around the clock in about 4 places. It felt pretty solid and didn't seem to move. I then reinstalled the TC and after it clunked into place I gave it a spin. There was a slight scrape noise, I pulled it back just a tad and the noise was gone so I think I'm good. It was spinning true so I know I have it right.

My theory about testing it in gear went out the window of course because it's a fluid coupling and without fluid under pressure and centrifugal force won't spin anything. Duh...

Thanks again for your help. Now it's on to driveshafts and CV's.

Cheers Pete.

71 Clementine Superbug Autostick