Quote theg1ft:
"Torque converter suspected damage, seals definitely leaking, talk of pressure loss. Unsure about the state of the pump. Sound like a nightmare to you?"
No... not a nightmare,,, but you might want to start searching for a good reman tranny.
Torque converter only has 2 moving parts. The outer shell, (with starter ring gear that bolts to engine through some method), with a slotted "nose" that engages the pump slots... and an internal part that slides on the transmission input shaft. Torque converter works like 2 fans pushing against each other... using vanes instead of blades. The vanes in the shell... push the vanes of the inner part, (using the tranny fluid), multiplying the torque.
Back to the slots. The slots on the shell nose that interlock with the pump... pressurize the trans pump,,, sending fluid through the internals of the transmission... lubricating all bearings and clutches,,, plus moving fluid through the valve body in which fluid is diverted through many ports controlled by small springs and pistons, (and nowadays,,, the shift solenoid).
This is the basics.
When the bearings on the input shaft of the tranny start to go, (through abuse, improper fluid changes, or wear) this causes a small "wobbling" of the internal part of the torque converter. Over time,,, that small "wobbling" further increases wear on the internal rotating parts within the transmission.
At the same time... wear on the rotating assembly of the engine, (and the crank bearings themselves), causes the same small "wobble" on the outer shell of the torque converter,,, of which the slotted "nose" of the torque converter shell fits into the pump... which has a seal and bushing. The seal leaking,,, is ususally, (but not always), a sign of the pump bushing being worn enough to not keep the torque converter nose "centered".
Again... if the seal is leaking,,, then most likely the pump bushing is shot... either due to normal wear or abuse,,, depending on mileage and/or poor maintenance.
I've replaced a few pump seals and bushings over the years. In many cases,,, it bought quite a bit of time on the trans. If your leak is just a slight drip,,, you might be able to get a way with some minor parts replacement. If your tranny is pi$$ing fluid out the front,,, then it's definitely time to consider a good quality reman.
There's a guy in a recent thread,,, that had his trans rebuilt... and reported back that it had a small vibration in the first couple gears. This tells me that whoever rebuilt the trans... replaced major components,,, but didn't do a full teardown to the housing to replace ALL bearings in the trans... so the trans will have a short overall life
If you decide to let the guys you went to,,, rebuild your trans... ask them what all they are going to replace. If they don't mention any shaft bearings,,, ask how much more to replace them. The price on the rebuild may jump a bit. If they don't mention any kind of overdrive planetary assembly,,, ask how much more for that. Worst case scenario,,, the housing is shot... so bearings won't make a difference... and the trans isn't worth rebuilding.
Not trying to scare you... but make you informed. Ask questions as to what is included in the rebuild, (if needed),,, and what warranty you get.
