Just out of curiosity, what would happen to a slant six engine if a balanced torque converter were to be put behind the engine. I just had to have my A904 rebuild and the shop that it took it to also put a new torque converter in. Before when the transmission gave out the engine was running perfectly but now it's running like it was before I had to do a complete engine rebuild. It's not overheating. It is seriously lacking in the horsepower that was in the car before these guys got a hold of it. I drove it about 10-15 miles home and I was hearing a metallic squeal in the engine by the time I got the car to the garage. Would a torque converter that has counter weights welded on it have this effect or a similar effect on an otherwise perfect 225 slant six?

Here is some additional information. The car is also shaking violently at the mid range RPM's right now while in gear. This is something new. The engine was not doing this at all when the transmission broke down. Is there any advise or insight on this situation that anyone would be willing to share?

No. It would shake but performance would be pretty normal.

What caused the trans failure? I have done a few trans jobs only to find out on start up the engine had been wrecked too.

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Official Cookie and Mater Tormentor.

The torque converter coupler broke off and ground into to trans pump

As for the squealing noise, remove the tin plate that covers the converter and check to make sure it was not rubbing anywhere and all the converter bolts are tight.

Poor performance could be as simple as a plug wire off maybe.

Without having the vehicle to look at it is all a guessing game.

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Official Cookie and Mater Tormentor.

I'll double check the bolts and check for rubbing on the converter. I'd hope everything is kosher coming out of a reputable transmission shop that is nationally accredited. Right now I'm just hoping I don't need to rebuild the engine again when it has less than 1,000 miles on the engine. This thing was puring like a kitten when the torque converter coupler broke off in the transmission.

I don't know how the US market work regarding warranty on an overhaul job. Over here, before anything more is done, I would take the car to the tranny shop, let them feel and listen during a test drive (with you in the car), and then let them make a suggestion on how to proceed to find out what's wrong.
DON'T DRIVE without knowing what causes noise and vibrations, you may hurt the transmission or the engine.

My 2¢.

Olaf

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Aspenized

I agree with Olafla. However, my torque converter started making noise when I installed the inspection plate after a quiet test drive without the inspection plate installed. I had to bend the plate to get it to clear the flex plate/converter bolts. There is VERY little clearance in there. If removing the cover quiets things down, look for the performance problems in standard engine trouble shooting fashion.

While the inspection plate is off, check the bolts to see if they are tight.

Sam

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If the engine ran fine before the transmission shop "fixed" the transmission but the engine now run poorly, then something the transmission shop did is wrong. I have been burned badly by transmission shops. I would give them one more chance to fix whatever they did and then walk away.

The 904 is a very simple trans to rebuild and can be rebuilt for under $300, including a new torque converter. When I taught myself how to rebuild 904s I ended up rebuilding three of them for under $200. Two now work great and the third is still waiting under my workbench to be installed in a vehicle (someday).

The slant six torque converter should have no weights. Adding weights would cause a shudder. The poor performance could very well be due to a low fluid condition or a misadjusted kick down linkage or misadjusted bands. If the shop put the wrong converter in the trans then I wouldn't trust them to rebuild the inside correctly either.

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Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.

The 360 is externally balanced, but if I recall that is done with the flex plate. Are you certain weights are not sometimes required to neutral balance the Torque converter?

Sam

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Don't recall ever seeing weights on a slant 904 or 727 converter. Slants and 318s can use the same converter. I could be wrong, but I don't believe that slants used weighted torque converters. If the torque converter itself is not neutrally balanced, then the converter may need a weight (just like a week weight on a rim), but i do not believe that slant sixes need weighted torque converters per se.

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Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.

Reed,

You've probably never owned a 360 have you?

The cast crank V8s excepting the 318 (all 360s, many 400s and 440s) had weighted torque converters or un-balanced flywheels. The weighted flex plates are aftermarket parts. If there is a weight on a neutral balance torque converter it should be rather small like the washers they weld to driveshafts. If there is a substantial rectangular weight or a pair of such then it's the wrong torque converter.

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Joshua

Yeah, I've owned 360s. I knew they used different torque converters than the 318s. That's why I was saying there should be no weights on the slant converter.

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Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.

Sorry, misread the first sentence of your last post.

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Joshua

Original poster here... Found out what the high pitched metal squeal was, the sleeve on the middle crankshaft pulley completely came apart and is now AWOL. Also found that most of the valves were a little loose and that coolant was getting into the oil and the combustion chamber. I pulled the manifold bolts and resealed the manifold bolts, changed the oil, filter, spark plugs, and the PVC valve. Do I have to worry about that coolant causing serious damage inside the engine block? It didn't seem like much go in there because my reservoir was still fairly full.