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FE Power Forums => FE Technical Forum => Topic started by: sideoilercat on June 02, 2020, 08:56:04 PM

Title: Torque converter balooning, can you feel it happining?
Post by: sideoilercat on June 02, 2020, 08:56:04 PM: I know about the damage, but can you notice a power loss or binding sensation and does it return to normal shape after?
Thanks.
JK.
Title: Re: Torque converter balooning, can you feel it happining?
Post by: 57 lima bean on June 02, 2020, 11:54:37 PM: No
Title: Re: Torque converter balooning, can you feel it happining?
Post by: sideoilercat on June 03, 2020, 09:26:27 PM: Thanks
Title: Re: Torque converter balooning, can you feel it happining?
Post by: drdano on June 03, 2020, 10:16:04 PM: A friend who had one balloon in his OT-455 powered lead sled said the motor started running real funny after a big burnout, power loss and then finding debris in the oil. He knew something was up immediately, but didn't figure out the ballooning part until the motor was all pulled apart and they went looking for why the thrust surfaces were all wiped out.
Title: Re: Torque converter balooning, can you feel it happining?
Post by: Falcon67 on June 04, 2020, 08:12:10 AM: That would be my concern - thrust bearing damage. And that might not show up for a while, depending. I had a race motor lose the thrust bearing and ate a 0.100 groove in the crank, car ran the number every pass until one pass where it laid down like someone grabbed the back bumper. Pulled the motor down, it had over .120 of crank end play (started at .008) but what shut it down with the counterweights rubbing the main webs when trans internal pressure moved the converter/crank assembly forward and took up the slack in the engine. Had the converter looked at, it was undamaged and not ballooned, so the whole thing was likely some initial damage on the thrust surface that happened during extensive crank re-work before assembly. Took two race seasons for the problem to show up.
Title: Re: Torque converter balooning, can you feel it happining?
Post by: fekbmax on June 04, 2020, 10:03:26 AM: A badly ballooned converter normally will take the converter snout out of true and wipe out the front pump seal at best or the whole pump at worst.