I actually get to use a part warranty! April 13, 2013, 10:42:54 AM Last week we finally had some nice weather so I decided to get the Thunderbird ready for the spring/summer/early fall driving season. I fired it up and changed the oil and filter. After that I decided to take a shake down drive like I do every year to make sure that everything is in good shape. As I left the garage I noticed that the engine revved up to about the stall speed of the torque converter (something it had never done before) to begin to move. Any less throttle and the car wouldn’t move. Once it hit that speed the car started to move and shift fine so I chalked it up to sitting for several months in the cold. About a mile into the drive the trans started making noise from the bell housing area. It was a whirr, whirr, whirr noise that only happened in “D” at idle. I could shift the trans to P,N, or R and the noise went away. I started to drive home. At the next stop and subsequent acceleration from that stop I heard the whirring nose and a rattle/clang to accompany the acceleration for second or two. It sounded like someone beating a spring in a metal pipe for lack of a better description. I called the guy who built my trans and he said it sounded like the bearing or stator in the torque converter was starting to fail. Great. The trans is only 3 years old and has maybe 5000 miles on it. I brought the car to him yesterday. On the way I had a few instances where the torque converter didn’t want to engage till the trans warmed up but other than that the trans shifted fine. The transmission shop got the trans out yesterday but didn’t take it apart yet (they’ll do that Monday) to verify the torque converter had an issue and that it didn’t damage any other components of the transmission. Now on to the great part: the transmission is still under warranty:banana:. I’ll have to pay for labor in and out of the trans and fluid but parts are free. That’s going to save me $$$$:D. This is the first time I’ve actually had to use a warranty on any part or work I’ve had done on the Thunderbird. Monday I should find out what the problem was and when it will be fixed. The torque converter will more than likely have to be sent out to Precision Industries in Tennessee to be rebuilt so the shop will have the Thunderbird till probably Thursday this coming week. At least it will be indoors the whole time so I won’t have to worry about weather or any other damage. I’m kind of glad that if the torque converter went that it did it now before racing season starts. By June the transmission shop I used usually has a waiting list for work as drag racers blow up their transmissions during the season. Now if it would only get warm/not so rainy when I get the Thunderbird back so I can actually drive it. I think I'm asking too much on that front though. Quote Selected
I actually get to use a part warranty! Reply #1 – April 13, 2013, 02:31:35 PM Quote from: thunderjet302;413183 Now if it would only get warm/not so rainy when I get the Thunderbird back so I can actually drive it. I think I'm asking too much on that front though. LOL Lou, at least you're not in the great North-West where it seemed like it rained forever...........and ever.........and ever Quote Selected
I actually get to use a part warranty! Reply #2 – April 13, 2013, 02:39:14 PM My dad just had 2k in ball joints and labor warrantied on his lifted 250 It's good to pay for that warranty some times lol Quote Selected
I actually get to use a part warranty! Reply #3 – April 13, 2013, 03:31:57 PM Quote from: 1BadBird;413208LOL Lou, at least you're not in the great North-West where it seemed like it rained forever...........and ever.........and ever :mullet:Right now I just wish it was warm :hick:. Quote from: STANG8U;413209My dad just had 2k in ball joints and labor warrantied on his lifted 250 It's good to pay for that warranty some times lolThe warranty didn't cost extra. The shop warranties all of it's transmission for 3 years. I would have rather not used it though ;). It's nice that on the off chance something happened it was there. Good thing it happend at the three year mark.If it had to happen at least it happend now, early in the spring before I start driving it around frequently. Quote Selected
I actually get to use a part warranty! Reply #4 – April 16, 2013, 10:13:53 PM Well the issue was in the torque converter. The trans is clean and checks out fine no metal shavings or damage to clutches, gear sets, etc. The torque converter was sent out to PI so I should hopefully find out the issue with the converter by Thursday. The shop thinks one of the bearings in the converter has an issue. I'm just glad that the trans is clean and doesn't need a rebuild. The shop said it looked like new inside, which it should with only 5000ish miles of use.I won't get the Thunderbird back till most likely Tuesday next week. I think the 11 days it will end up being at the trans shop will be the longest the car has not been in my possession since I've owned it (11 years). Quote Selected
I actually get to use a part warranty! Reply #5 – April 17, 2013, 09:07:02 PM That's good news Lou. Quote Selected
I actually get to use a part warranty! Reply #6 – April 27, 2013, 11:07:27 AM Got the car back Wednesday. Trans works great again. Now I just need some consistent nice weather. Quote Selected
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