Re: [Chrysler300] 300F torque converter problem?

I just found out that the place that I knew about that rebuilt torque converters no longer does them. Good thing Tom got his from Jeff. I agree with Jeff on the converters. It’s better to find a good used one than put in a bad rebuild and have to do it twice.

Don Verity

From: Tom Cox

Sent: Monday, September 30, 2013 12:43 PM

To: 'Patrick Meehan' ; chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Subject: RE: [Chrysler300] 300F torque converter problem?

Patrick,

I drove my F to the Virginia from SC meet and as we approached the meeting hotel (2 miles away) my transmission totally failed. Turns out (according to the experts at the meet), it was due to a defective torque converter. I had the car towed to a transmission shop near the meet site and had it removed. Don Verity drove his truck to the meet and he took the transmission back to Rhode Island where he rebuilt it.

I called Jeff Carter and asked him what he thought about replacement torque converters. He told me that he had some rebuilt and the rebuilder had done a poor job and he now likes to use original torque converters that come out of cars without a lot of miles and without abuse. He said if he drives a car and the transmission shifts OK, then he would be inclined to use that torque converter than have one rebuilt. So I installed the one Jeff Carter sent me and it drives just fine.

Don Verity found a guy in MA that rebuilds them; I don't know if he does a good job or not, but if Jeff hadn't sent me one, I would have used the guy in MA.

Sorry for your troubles but I would get it fixed as soon as you can.

Tom Cox

From: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Patrick Meehan
Sent: Sunday, September 29, 2013 6:28 PM
To: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [Chrysler300] 300F torque converter problem?

Hey, all 300 Clubbers. I have a 300F with 73,000 original miles. She’s run like a dream but all of the sudden we are having a major problem. What is going on is that the torque converter acts as if it is locking up on occasion and at the point of it locking up the starter drive does not engage correctly in that same spot. If the engine is rotated past that spot all is good. This causes the starter drive and the ring gear to get buggered up. The ring gear was replaced over a year and a half ago and was good for a long time; it’s now missing teeth. We’ve also burned through 3 rebuilt starters with this problem. This converter locking up goes away after the motor is warmed up. You can pop it into gear with no problem and drive off. If it sits overnight and is cold starting all is ok to fire up, but drop it to gear and motor locks instantly and starter will not engage; rotate the motor and fire it up let her warm up, the trany works perfectly
off you go.

Any ideas here? Is it a matter of the torque converter going bad? If so, can it be repaired? Is there some simple oil or vacuum line I should check? Anybody know where I can find a blow up drawing of the torque converter? HELP, please. We’re going nuts over this…
Thanks
Patrick Meehan
Fort Lauderdale, Florida.