I was driving to work about a month ago, and
I wound the car up (5200 rpm) (79 Duster / 225 / 904) Motor - 27,000 Miles / trans 165,000.


Right when the 1-2 shift happens - Big noise and loss of power.

Thankfully I was close to work - nursed the car another.5 miles to the parking space.


I was able to drive it home too.

By this time I figured it was not the engne making the noise.

I pulled the 904 and placed a flywheel/ bell housing and starter on the motor just to fire it up and make sure the noise was not the motor.

It wasnt.


In the attatched pic Is what I found - I am guessing the inside of the front of the tranny is pretty well trashed since the missing piece is still in there.





Thanks for any help on this -

I am not repairing the trans - I have placed a 230 three speed in there until I get an 833OD and Larger slip yoke too.

Greg

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http://www.youtube.com/hyperpack

Oh, wow...that's an impressive picture! I think I would file this under the "Shatz Happens" category, i.e., there's probably nothing you could've done to prevent it.

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

I call THAT "Honest Breakage"

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Yeah....Im the one who destroyed this rare, vintage automobile.....

Had that happen to my '75 Dart Sport...*ouch*

Luckily my buddy had a Volare to swap trannies with, right off the bat the next day....

woof.

-D.Idiot

I have seen a few like that.

Ok, so A few of you have experienced this also, Is there a wek point on these old factory Converters ? (79 factory conv with HS LOCKUP STICKER)


Would an aftermarket converter prevent this?

and I am guessing that the 904 that this happened to is trash, or at least the fron pump section?

I would just like to know for future info, as I said, I have no intentions of rebuilding or replacing the 904 for this car.
I really do not know much about autos as My race car is a stick, and I never messed aroud with taking autos apart, althougth I probably will tear this one down just for fun.


Thanks again, Greg

_________________
http://www.youtube.com/hyperpack

I think most aftermarket converters have a somewhat "tighter" slot for the pump drive, which leaves more metal in the snout, but it is a weak point.

I hear you can fit a a-500 converter, which has a different pump drive, without the slots, but I am not sure if you can use it with the older pump???

I may have it mixed up with the 727/a-518 too, but I THINK it applies to the 904/a-500 too.

our pump may be fine, and just need a new bushing, but I can´t say for sure.
Also, it might have a lot of metal shavings in it, so look it over real good!

And just tear it down, the torqueflites are so simple, it is just fun!

I was thinking about this problem After I read a Converter spot in th May issue Of Mopar Muscle. Anyway, in their article they had some vibrations from their lockup converter because the lockup clutches were starting to fail and the pieces get thrown to the outside of the converter body and make it unbalanced. - Could this have happened to me too - When I had the auto in there was a bit of vibrations.

Just thinking here.


Greg

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http://www.youtube.com/hyperpack

Your car shouldn't have a lockup torque convertor. I think they didn't start using those until the 80's.

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82 D150-225/727
02 Dakota-3.9/5 speed
87 GMC C7000-8.2 Detroit Diesel/5+2

I have seen good race converters do the same thing, even in a 727.

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Official Cookie and Mater Tormentor.

Jeb - It had one - Marked right on the conv.

Build of 4-79

You know about all of the quirky stuff that heppens on the prod. line.


Greg

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http://www.youtube.com/hyperpack

78 was the 1st year for lockup converters. Don't think it was a blanket coverage thing yet that year ( where all models got em)

The slotted converter neck used to drive the Torqueflite's oil pump has always been a trouble spot. The sharp corners at the bottom of the slots are weak points where stress and cracks start. Most good aftermarket converters have rounded corners at the bottom of the slots and they use better steel for the hubs.

With this type of failure, it is likely that the "drive blocks" on the oil pump's impeller are sheared off. Pull and rebuild the front pump and all should be OK with that 904.
DD