How Much Work is this: Converter

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BIG-B-Barracuda

BIG-B-Barracuda

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CALIFORNIA
1968 Barracuda Notch.
440 RB
727 trans.
83/4 rear

have a few issues here and i wanted to know exactly what i was getting myself into.

A few weeks ago a noticed while trying to start her up from a cold winter a noise she was making that i haven't heard before. further inspection of this revealed a missing tooth on the converter flywheel.

i went ahead and bought a new mini starter - from previously thinking it was a bad starter not disengaging. have not installed yet.

anyways - after starting her up she started making a weird noise maybe ruined another tooth? or SOMETHING WORSE ???

so my question is.

how much work is this? engine removal required?
trans. removal required only?

and what is the process?
i previously read about converter install and seemed a bit confusing - "turning till you hear a click" "liquid fill" etc.

not sure if this is something i could handle or should i take her in to the shop?

thanks guys.

sorry if a little vague.......
 
FLEXPLATE - leaving the original converter on and only swapping the flexplate?

are stock converters and flex plate one piece?
2 piece?
 
to change the converter only can be done by leaving the engine in and just pulling the trans...

However, installing the converter is a little tricky... I like to rest the trans on the tail shaft with the bell housing facing upward, then drop the converter in... Then rotate the converter back and forth until the converter drops/clicks two times... It may take a bit, or it may go right away... You have to get the face of the converter BELOW the face of the bell housing... If it comes forward while trying to install, then it may not go back in correctly and you risk damaging the converter and front pump in the trans...

I find it easier to pull the engine and trans together and then drop them together... It's easier to get the converter set in and the trans and engine together out of the car and then drop them in together...

You also need to orient the converter to the flex plate... There is a small hole in the flex plate close to the crank bolt pattern, that hole should be opposite (180°) from the converter drain plug... This can be difficult to keep track of if you are installing the trans into the car... Trying to wrestle the trans up and keep the front of it from getting too low and the converter slide forward and then orienting the flex plate and converter drain plug can be difficult...

Your choice...
 
Easy enough to keep the converter from sliding out. Put a small c-clamp on the bottom edge of the bell, with the side of the clamp tight against the converter.
 
It's easier than pulling a transmission on a second gen neon, I can tell you that.
 
its making noise now.

searched 727 converter noise and sounds like what they have an issue with. knocking/noise.

whats ruined/ needs replacing in this case ?
 
BIG-B-Barracuda said:
Shoot, are the teeth on the converter itself or the flex plate?
Click to expand...
The ring gear is welded to the converter. You'll need to pull the converter and have the ring gear replaced. I worked in the industry and your previous message about 727 converters making noise was never an issue unless the converter was in need of major repairs. Chrysler converters are very well built.
 
The attached file shows you what stock Chrysler flex plates look like. As my previous post said, the ring gear is welded to the body of the converter. They are replaceable. It is possible to do the work yourself, but you're better off having a converter shop do it for you as it must be done properly.
I've attached a PDF file showing the 4 different flex plates Chrysler used from the factory.

Capture.PNG
 
The ring gear is welded on the converter leading me to believe that i will need to replace the whole converter.

so when shopping what am i looking for?
i see converters with the ring gear and some without
 
im sorry for the ROokie questions.

so i see the flexplate does not have the teeth its the flywheel itself?

so my flex plate is fine and what needs replacing is my RIngGEAR/flywhee?

okay how do i determine what ring gear i need?
 
BIG-B-Barracuda said:
im sorry for the ROokie questions.

so i see the flexplate does not have the teeth its the flywheel itself?

so my flex plate is fine and what needs replacing is my RIngGEAR/flywhee?

okay how do i determine what ring gear i need?
Click to expand...
there is no flywheel on an automatic transmission. you have the flexplate, which has no ring gear, and the converter, which has the ring gear on it.

your ring gear is gonna be determined by the engine, trans and make/model of your car, it'll come set on the converter you buy
 
BIG-B-Barracuda said:
The ring gear is welded on the converter leading me to believe that i will need to replace the whole converter.

so when shopping what am i looking for?
i see converters with the ring gear and some without
Click to expand...
im not sure what youre searching, but all chrysler converters will have the ring gear on the converter.
 
Chrysler 727 torque converter.


its got parts from different cars
440 1973 CHARGER
727 TRANS. - UNKNOWN
 
so you would not recommend a stock replacement?

whats it mean when the converter has a 2000 rpm stall?
 
BIG-B-Barracuda said:
Chrysler 727 torque converter.


its got parts from different cars
440 1973 CHARGER
727 TRANS. - UNKNOWN
Click to expand...
A couple of questions for you.
What size is the ring gear, 1/2" wide or 1" wide. If it's a stock converter it will tell me if it's a 12" or an 11" converter.
I take it you don't have the converter out, but can you tell if it's a painted on non-painted converter. If it's been painted, it's been probably rebuilt sometime in it's life, if it's not painted it's an original factory. When you get the converter out, post any information that you may find on the converter (painted numbers on it) or any stamping numbers. Even better, take a couple of photos of it and post them. I might be able to give you more information.
As far as a high stall goes, you may or may not need one. It all depends if the engine is stock or has been modified to up the HP & Torque.
If the converter is a stock unit(for a 440 engine), it is in all likelihood a 12" unit with the 1/2" narrow ring gear, and it's stall speed is between 1900 and 2200 RPM.
 
Last edited:
TF trans all had ring gear welded to convertor. You can physically remove the ring gear with a grinder, heat and a hammer. Its spot welded and can be serviced by grinding the welds, heating up and knocking it off. You install the new ring gear the same way: heat the ring with a torch to expand it slightly, and then quickly install it on the smoothed ring gear race. It will cinch on with the contraction of the cooling ring gear then you tack weld it in a few places. Now why you broke a tooth is suspect to possibly a bad pinion gear on the old starter or a loose starter. flexplates on a TF are usually a 4 bolt spider looking thing that are physically smaller then the torque convertor, sort of underbuilt looking as its just a stamping of the 6 bolt crank flange out to a 4 bolt mount for the convertor. When installing a convertor, the unit will physically push onto the spline, but will not be seated until you rotate and it drops into the pump sprags, about another inch. The fully seated convertor will be about 3/4 inch below the mounting flange of the trans bell. This allows you to install the trans with the convertor attached to the trans without it being bolted to the motors flexplate. it allows you to turn the convertor to match the flexplate pattern (only one way as the holes are not symmetrical) and then slide it in, forward the length of the convertor studs.
20170705_100748.jpg
 
It didnt have the cover plate on before - so might have gotten something in there then started up?

or bad starter like you said possibly?
 
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