Have you got an SP torque converter installed in it?
Even if you don't have you checked the torque converter?
We have been having major vibration issues and after spend major coin on replacing parts and a tonne more cash on labour to investigate what could be causing it here is what was found...
We figured that it may be the torque converter and after looking at it found that it was never balanced so I paid to have it sent back to the shop who inturn had their builder check it over and supposedly go through it thoroughly. It arrives back after a few weeks and gets reinstalled and the vibration is still there just not as harsh now. My guy checks over the torque converter to find that it had finally been balanced which before returning it there were no markings of any balancing having been done to it and now there are. Plus the new bushing.
Okay so isn't the fact that you send a torque converter out without balancing it a major F&@% up? Now they get a chance to supposedly go over it again to examine what may be causing the vibration and all they do is balance it and replace the bushing. My guy figures that since the builder has gone through it and probably wants to make certain that both his reputation and that of SP isn't tarnished that it would be 100% perfect before letting it back out a second time...WRONG! The vibration was caused by the torque converter as was the engine damage. So now 3 months wasted, $500+ in parts bought unneccessarily, and major $$$ spent trying to figure out their mistake you'd think someone would have something to say. Email sent Monday and no reply yet.
Here's what my guy said to me about it:
Good news Jim! Well...in a way. I FINALLY figured out the REAL culprit for all this destruction! It all started with my friend looking through the transmission closely. He told me that everything looked fine except the front pump bushing where the converter slides into. So, I inspected the bushing and sure enough, it was in HORRIBLE shape for being brand new. So, with that being said, I decided to check your SP converter for an out of round/concentric condition. Sure enough, I found that the part of the converter that inserts into the crankshaft is upwards of .050" inch out of being concentric with the hub that inserts into the transmission! Now with the standard journal/Babbitt style oiled bearing typically you don't want more than .003"inch of clearance for oil to provide an adequate cusion. Taking that into consideration, add .050"inch to that equation and no wonder it feels like the thing is going to explode!
Anyways, you catch my drift. I guess I gave SP's converter guy the bennefit of the doubt...since this is one of the more crucial aspects of building these things. I have attached a youtube link to a video of my findings. Please feel free to forward it to SP.
http://youtu.be/Ws1H01Yp7oQ
Brandon
How could this have happened?
Isn't a test done before a built high stall torque converter leaves the builders shop or the retailer?
Do any of you other people with vibration issues happen to have an SP torque converter installed in your car?
