Some transmission work
Apr 20, 2010 | 09:59 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 286
Likes: 0
From: Arizona
Some transmission work
Hey Guys,
When I did my engine swap, I worked at a parts house that distributed Dacco trans parts. So, I had dacco make me a torque converter for my conversion engine swap ('04 4L60E LS trans - '86 to '95 one piece rear SBC), because I got it at cost.
Well. After 1.5 years of daily driving, hard accelerations, drag racing, burnouts and all around general misuse. The torque converter was finally beginning to have some issues. The torque converter clutch was beginning to slip, and gradually was getting worse. It eventually failed all together and wouldn't engage.
My initial intention was to replace the torque converter all together. I never was happy with the driveability & street manners of this converter. It was supposed to flash stall around 2800-3200rpm, but I was seeing 3500-4000rpm stall. It acted like it had no STR and under light acceleration the engine would rev to high hell to barely move the truck. As if the converter was just turning the engine power into heat instead of transferring it down the drivetrain. I would also see as much as 15% of slip at 6000rpm.
I contacted several transmission components/torque converter manufacturers to see if I couldn't get a better converter made that would work behind my SBC. (Oh, and I am working with a strict budget. I've taken some big financial hits as of recently, and I'm still trying to recover from 2009) Of the TC companies that actually got back to me. Including Chris @ Circle D (Thank you for all of your help, I'm sorry we couldn't of made it work) We were having some difficulty actually getting the right dimensions to have the proper TC made and still work within my budget. The other suggestion was to take the current TC and have it rebuilt. But, seeing as this is my daily driver I was hoping I could simply drop the trans and swap parts and get it back together with the quickness.
After driving the truck for a few days with no TCC, and paying close attention to my trans temps. I was beginning to get a very hot smell in the cab and decided it was time to get this torque converter issue handled.
Seeing that the current Dacco converter was going to need to get rebuilt, I opted for a local Phoenix transmission company. Road Runner transmissions. The converter went down to Road Runner, it received a smaller stator to better match the pump and a carbon fiber TCC lining. The converter should now stall around 2800-2900, and I'll just have to wait and see if it has any better street manners.
In the downtime while waiting for the TC with the trans was out of the truck. There was no better time than now to install the Transgo HD-2c shift kit & Corvette servo I've had sitting on the shelf for months.
The converter makes it's way back, the trans is put back together and installed back into the truck
Since the drivers side exhaust crossover was cut to drop the trans, I wrapped it up with some header wrap to further help any unwanted heat near the trans. Hopefully with the newly rebuilt converter with a slightly lower stall, Tru-Cool mini max aux trans cooler, Derale deep trans pan with colling tubes, Synthetic trans fluid and wrapped exhaust I should be able to keep the trans temps down while we get into the hot Az summer months.
On the test drive late yesterday afternoon, one of the trans cooler lines on the radiator side split and the truck needed to get towed back to the shop. The trans lines will get repaired today, and after a week's downtime I'll have my truck back on the road and driving.... until the next thing breaks.
Cheers ~Mykk
When I did my engine swap, I worked at a parts house that distributed Dacco trans parts. So, I had dacco make me a torque converter for my conversion engine swap ('04 4L60E LS trans - '86 to '95 one piece rear SBC), because I got it at cost.
Well. After 1.5 years of daily driving, hard accelerations, drag racing, burnouts and all around general misuse. The torque converter was finally beginning to have some issues. The torque converter clutch was beginning to slip, and gradually was getting worse. It eventually failed all together and wouldn't engage.
My initial intention was to replace the torque converter all together. I never was happy with the driveability & street manners of this converter. It was supposed to flash stall around 2800-3200rpm, but I was seeing 3500-4000rpm stall. It acted like it had no STR and under light acceleration the engine would rev to high hell to barely move the truck. As if the converter was just turning the engine power into heat instead of transferring it down the drivetrain. I would also see as much as 15% of slip at 6000rpm.
I contacted several transmission components/torque converter manufacturers to see if I couldn't get a better converter made that would work behind my SBC. (Oh, and I am working with a strict budget. I've taken some big financial hits as of recently, and I'm still trying to recover from 2009) Of the TC companies that actually got back to me. Including Chris @ Circle D (Thank you for all of your help, I'm sorry we couldn't of made it work) We were having some difficulty actually getting the right dimensions to have the proper TC made and still work within my budget. The other suggestion was to take the current TC and have it rebuilt. But, seeing as this is my daily driver I was hoping I could simply drop the trans and swap parts and get it back together with the quickness.
After driving the truck for a few days with no TCC, and paying close attention to my trans temps. I was beginning to get a very hot smell in the cab and decided it was time to get this torque converter issue handled.
Seeing that the current Dacco converter was going to need to get rebuilt, I opted for a local Phoenix transmission company. Road Runner transmissions. The converter went down to Road Runner, it received a smaller stator to better match the pump and a carbon fiber TCC lining. The converter should now stall around 2800-2900, and I'll just have to wait and see if it has any better street manners.
In the downtime while waiting for the TC with the trans was out of the truck. There was no better time than now to install the Transgo HD-2c shift kit & Corvette servo I've had sitting on the shelf for months.
The converter makes it's way back, the trans is put back together and installed back into the truck
Since the drivers side exhaust crossover was cut to drop the trans, I wrapped it up with some header wrap to further help any unwanted heat near the trans. Hopefully with the newly rebuilt converter with a slightly lower stall, Tru-Cool mini max aux trans cooler, Derale deep trans pan with colling tubes, Synthetic trans fluid and wrapped exhaust I should be able to keep the trans temps down while we get into the hot Az summer months.
On the test drive late yesterday afternoon, one of the trans cooler lines on the radiator side split and the truck needed to get towed back to the shop. The trans lines will get repaired today, and after a week's downtime I'll have my truck back on the road and driving.... until the next thing breaks.
Cheers ~Mykk
Apr 20, 2010 | 10:58 PM
#3
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 286
Likes: 0
From: Arizona
The truck is back on the ground, I'm am really pleased with how the torque converter behaves on the street now. It flash stalls enough to build power, yet is tight enough to cruise around town around 1900rpm with the TCC unlocked.
The shift kit & vette servo are highly noticeable. Since I manually shift the 4L60E via a B&M megashifter, the delay between hitting the shifter and when the trans actually shifts has virtually disappeared. The 1-2 shift is harsh, under hard acceleration it's perfect. But low throttle driving it'll shake you in the cab pretty good.
The trans act's like a completely new beast now. I've got to be careful, too much throttle on a turn and it will pitch the truck sideways and if I goose it from a stop it'll just spin and fishtail.
As soon as I get some sort of traction bars on this truck to control the axle wrap & wheel hop, I can't wait to get back down to the drag strip for some new ET's
The shift kit & vette servo are highly noticeable. Since I manually shift the 4L60E via a B&M megashifter, the delay between hitting the shifter and when the trans actually shifts has virtually disappeared. The 1-2 shift is harsh, under hard acceleration it's perfect. But low throttle driving it'll shake you in the cab pretty good.
The trans act's like a completely new beast now. I've got to be careful, too much throttle on a turn and it will pitch the truck sideways and if I goose it from a stop it'll just spin and fishtail.
As soon as I get some sort of traction bars on this truck to control the axle wrap & wheel hop, I can't wait to get back down to the drag strip for some new ET's
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