[ELKHORNAOG7]

Do they sell any converters like years ago with the drain plug on it, or if I had a converter made for me like a 2300-2500 stall could I have a drain plug put on it---BOB

[ELKHORNAOG7]

bamb

[stevep]

You can drill and tap it in the proper place.

[Sun Tuned]

Sure they do. Alot of the Ford converters had those from the factory in the 70's and early eighties.

Yes you can drill it and tap it on your own.... BUT, you now have wrecked the balance of the converter.

Plus all it takes is one tiny piece of debris and presto! EL PROBLEMO!!

Most converter manufacturers will do this for a small fee when building the converter on the front end.

They will ask you why you wish this done though as I dont believe this is done on any large scale anymore.

The 3 I have have a plug in them...

[rtanner]

WRECKED the balance of the converter, LMAO, drilling the converter and adding a very small plug 1/8 plug was standard operating procedure thru out the 60s-70s at thousands of dealers and independent shops when servicing a trans, wrecked the balance hilarious.

[rtanner]

Originally Posted by rtanner

WRECKED the balance of the converter, LMAO, drilling the converter and adding a very small plug 1/8 plug was standard operating procedure thru out the 60s-70s at thousands of dealers and independent shops when servicing a trans, wrecked the balance hilarious.

pop rivets were also used by some.

[ELKHORNAOG7]

I recall the plug in the ford converter I always liked the drain plug and I know the converter had balance weights on it and I can see where it would throw the balance off a little but would it be enough to cause a problem when the car is running------BOB

[stevep]

Ford used the drain plug on some applications until approx 2001.

We drilled and tapped every GM converter with no issues until the lock-up converter came out.

[jonmachota78]

after spending the money to balance the rotating assembly to within a couple grams with the flex plate, and using a quality Continental torque converter, personally I want to preserve the balance of the combination. we're building engines these days that surpass the standards and performance of the 60's and 70's. To compare a modern quality built Pontiac motor of today to factory motors of yesterday is hilarious. JMO

[Sun Tuned]

If your one of those keyboard jockeys that's under the delusion that that hole and plug won't affect the balance of that converter.... Then you're a bigger village idiot than I had originally gave you credit for on the front end.

Will it hurt anything? Nah not in the short term. But it ain't right. Will you notice it?? Maybe maybe not.

I'll tell you this I had A-1 build one and they did what everybody here said and drilled the plug after the fact as they admitted they forgot to do the plug deal. This was for a 460 in my dads truck. Figuring they jacked it up at the last minute, I carried it to Bill Taylor. Bill said the balance wasn't right. And that little plug no ones worried about....
Bigger difference than you'd imagine.

Do the math on it wiseass and let us know how far out it really was.

I paid the bill on both ends, I know what the number was. I was standing there when he spun it.

Wanna talk about the fluid column now???

[Sun Tuned]

Well I can't say how tight of a tolerance ford held their converters to but I'm quite sure we could get Tom Vaught to waste enough of his time to look it up just to prove or disprove a point.

Point is the Ford guys probably got it fairly close, but not super super tight like the aftermarket could. Not to say the oem couldn't, just that they likely would not have worried bout that much, more worrying bout it = more cost per unit.

[cutlas]

on a lock-up converter for a 700R4 how far can the 1/8" plug screw in before it contacts moving parts?
Would there be any problems with adding 2 drain plugs 180 degrees apart to preserve balance or would this be overkill.

Joe.

[rtanner]

[QUOTE=Sun Tuned;4894785]If your one of those keyboard jockeys that's under the delusion that that hole and plug won't affect the balance of that converter.... Then you're a bigger village idiot than I had originally gave you credit for on the front end

are you talking to me? in that tone?

[stevep]

Originally Posted by cutlas

on a lock-up converter for a 700R4 how far can the 1/8" plug screw in before it contacts moving parts?
Would there be any problems with adding 2 drain plugs 180 degrees apart to preserve balance or would this be overkill.

Joe.

GM recommended using pop rivets to plug the hols after you drill it and no where near a 1/8 pipe plug hole. I NEVER drilled a lock-up torque converter. The margin of error just seemed to high to screw with.

[jonmachota78]

The transmission book I have recommends either using a pop rivet (but must be a special kind(blind I think?)) With some permatex and grease on the drill bit to catch the shavings. Or for those not wanting to drill , disconnect the trans Cooler line output ftom the radiator/cooler and run it to a bucket. Add some new fluid, start the engine, and when you see the new fluid go into the bucket shut the engine off. You have removed most of the old fluid at that point.

Myself I'm good with just dropping pan .. for regular maintenance anyway..

[rtanner]

yes the gm manual shows the blind rivet, most tranny shops have em buy in bags of a thousand, even though ive done plenty of th-350, and th-400s, back in 70s,80s, i to never could get comfortable w drilling a 4r or 7r because i new that clutchdisc was right there close, removing the trans line and pumping the fluid out till its clean is a good move to, just keep pouring in fresh till you see fresh, thats a good tip jonmachota.

[mechanickeith]

Just had a converter gone through & had them add a drain plug & rebalance.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by jonmachota78

Or for those not wanting to drill , disconnect the trans Cooler line output ftom the radiator/cooler and run it to a bucket. Add some new fluid, start the engine, and when you see the new fluid go into the bucket shut the engine off. You have removed most of the old fluid at that point.

Originally Posted by rtanner

removing the trans line and pumping the fluid out till its clean is a good move to, just keep pouring in fresh till you see fresh, thats a good tip jonmachota.

This technique works in terms of changing the fluid from a maintenance perspective, but not for the guy that wants to empty a convertor for transport or storage (which is usually what I am after).

K