rebuild a torque converter?

[Dragonbat13]

Are shops still doing rebuilds? I got an old converter that came out of a 340 car. Supposed to be a high stall converter. I know its not much of a converter, but it will get my car going.

Problem is that its been sitting for something like ten years in the corner of the shop. At one time it was full of ATF, but who knows whats in it now.

Should I,
A: try to wash it out with a few quarts of cheap auto tranny fluid, as in fill it up and dump it out.
B: Get it rebuilt?
C: Throw it away and buy a cheap off the shelf?

 

[66fs]

Should be good. A good shop can flush the convertor for you. Use as is, the early convertors also had a drain plug.

 

[Dragonbat13]

Thanks. Thats what I was hoping. Shouldnt be an issue finding a shop that can flush it out.

I cant remember if it had a drain plug or not. But Ill let the shop handle all of that stuff.

Thanks again.

 

[transman]

Check the converter hub also for any indication of rust and/or indication of groves or wear. The hub must be mirror smooth just like a crank journal or you'll have problems. Seal leaks for sure, and possibiley taking out the pump bushing.

At one time flushing machines were in a lot of transmission shops, but with the advent of the lockup converter, flushing machines became obsolete. No flushing machine could clean out a lockup converter properly and all the shops I called upon when I worked in the industry got rid of them.

I don't think that converter flushing machines are even built any more.

 

[69B-Cuda]

I flushed my own..... used a vacuum pump (mighty-mite brake bleeder) to suck everything out.... used gas to get it real clean then followed with trans fluid a couple of times then put it in.

 

[DFX 340 Duster]

X2 on the flushing machines being gone. I was given a 727 tranny and torque converter by a friend. It had been sitting outside under plastic for 4 years. I took them to a local tranny shop that is now owned and operated by the son of the original owner. He is in his 50s and still works on all types of older transmissions as well as modern ones. He told me to drain and refill the torque converter twice with fresh fluid before using it. I asked him about rotating the inner shaft to make sure I flushed it entirely and he said that if I had the correct tool to do it then do it but that it required some effort to turn. He told me wasn't neccessary.

 

[transman]

Keep in mind the BEST cleaner is hot atf. It'll clean out all the nooks and crannies, but you need it 170+ degrees, well beyond the DIY guy.