Re: [Chrysler300] C300 torque converter

While on this , and maybe newer members might not be aware , the torquflite input shifter cable is a big offender . There is an O ring there on the OD of input to trans on steel part of cable — that gets hard , you have a steady slow leak. It is an odd size ( cross section thickness is more than standard O ring for that diameter .. found out trying to match up ) and ones in nos trans kits are probably same junk material . So I found at McMaster Carr a Viton o ring correct ID despite being smaller standard cross section , tried it, it seals really well . And will not harden up . Related the oil will also leak out of the push button cable metal spiral as the outer cover cracks or falls off . Gary G sold a really nice kit for that with shrink tube with glue inside . I have also had good luck with regular shrink tube for a few feet even , doubling it up near trans, and putting weatherstrip adhesive on metal end spud and on outer sheath further away from trans where it is typically becoming good again , before shrinking it . Sadly I think might have to slide on from the push button end , if remembering right . Easy to do while restoring .

Last , that heat exchanger in radiator fails a lot , how do you ever know state of it ? Disaster to trans when that happens . Hate that thing , —- for driver car, I like a separate radiator for trans , as sold for towing . But not concours., ....
grandfather’s ax issues ..

Sent from my iPhone not by choice

On 9 May 2020, at 9:03 am, Joe Allen <billandmarilynallen@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

All of us C300 owners have fought this nightmare leak situation for years, even after a rebuild by George many years ago. Mine is now dry even when sitting many weeks and months at a time. I have replaced every small seal known to man at least twice to no avail. Last year I purchased a complete kit from Andy Bernbaum. The only new seal I used from this kit was the gigantic powerflight body O ring seal. Now, everything is perfectly dry! Torque converter can now leak down all it wants to leak down and the fluid stays inside the transmission and not on the garage floor nor drip pan. This may or may not work for you, Jack. Good Luck!

Bill Allen

On Fri, May 8, 2020, 3:57 PM jackcboyle@xxxxxxxxx [Chrysler300] <Chrysler300-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Thank you all for your replies to my torque converter issues.

I have attempted to sort through and reconcile the various opinions and
options.

Since my earlier note to the yahoo group I have talked to three different
tranny shops that speak powerflite. Two of these shops offer rebuilt TC's. I
would do this if I was 100% sure that my situation would improve. If I am
not convinced that a rebuilt unit would solve the problem, I am even less
convinced to try a used one with unknown history. Apparently, the
tolerances for the TC and associated bushing, seals etc. are very small and
difficult to eliminate or even improve on even after spending $$$ on a
rebuilt TC.

One option for me is to do nothing and just drive my car more often and keep
the fluid up in the TC as the leaks don't show up on my floor until the car
has sat for a week or more. This is tough to do, especially in Kansas in
January. The transmission does not leak or otherwise consume fluid when
driven. I will lose a pint or so a week while it sits - but to Bentonville
and back and Chicago and down ½ of Route 66 it took no added fluid.

All other suspect internal parts have been replaced, many twice. According
to my late father (a 50-year Mopar mechanic) it is the TC bleeding down and
over filling and then spilling out the linkage seals etc. (see photo) These
seals were not designed to hold fluid above the pan level. Quick arithmetic
says I have cleaned up 200 quarts of fluid over the last 53 years. In fact,
this car refused to move the night I bought it in 1967. My dad (who made by
buy it) said to let it run in neutral for a few minutes, then in gear for a
few minutes to "refill the torque converter" all of this 110,000 miles ago.

According to Marshall Goodnight ...the 300 TC It is not the
same as that uses on New Yorker and Imperial, but it is the same as that on
the Windsor. It is slightly smaller and has slightly higher stall speed,
but additionally it has fins welded to the outer case creating a fan for air
cooling the transmission and the bell housing has more screened ventilation
openings than the New Yorker and Imperial.

New Yorker and Imperial transmissions are liquid cooled by a
heat exchanger in the lower radiator hose. The Windsor transmissions are
air cooled only. The C300 has both cooling systems sharing the New Yorker
liquid heat exchanger and the Windsor torque converter (fan) and extra
ventilation openings.

I contacted every source identified in various club websites including the
Imperial site - about ½ are out of the business. One shop offered: 1955 300
/ Powerflite air cooled converter, 12" diameter, 146th, 19 spline input -
have them in stock, rebuilt Part # 789 Cost $550.00 + $150.00 core deposit
plus shipping. To have my old converter rebuilt, it will be the same cost
minus the core deposit, but there will be an additional cost to cover the
R&R shipping of the converter which would be around $40.00. he does not
actually rebuild converters, he only distributes them so I would have to
send out my converter core to be rebuilt.

I am just about ready to give up and put a leaky but operational
transmission back in a car that I am painting, reupholstering, rewiring and
putting new brakes and suspension in.

For those cc'd on this email there are photos attached - and thanks again to
everyone.

.....Jack

Jack Boyle
(913) 544 4650

Enjoying the same C-300 since 1967

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