Question for you guys

[oldhemiguy]

Thanks all you guys for help my mystery car that I bought I know now is a 360 727 trans just noticed 2 washers between the torque converter and the flex plate I always had big block stuff don't think its right am I right Its in the 68 barracuda I bought

 

[Garrett Ellison]

It’s for spacing the torque converter the proper amount on the front pump drive. It has to have around .100 inch or so (there’s specs for each application, consult factory service manual) of gap between the torque converter and flex plate ( measured with the converter fully seated into the transmission) to give the plate and converter room to flex and/or expand without bottoming out into the pump drive. If it bottoms out excessively, it will wipe out the front pump and probably mess up end play through the transmission.

 

[George Jets]

You might be surprised, but they probably shimmed back the torque converter because it had a groove in it from the oil seal wearing into it.

Shim the converter back a bit to get onto a new piece of meat on the converter input shaft so the oil seal will seal again.

Would not surprise me.

☆☆☆☆☆

 

[Max1196]

How about starter motor engagement. That would be affected too.

 

[CudaFactHackJob]

2 washers is a lot. You have to consider crank end play when you space a converter. When the trans is installed, if the converter is too far back (large gap between the converter and flexplate) it can fall out of the crank pilot hole. But, if the crank is towards the front of its endplay when the spacers are installed, then the converter can move rearward and grind into the pump; not good. So; make sure the crank is all the way rearward when you push the converter rearward, before you decide on how many washers to insert. This type of a situation can arise when a stickshift car is converted to automatic; because the throughout bearing presses against the pressure plate; pushing the crank against the back of the thrust main bearing; wearing it out, and causing excessive crank endplay. So; the happy medium is a converter that won't disengage with the pump when the crank walks forward, but also won't dig into the pump when the crank walks back. All the while making sure that the converter isn't spaced so far back that it falls out of the crank; right..

 

[Oldmanmopar]

The converter is pushed forward under pressure. One reason the crank thrust bearing wears in the rear foot braking a car. They may have added the washers because the thrust bearing is wore. This will prevent the converter from coming to far forward under pressure.

Many things to consider here for the reason of the washers and all responses so far could be correct. In all my years never installed washers behind the flex plate. I also never removed one with washers in there.

 

[Duster346]

Thanks all you guys for help my mystery car that I bought I know now is a 360 727 trans just noticed 2 washers between the torque converter and the flex plate I always had big block stuff don't think its right am I right Its in the 68 barracuda I bought

You are right. It is not correct. There should be no washers or shims in between your flexplate and torque converter on that car.

 

[Bewy]

There is always going to be a stack up of manufacturing tolerances. With TC engagement with the trans pump, there are a LOT of players that can add up to a sizeable gap, just because of extremes in the tolerances adding up.
Another possibility is the flex plate has bent; hence a large gap.
.

 

[Bakerlite]

I'd have to check, and I may be wrong, but from memory it's the center crank register that stops the converter from moving forward under pressure. Sure you could put washers between the plate and converter, but who's to say the plate won't just flex under load until the converter contacts the crank?