# torque conveter keeps comeing loose



## danthepontiacman (Jul 5, 2008)

ok guys a while back my torque converter got to makeing a bad sound even when ideling so i took it to a fellow geaheads shop and put it on a lift were we foudn the bolts were about to fall off, we tightened theme up and promlem solved until now about a year later and its doing it again. what is doing this? its the same torque converted from the factory and the transmission has been ebuilt and shifts easy and smooth. do i need new bolts? a new torque converter or just some lock tight?:willy:


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

If the threads of the bolts are damaged replace them and then use some blue locktight.


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## GTOJer (Oct 20, 2006)

Rukee said:


> If the threads of the bolts are damaged replace them and then use some blue locktight.


ARP 230-7304


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## Jstreet (Mar 9, 2009)

This may be rudimentary but here goes. Bolts come in different grades. The grades measure tensile strength and flexibility. If the bolts used are not stong enough or old, they will flex and loosen eventually. Get grade 8 with the proper washers (lock/serrated) and you shouldn't have a problem. Use loctite for extra protection.


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## skuzzzusmcdevildog (May 8, 2009)

Dumb Question.........but What Did It Sound Like Cause I Think That Just Answerd My Prob


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## 646904GTO (Feb 10, 2008)

Use grade 8 bolts with locktight. If they come loose again the thread in the converter is damaged.


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## grabber (Sep 23, 2009)

Check what proper length of bolt is originally supposed to go in there. Then check the length of the bolts you have in there. What could be happening is the bolts are either too short (doubt that) or too long (this is what I think). If they are going into a blind tapped hole what a design engineer does (which is what I do for a living) is sizes the hole to fit a standard length screw, adds 1 diameter more thread and 1 more diameter for the drill hole to the depth of the tapped hole. Now the flutes on taps taper down about a diameter from the end so the last diameter of thread depth of a tapped hole is going to be smaller than what the thread is supposed to be. A longer screw will fit in the hole initially but over time will wiggle itself out.


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## danthepontiacman (Jul 5, 2008)

well it sounds like a rattleing comeing from under the car but you dont hear it at higher rpms proboly to do with the sounds of a pontiac v8 running but at lower rpm you can hear it but yea its a sqweez/rattle and thanks guys im goign to take it to a friends muffle shop and get it up on a lift were i can get to it and ill replace theme, either the screws or the converter are proboly damaged since thare the originals so i hope it aint the converter but ill find out and thanks again guys.


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## danthepontiacman (Jul 5, 2008)

well it wasint the bolts thay were tight and the flywheel looked fine so im thinking its the 44 year old torque converter, what about you guys?


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## 66tempestGT (Nov 28, 2009)

were you able to look at the flywheel closely where the bolts go in the crank.lots of times they break between the bolts.


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## Too Many Projects (Nov 15, 2008)

66tempestGT said:


> were you able to look at the flywheel closely where the bolts go in the crank.lots of times they break between the bolts.


There and between the large holes. It's gotta be cracked ....:willy:


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## danthepontiacman (Jul 5, 2008)

well we took ti and put it ona friends lift, bolts on the flywheel and the converter were tight and there is no damege on the flywheel that the three of us (me, my dad and the macanic) could find, im thinking the macanic was right he sead it could be something loose or broke in the converter itself, seeing has its the original 1966 one i am inclined to beleave it


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## 66tempestGT (Nov 28, 2009)

if something is broken in the converter you will have fine particles (and maybe not so fine) floating around in the fluid. one way or the other you will have to pull the tranny. its possible to replace the converter without taking the trans all the way out but might as well just sit it on the floor. i would pull it out and pull the flywheel and take a good look at it before buying a new converter. my money says when you take the bolts out you will find that you have one of those not so rare 4 piece flywheels. if it ends up being the converter you need to flush the cooler lines and replace the filter also.


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

I've never seen a converter break, but I have seen pleanty of craked and 4 piece flex plates!


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## danthepontiacman (Jul 5, 2008)

whats a 4 piece plate? i thalt the flywheels were all the same? well i need to put some fresh motor mounts on it anyway and change the oil pan gasket so were going to pull the moter and tranny together in the summer, whatever it is is makeing the car hesatate when i go to take off from a stop


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

meaning the flex plate actually breaks into 4 pieces, the only thing that holds them together is it can't move front to back as the crank holds it one way and the converter holds it from going the other way. Unbolt it from the crank and they fall apart. If this is the case you can't really see it from under the car, you really need to remove the flex plate to inspect. Which you _may_ be able to do by simply sliding the tranny back a few inches.


flywheel = std tranny
flex plate = auto tranny

and neither motor mounts or flexplate are probably your hesitation problem.


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## 66tempestGT (Nov 28, 2009)

now he mentions "oh yeah it hesatates when i go to take off from a stop" LOL starting to sound more like converter.


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## danthepontiacman (Jul 5, 2008)

well i guess its progresive it wasint hesatateing at first but now it is. well ill replace the converter either way, were goign to take both the engin and the st300 out in the summer and change the moto mounts, oil pan gasget, converte and proboly while its out of the car replace the oil pump, ill also buy a new front lamp hardness and engin harness has some family befor i got the car did some rigging and cuting on the wireing and id feel better if that was replaced to. anything i should check when we take it out besides what i named? thanks we will check the flexplate but if i need a new one ae the new ones say there for th350 and th400 auto cars, mines a st300 2 speed so will thay fit?


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## Too Many Projects (Nov 15, 2008)

Yup sounds like it could be the converter vanes breaking up and/or the pump going out.
The flex plate for the 2 speed transmissions is the same as the TH 350. NOT the 400 but many sold today have both bolt patterns on them so they may say they fit both.


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## danthepontiacman (Jul 5, 2008)

vanes breaking up and/or the pump going out. if thats true how dangerus is it to keep driveign the car til sumemr with it like that? oh ok thanks you know these cars had 2 speed autos has the single automatic from 64-66 why do so few companys cary pats fo theme?


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## Too Many Projects (Nov 15, 2008)

Sudden, complete, catastrophic failure of either can occur at anytime, from shrapnel/particles circulating thru the entire transmission, destroying it. Have you pulled the dip stick lately ? If the fluid is dark and/or looks like metallic paint, I wouldn't take it out of the driveway.
The 2 speed trans is basically a Powerglide. The Super Turbine has a switch pitch converter, which may be more difficult to replace. The trans, itself, should be easily rebuilt by a competent rebuilder. There are still parts available for them. The PG is a popular race trans and can be built to handle several hundred HP.


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## danthepontiacman (Jul 5, 2008)

thats just it the fluid looks clean so clean you cant hardly see it on the stick


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## Too Many Projects (Nov 15, 2008)

danthepontiacman said:


> thats just it the fluid looks clean so clean you cant hardly see it on the stick


Interesting........as Spock would say. I'm leaning back to Rukee's diagnosis of the plate cracked between the flywheel bolt holes. If you get a chance to put it on a hoist again, remove the 3 converter bolts and slide the converter back into the trans as much as possible. It should move about 1/2 ". You could then use a mirror to look at the flex plate mounting bolts for signs of cracks between them.

If the fluid is clean with no metallic sparkles, it may not be an internal issue or the filter is catching everything.


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## danthepontiacman (Jul 5, 2008)

well the futher confuse me it dont od it has bad once the car has been driven a bit but every time you start it it does and when its idleing. well ill just have to inspect it all when we pull it and i intend to change the tanny filter and pan seal and the oil pan seal oil pump and torque conveter all then so ill let yall nkow but thanks for giveing me direction on where to look.


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