Torque converter weight conundrum!

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j par

j par

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I've already posted about this little issue on my thread about a more purposeful truck, but before I make a move here I will kind of want to put this out to some of the work transmission minded gurus and non gurus with an opinion LOL.
So here's a little low down I bought a 360 Truck motor and automatic transmission 727 of course connected to a transfer case. The motor and transmission have obviously been tampered with rebuilt and definitely by people who didn't seem to know what they were doing. The guy I got it from said he bought the truck running and drove it home and seem to run just fine. It was rust bucket and got rid of the body. I get it home put the motor on the motor stand and noticed there's no weights on the torque converter? The harmonic balancer is definitely a 360 harmonic balancer. So far knocked the weights off a 904 torque converter I had in my shed. Now I plan to weld these weights about a pinkies with from either side of the drain plug? My question kind of is has anyone seen these weights anywhere else on a torque converter besides where the drain plug should be if there wasn't one or on either side of the drain plug? I just know that this thing must have to have the weights it's a 360 for crying out loud it goes against everything anybody knows. Thank you for anything ya got....
 
The 727 book (cant remember the publisher right now) shows the weight sizes and location for different applications. Let me know if you need it and I will send you a copy of the diagram.

I have done exactly what you are describing with good results.

Cheers
 
A lot of them have the one large weight from the factory...
s-l1000.jpg
 
Myself, and I think we've already discussed this, but I would have your flex plate balanced.
  • J par, calm down, I know, weights are 5 bucks and you can do it yourself! why spend 80? :D
I've just found that, down the road, if you EVER want to throw a 318 magnum in there, or some other swap, you'll not have to mess with the converter. Just pull the 360, and drop the next in. On my 360 Duster, I had the flex plate balanced. I don't include the torque converter on motor swaps. (I did, however, buy a new 360 converter with the tranny rebuild on the ramcharger, but that is not how I normally do it)
 
I would probably just spend the money for the B&M flexplate. I bought a 73 360 from a truck with an 833 behind it and discovered the wrong flywheel on it when I took the trans off. I pulled the pan and discovered a spun main. I am not saying the balance caused this but you may want to check bearings before running it.
 
318willrun said:
Myself, and I think we've already discussed this, but I would have your flex plate balanced.
  • J par, calm down, I know, weights are 5 bucks and you can do it yourself! why spend 80? :D
I've just found that, down the road, if you EVER want to throw a 318 magnum in there, or some other swap, you'll not have to mess with the converter. Just pull the 360, and drop the next in. On my 360 Duster, I had the flex plate balanced. I don't include the torque converter on motor swaps. (I did, however, buy a new 360 converter with the tranny rebuild on the ramcharger, but that is not how I normally do it)
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Yes as I mentioned at the beginning of this thread that most of this has been discussed and that a little more info is needed, well for example the exact location. That b&m flex plate is $101 and a new torque converter is $89. I'm hoping knocking those weights off the 904 and welding them to the 727 will cost me $00.00 :D thanks for the help as always...
 
chryslerfat said:
I would probably just spend the money for the B&M flexplate. I bought a 73 360 from a truck with an 833 behind it and discovered the wrong flywheel on it when I took the trans off. I pulled the pan and discovered a spun main. I am not saying the balance caused this but you may want to check bearings before running it.
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Too late, it's (Lord willing) going in today.
 
j par said:
Yes as I mentioned at the beginning of this thread that most of this has been discussed and that a little more info is needed, well for example the exact location. That b&m flex plate is $101 and a new torque converter is $89. I'm hoping knocking those weights off the 904 and welding them to the 727 will cost me $00.00 :D thanks for the help as always...
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Just for future reference, I've never bought a B&M flex plate. I've always had mine balanced from a good machine shop. I believe I paid 45-50 bucks. I'm down to the last one, the one in my Duster.
  • ever hear "measure twice, cut once" ? If you end up with a small vibration, you'll have the fun choice of.... pulling a motor that just went in, or backing a tranny/4x4 transfer case.... I always ask "what's the cost doing it again"?
  • But i'm sure it will work out for ya, at least I'm hoping (for real).
 
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318willrun said:
Just for future reference, I've never bought a B&M flex plate. I've always had mine balanced from a good machine shop. I believe I paid 45-50 bucks. I'm down to the last one, the one in my Duster.
  • ever hear "measure twice, cut once" ? If you end up with a small vibration, you'll have the fun choice of.... pulling a motor that just went in, or backing a tranny/4x4 transfer case.... I always ask "what's the cost doing it again"?
  • But i'm sure it will work out for ya, at least I'm hoping (for real).
Click to expand...
Well since there's no weights or wasn't any weights on it at all! This is going to be a vast Improvement or a complete disaster anyways. If for some chance I get those weights (identical weights that came off a 360) in the wrong spot by a millimeter or two it's got to be a vast Improvement off of not having any weights at all?
 
The plan is to put a small tack weld on the side towards the center of the torque converter and a couple of good fat tack welds on the flywheel ring teeth side. Again this had no weights on it and was reported to run fine. So there's a chance I could have to take these back off? LOL so if I have to I would be able to grind the welds on the T side and just pry back and forth to get the small tack weld on the back side broke off. Again this is all a big crap shoot as this motor and everything is untested by me. I fully expect to be pulling this motor either back out quickly for a big bottom end knock or something or at least this summer when I redo pretty much the entire drive train of the truck.
 
Is your 727 convertor the same diameter as the one in post #4, the higher stall style. If not the 904 weights wont have the right mass for use with the larger diameter (low stall) 727 convertor. Also do not use the drain bung as a guide line for where to put the weights, there is no saying as to who put it in what location (clocking) considering that usually adding this drain was done at a rebuilder/ convertor cleaning/ flush technique. Find another example to compare to and use TDC on the front as a guideline to more accurately judge where these weights need to go.
 
j par said:
The plan is to put a small tack weld on the side towards the center of the torque converter and a couple of good fat tack welds on the flywheel ring teeth side. Again this had no weights on it and was reported to run fine. So there's a chance I could have to take these back off? LOL so if I have to I would be able to grind the welds on the T side and just pry back and forth to get the small tack weld on the back side broke off. Again this is all a big crap shoot as this motor and everything is untested by me. I fully expect to be pulling this motor either back out quickly for a big bottom end knock or something or at least this summer when I redo pretty much the entire drive train of the truck.
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LOL..... I bet somebody put a 360 where a 318 was...... My my my.... you keep your life interesting :D
 
Max1196 said:
Is your 727 convertor the same diameter as the one in post #4, the higher stall style. If not the 904 weights wont have the right mass for use with the larger diameter (low stall) 727 convertor. Also do not use the drain bung as a guide line for where to put the weights, there is no saying as to who put it in what location (clocking) considering that usually adding this drain was done at a rebuilder/ convertor cleaning/ flush technique. Find another example to compare to and use TDC on the front as a guideline to more accurately judge where these weights need to go.
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Agreed. You gotta clock to the crank, not the aftermarket torque converter.
 
Max1196 said:
Is your 727 convertor the same diameter as the one in post #4, the higher stall style. If not the 904 weights wont have the right mass for use with the larger diameter (low stall) 727 convertor. Also do not use the drain bung as a guide line for where to put the weights, there is no saying as to who put it in what location (clocking) considering that usually adding this drain was done at a rebuilder/ convertor cleaning/ flush technique. Find another example to compare to and use TDC on the front as a guideline to more accurately judge where these weights need to go.
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As I understand it some years had a drain plug and some years didn't. And I was wondering this exact same thing myself. That's why I was asking the question has anybody seen a weight set up that wasn't near the drain plug and has a drain plug in a different area and the weights in a different area? I just haven't?
 
j par said:
As I understand it some years had a drain plug and some years didn't. And I was wondering this exact same thing myself. That's why I was asking the question has anybody seen a weight set up that wasn't near the drain plug and has a drain plug in a different area and the weights in a different area? I just haven't?
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I cant help with where the weights go, but here is some information that might help.
Narrow ring gear up to 1976> Two weights: 1.62" x .75" x .380"
Wide ring gear up to 1976> Two weights: 1.62' x .75" x .380"
Wide ring gear 1977 - up> Single large triangle weight as shown in the photo above. Weight of 120 Grams
Above are for NON-LOCKUP converters.
Weights from what information I have, the 904 - 727 use the same weights. There is no difference.
Above information is for the 360 engine. 225 - 318 engine> No weights either on a 904 or 727 converter.
If the weights are not placed properly converter could/will be out of balance. In our converter shop we had 2 converter balancing machines so our guy knew exactly were the weights needed to be placed if for some reason the factory weight was there or you wanted to make a 225-318 converter work with a 360.
Hope this helps.
Little more information I just found.
383 and 400 from 67 to 77 (steel crank) also no weights, narrow ring gear.
 
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d55dave said:
And more. The weight location os referenced by the one offset mounting lug as noted

View attachment 1715126323
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This is all great help and I'm actually at this very moment ready to weld these on I'm not sure which measurement to go with cuz I'm not sure which weights these are are they the 50 or the 60 gram weights? Thank you for all your help also these charges are very helpful and this is kind of why I started this tried to get a little bit more exact thank you very much!
 
d55dave said:
Looks like I cut off the notes column in the first pic. Let me know if you want me to resend it.
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Yes just a closer picture of that Note 2 so I can blow it up on my phone and read the numbers please thank you so much!
 
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