Torque Converter Pushing Thrust Bearing

The front pump had a restriction behind the stator support (reaction shaft) tube causing a pressure build-up and a forward push. This will and did destroy the initial thrust bearing and crankshaft. The video is made with a new crank and bearing with minimal endplay. The movement is the flex plate flexing until the converter bottoms in the crankshaft. (edited on March 16, 2011 - Once I opened up the restriction, the forward push went away and all is well with the thrust bearing after years of racing)

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Torque
• Converter
• Pushing
• Thrust
• Bearing

[nickyjam770]

cheap ebay/tci converter

[Billydelrio273]

@nickyjam770

No, it was not an ebay converter nor was it a TCI connverter. The problem was a restriction in the transmission, not the Hughes converter.

[wannascme]

wow are you guys dumb that's a bad trust bearing in the engine any mechanic would tell you that

[Billydelrio273]

Actually, the narration of the video stated that the thrust bearing was new and the endplay was minimum. All of the movement was the flexplate bending, not the crankshaft moving. That exact thrust bearing went on to win three consecutive championships and is still in the eninge, so I am sure it is not bad.

[deztructo123]

@Billydelrio273 yeah its a bold call saying its end float based on that vid, especially since a flex plate is so thin and AMAZINGLY it flexes.....

[Billydelrio273]

@deztructo123

Hi. By end float I guess you mean the freedom of the converter to flex/float forward until it bottoms in the crankshaft.  Yes, the flex plate is thin, but nearly twice as thick as a stock plate. The idea I ment to express was not that the flex plate was flexing, but that the converter was pushing forward hard enough to flex the plate until the converter bottomed out in the crankshaft. The crankshaft was not moving forward in that video, please trust me on that.

[capncrunchalot]

Motor sounds bad ass!

[CoolasIce2]

@kenfo0 Fletch. lol

[revscott58]

WHAT IS INTERESTING TO ME IS THAT SO MANY TIMES I HAVE HEARD OF TORQUE CONVERTER BALLOONING AND CAUSING THRUST BEARING FAILURE AND I SEE NO BALLOONING IN THIS VID. JUST THE HIGH TORQUE CONVERTER PRESSURE PUSHING CONVERTER FORWARD INTO CRANKSHAFT. I HAVE YET TO SEE CREDIBLE EVIDENCE OF SO CALLED BALLOONING. NOT TO SAY IT CAN'T HAPPEN. I'M SURE TORQUE CONVERTERS HAVE EXPLODED BEFORE AND IT MUST HAVE BEEN ON SEVERE OR RACING APPLICATION. CONVERTER SHELLS SEEM PRETTEY STRONG TO ME.

[urbex2007]

I found that interesting as I am fascinated the way a torque convertor works! The way oil from one plate to another can move a car at speed is great. I have always driven manual cars but m moving towards the VW/SKODA DSG or Ford DCT system. I think they also have some form of torque convertor.

I've never seen a convertor running before, only a demo of people saying how they think it works.

[texasengine]

The design of a thrust bearing is such that it can handle a only tiny fraction of the load that a typical radial bearing (like a rod or main bearing) can withstand. Unlike the radial bearing, there is no oil wedge being created by a thrust bearing to help it survive high bearing loads. Great video Billydelrio273. THANKS FOR POSTING IT!!

[texasengine]

Billydelrio273 knows his shit and if you doubters would listen to him you might actually learn something. Ive been building engines professionally for 15 years and have seen several thrust failures and most were caused by a restriction in the trans, trans cooler or cooler lines that would cause excessive pressure to build up behind converter. The converter acts just like a hydraulic cylinder with the trans constantly pushing it forward. The higher the pressure the more force on thrust bearing..

[kenfo0]

are you sure it wasn't the 7th fetzer valve? looked like a tremendous build up of gook...crud. I could fix it if I had some 40 weight oil and ball bearings.

[superman7052]

@wsmikey if you do that the fluid will drain back in the pan. there is a reason the one way valve is there. i have a $3000 bill to prove it.

[BigPun501]

Check check ball.

[TestECull]

Pretty easy to avoid. Just use a manual transmission. :p

[nickyjam770]

@Billydelrio273 throw that shit away