'68 Torque Converter

[JTraik]

'68 DeVille

Searching for a non-performance TH400 torque converter is pretty tough!    Scouring through my FSM I could not find any specifications on the OEM converter.  I was equally surprised to find that local parts stores only offer one option... some Pro-King converter with a 1450 stall for $80 bucks, I think ill pass.

I have a slightly hotter than stock cam so i will call the company that sold me the cam to get their advice on a proper stall but it is such a mild upgrade that the stall will still be under 2000.  Then again so far my options have been so scarce that their advice may not be a factor!  Does anyone know of a good source for non-performance TH400 converters?  Anyone have OEM specs for the converter?

I found 1 converter on eBay with a 1600 stall, but it is specified for a SB/BB Chevy, would this converter still match up with my OEM flywheel?


I also noticed in the FSM that it said to properly fill up a dry transmission AND converter, simply dump 8 quarts down the dipstick tube and start up the car, run through gears and continue to add as needed, yada yada...   Based on all the research I have been doing this appears to be bad advice....  am I wrong or shouldnt I prefill the converter before installation?

Thanks,

Jeff T.

[35-709]

I was told to prefill my converter before installation with a quart or so of trans. fluid.
Geoff

[Dave Shepherd]

If your convertor is bad there are many companies working thru local trans repair shops that rebuild them as stock.

[Ted in Olympia WA]

The main thing you have to do is make sure you get the large bolt 11.5 inch pattern converter; most Chevy's were small bolt pattern and will not bolt up.  But other than that any large bolt pattern TH400 converter will work.  Stock was a very low, about 1500, stall.  It would not hurt to put some oil in the converter first but it is not necessary to do so; just do not put in much or when you pick it up it will come out and make a mess.  Also when you put it on there are three clicks to get it all the way back and if you don't you will ruin the pump when bolting the transmission on, very common error.

Remember that your stall with a big block and heavy car will be at the top end of the stall range.

The closest one on eBay that I see is http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ACC-1600-2200-Stall-Torque-Converter-Turbo-TH400-Chevy_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ65Q3a12Q7c66Q3a2Q7c39Q3a1Q7c72Q3a1171Q7c240Q3a1318Q7c301Q3a0Q7c293Q3a1Q7c294Q3a50QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem5881b79e88QQitemZ380133416584QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

I purchased an ACC for my car but it not on the road yet so I can't say anything yet but I hear good things.

TED

[JTraik]

Thanks for the replies,

Ted heres the thing, I am replacing the OEM converter in the first place because one of the flywheel bolt holes on it was stripped when I went to put it back on... it was the weirdest thing because I really didnt torque it much at all.   This all happened about 3 years ago (yes I am dragging my feet with this project!)  So to fix this I went out and bought a cheapy converter from the parts store, the sucker would not easily install, something on the new converter was slightly too thick and it wouldnt slide into place by hand.  To make sure I wasn't doing it wrong I tried installing the OEM converter a few times and it went on just fine.   Yes, I clearly made some stupid mistakes and should have gotten rid of the cheapy converter as soon as I knew something was up with it... but since then I have learned much and hopefully I can fully rectify my stupidity.

  IIRC I "coaxed" converter into place with a rubber dead-blow.  I do remember that I was able to get it all the way back though.  Even with a new seal I think the thing was leaking perhaps because the seal was ruined with this tight fitting converter.  This has been in the back of my mind ever since I did this so that is why I had planned to drop the tranny again before I get her on the road and throw a new converter in there.  But your statement about "ruining the pump" has me a bit concerned now.  Can you go into a little more detail as to how the pump gets ruined?  The tranny has not been run since I did all of that but it is certainly installed...  what should I look for on the pump (or anything) that would indicate damage?

And yes, that was the converter that I found on eBay.   Now you say you have this installed on your car, did you purchase that particular one as a stock application?

Thanks for your help, sorry to generate so much reading!

- Jeff

[Ted in Olympia WA]

Sorry Jeff I'm not an expert on transmissions so I can't really give you anymore information to help you.  If you lived in Olympia I would know a very nice guy to send you to but I think you are on the other side of the country.  The converter I purchased from the company is for my so called "race car" (1987 T-bird with a 500 Cadillac) and it is a higher stall (2800-3200) application.  I have ran a 2200 stall with a near stock application and it worked great, most of the time you could not tell it was not stock unless you really got on it and then really only if you had a tach.  The stock transmission cooler in the radiator should work just fine with it also.

I wished I could tell you more as to why your other converter did not fit well.  I know when my friend over hauled my transmission he insited on having the new converter to make sure it would fit correctly and okay.

TED

[Dave Shepherd]

The main thing you have to do is make sure you get the large bolt 11.5 inch pattern converter; most Chevy's were small bolt pattern and will not bolt up.  But other than that any large bolt pattern TH400 converter will work.  Stock was a very low, about 1500, stall.  It would not hurt to put some oil in the converter first but it is not necessary to do so; just do not put in much or when you pick it up it will come out and make a mess.  Also when you put it on there are three clicks to get it all the way back and if you don't you will ruin the pump when bolting the transmission on, very common error.

Remember that your stall with a big block and heavy car will be at the top end of the stall range.

The closest one on eBay that I see is http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ACC-1600-2200-Stall-Torque-Converter-Turbo-TH400-Chevy_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ65Q3a12Q7c66Q3a2Q7c39Q3a1Q7c72Q3a1171Q7c240Q3a1318Q7c301Q3a0Q7c293Q3a1Q7c294Q3a50QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem5881b79e88QQitemZ380133416584QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

I purchased an ACC for my car but it not on the road yet so I can't say anything yet but I hear good things.  On the "money", Ted.

TED

[bill henry]

why not just Helicoil the stripped hole in your stock converter and reuse it?

[JTraik]

That would certainly be a viable solution however my thought was since its all out why not just throw a new one in there???  I don't know...  Torque converters have to go bad at some point and there is a good chance that this one is 40 years old with 110k on it

[bill henry]

do they have to go bad? i think that if your trans did not crap out and spew chunks up into the convertor and trash the fins it would be fine . it is a fluid coupling and thfins never touch each other so do not wear. it is the chunks of crap that kill em.also i had a 70 olds witha turbo 400 that had over 200,000 miles on the stock convertor when i sold it and it worked fine.