My truck has been working a lot harder lately to go not-very-fast. Once it gets wound up, it is okay on the highway, but around town it is getting downright dangerous.

I think the engine is in pretty good shape. I recently converted to propane.

Is there an easy way to tell on a torque converter?

Thanks,

Joe

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Joe Hoppe

71 D100 225 Super Six 727 AT on 2008 Crown Vic CopCar frame

64 Valiant Wagon 225 904 AT 3:23 8.75"

The test you want is called a "stall test". Put a tachometer on the engine somewhere you can see it easily from the driver's seat. Set the parking brake and plant your foot on the regular brake. Start the engine, shift into Drive, and while keeping your foot on the brake, press the accelerator until the engine stops speeding up. Take note of the tachometer reading at the max RPM you can achieve this way and let us know what you find. Try to do this test quickly; if you keep working the gas against the brake, you'll heat the trans fluid way up. After you've taken your reading, let off the gas and shift into Neutral (not Park) and let the engine idle for a couple minutes to cool down the fluid, then shut down.

Progressive loss of power, eh? Have you checked for exhaust restriction and verified that the distributor advance mechanisms are working correctly? And, of course, have you checked through your propane system to make sure it's all working right?

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Thanks, Dan. After slipping up and running through the garage door, ( ) I got it up to 1500 RPM.

Exhaust is fine. My distributor is not giving me a lot of advance--25 degrees total at 3000 RPM. Any tips there?

Still working out the kinks in the propane conversion, but it's basically sound.

So, is 1500 within limits of what it should be?

Joe

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Joe Hoppe

71 D100 225 Super Six 727 AT on 2008 Crown Vic CopCar frame

64 Valiant Wagon 225 904 AT 3:23 8.75"

Sounds a little on the low side, but not too far off. I would've expected maybe 1800 or so. Lemme dig around, I've got some notes on this around here somewhere.

25° at 3krpm sounds kinda low especially on propane, but you say the engine was working OK, and that it's only just begun to lose power recently, right?

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Recently as in the past few weeks/maybe a month. I think the advance is low, too. How can I fix that? I am running ported vacuum to the distirbutor. Maybe it is the springs? How do I get weaker ones?

Am running an electronic distributor w/ the blue box.

Thanks,

Joe

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Joe Hoppe

71 D100 225 Super Six 727 AT on 2008 Crown Vic CopCar frame

64 Valiant Wagon 225 904 AT 3:23 8.75"

i had the stator in the torque converter seize on my car. the only symptom was the that the engine was working really hard to maintain speed(try 10mpg in a stock dart). i did a stall test on it and it came out fine. i remember holding the throttle at least halfway down to get to 60 mph.

zedpapa

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1970 dodge dart w/225 /6 bored .040" over, holley 390cfm w/vac. sec., compcams 252s, clifford shorty headers w/2.5" exhaust w/flowmaster, f-body 11" front discs, aluminum A-833OD, 8 1/4 w/3.21 SG
soon to have 5 gears!!!

Zed--

Thanks for the tip. Sounds like that might be the problem. How did you end up figuring it out?

I spent the weekend doing redneck yoga switching to disc brakes on my truck.

sorely,

Joe

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Joe Hoppe

71 D100 225 Super Six 727 AT on 2008 Crown Vic CopCar frame

64 Valiant Wagon 225 904 AT 3:23 8.75"

ironicly, i was at a class for jaguars when i was working at the dealer. i was discussing the problem with one of the instructors and right away they suggested that the stator was seized. made perfect sense. my car sat for about six years before i got it and started driving it. was like that the whole time. my dad was probably thinking i was hot footin' it all over town.

something to be said for years of experiance, huh? never had a chance to put a new converter in the car. switched to a four speed, which i love.

zedpapa

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1970 dodge dart w/225 /6 bored .040" over, holley 390cfm w/vac. sec., compcams 252s, clifford shorty headers w/2.5" exhaust w/flowmaster, f-body 11" front discs, aluminum A-833OD, 8 1/4 w/3.21 SG
soon to have 5 gears!!!

Really! I didn't consider that converter could be bad in my caravan carb 2.2. It was a fight to get decent MPG (lot of carb fiddling that gave paltery 3mpg improvement over 13, where should be 19MPG city) and lazy take off, only way to get up and go quick is press lot more on gas, need as more gas at 62mph (100KM/h).

What do you think?

Cheers, Wizard

Can someone clarify exactly what the symptoms are when the torque converter stator siezes, and the engine has to work really hard to maintain performance; does this mean that there is no torque multiplication and you have to give it heavy throttle while engine rpms stay low, or is the torque multiplication stuck on high and the engine rpms race?

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1964 Dart 225 1966 Valiant 225
1966 Dart 273 1966 Barracuda 273
1969 Dart 225
'64-170 engine '66-170 engine
(two) 198 crank/rod sets in custom-fitted wooden boxes

wooden motor scooter with hybrid-electric drive

as far as i know the only symptom is that it takes an excessive amount of throttle to maintain speed. there is even something about it the service manual.

"If stall speed and acceleration are normal, but abnormally high throttle opening is required to maintain highway speeds, the stator clutch has seized."

zedpapa

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1970 dodge dart w/225 /6 bored .040" over, holley 390cfm w/vac. sec., compcams 252s, clifford shorty headers w/2.5" exhaust w/flowmaster, f-body 11" front discs, aluminum A-833OD, 8 1/4 w/3.21 SG
soon to have 5 gears!!!

The only time that I had a stator seize, the car would stall as soon as you put it in gear. I could get moving by feathering the throttle and all other functions worked ( driveability ) but would stall when coming to a stop.

Have you tried more total timing? LP likes a lot of timing with a low compression engine.

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Official Cookie and Mater Tormentor.

Turns out that I had to have the whole transmission rebuilt. Running much much much better now.

Thanks for all the insight,

Joe

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Joe Hoppe

71 D100 225 Super Six 727 AT on 2008 Crown Vic CopCar frame

64 Valiant Wagon 225 904 AT 3:23 8.75"