Torque Converter repair cost | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Torque Converter repair cost

dontgetbit

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July 3, 2006
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City, State
Raleigh, NC
Year, Model & Trim Level
2003 E.B.
How much is the typical torque converter repair? My 03 EB V8 is making a rattling sound when in gear and under acceleration. After reading some other post with similar issues I am convinced that the torque converter is the issue.
 



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Do you want to know how much a torque converter is or how much it would cost for a transmission shop to replace it? You could get a remanufactured torque converter for $75 - $150. A new one which is a performance version would be about $200 - $300. A shop would probably charge $400 - $600 for labor, then add the cost of the torque converter, transmission fluid, tax, and probably try to talk you into installing a remanufactured transmission. It would be a good idea to flush the cooler, replace the filter, and the flywheel to crankshaft spacer, check the bell housing for scrape marks, and check the pump for broken gears.
 






Last summer, I had my torque converter replaced on my 02 Mounty at a Lincoln Mercury dealer. It was making the rattling sound too. The bill came to $1230.00. My service contract paid $1100.00 of it. The torque converter was $500.00 & the labor was $700.00. $30.00 for ATF, which my warrenty did not cover.

Robert
 






Hey did you guys have other problems associated with the TC besides rattling? My '02 V8 is killing at stoplights, and chugs/ jerks when at low RPM's or in overdrive. Ford thinks it may be the TC. Thx.
 






Hey did you guys have other problems associated with the TC besides rattling? My '02 V8 is killing at stoplights, and chugs/ jerks when at low RPM's or in overdrive. Ford thinks it may be the TC. Thx.

Stop a car w/manual transmission w/clutch still engaged, engine dies.

Same thing with your automatic trans., if the torque converter clutch does not release. Cause could be torque converter itself, or solenoid which makes clutch engage/disengage, or (unlikely), problem in the wiring harness. imp
 






Ford and trans shop can't figure it out, still killing!

I have discovered that the weather temp has a lot to do with the killing problem I am having- when I drove it on a 70 degree day, it only killed 2 times (idling at stoplights), when I drove it on a 90 degree day it killed virtually every time I stopped, and put it in reverse. It does start right back up.

Same for when it's in OD and RPM's are low, when it's hot it chugs/cuts out constantly, prompting me to take it out of OD. When it's cool out, I can leave it in OD.

Ford has looked at it twice, they feel it's the TC; the trans. shop feels it's an engine issue. It's going back to Ford for a re-eval. Hate to replace the TC if that's not what's causing this killing issue, although I do believe it is the source of the rattling underneath.

Any ideas about the difference in weather?
Is it thinning the fluid and making the TC worse? Is it a fuel problem? (replaced f.filter, had f.pump checked),
Is it an elec. problem? (replaced sensors P115, P 113, and ones for crank and cam, new spark plugs, tho' spark was good).
Thanks in advance for imput!
 






You may just need a fluid flush and refill. Also it is improbable that the actual torque converter "went out"..The TC doesn't really do much to become worn, it pretty much just throws oil at vanes. A TC problem would most likely be associated with either the valve body, which controls the TC, or the solenoid block which controls the valve body.
The good news is that both the valve body and solenoid are fairly easy to replace, because you don't have to drop the tranny. If you have a mechanic type friend, this could be done in a few hours with minimal tools. Valve body, solenoid block, new filter and fluid---roughly $500.
This, of course, is assuming that your problem is not engine related. Regardless, if your truck is 100,000 miles plus...This wouldn't be a bad idea to do.
http://www.tpsautoparts.com/
This is were I got my valve body. I bought the solenoid direct from Ford though..just don't like to buy reman electronics..
Good luck!
 






The truck has 149,000 on it, has been a really good vehicle up until now. Very frustrating that no one can figure out why it kills, Ford seems to want to just throw parts at it, which I can't afford.

The local tranny shop is good, they don't think it's the TC, but are willing to do some investigating on it without charging an arm and a leg. I just figured if it is rattling, and has been for many thousands of miles, maybe I should replace it anyway? And then it'll be ruled out. I do have an aftermarket warranty that should cover all but maybe $100-200.
 






It has torque converter written all over it in my mind..not the TC itself but more likely the valves that control the torque converter clutch. The only thing that has me wondering is this "rattling"...If the torque converter itself somehow rattled..you would here it coming from the center of the vehicle, towards the engine.
Question--Has the tranny fluid ever been checked or changed?

One thing to try is to disconnect the harness fromm the solenoid block, run the vehicle and cycle through the gears for several minutes. If your engine keeps running steady, then it is definetly a problem that is torque converter related..by definetly I mean 97.325% of course ;-P
 






The Torque converter on my 03 V8 was rattling last month under acceleration w/128K miles.
The previous owner thought it was the catalytic converter heat shield rattling/vibrating..
Atomic Transmission here in town diagnosed some fins had let loose on the T/converter and were the cause.They replaced it with a new T/converter AND reman pump as well,to be safe as some particles had invaded the pump.

Bill was verbatim as follows:
-Remove trans. & Inspect & diagnosis
-install reman pump
-install new TConveter
-reinstall trans,service w/new fluid and gaskets & roadtest
$850.00 out the door
She rides flawlessly/beautifully today,and the other name brand shops I took her to prior for an estimate,(Ammco-Interstate/Multistate etc.) recommended installing a complete rebuilt transmission costing $1900.00.
Even Atomic said everyone will sell you a rebuilt tranny and not get in there to figure out the problem.They have my business for life should I ever need their services..
 






Good to know as it's going to the tranny shop Monday. If they can't solve it, it's back to Ford. I have that same rattle, but somehow I don't think that's what's causing it to kill and run poorly at low RPM's, especially when it's hot.
 






Oh BTW- Trans fluid has been flushed twice, most recently at 120k (truck has 149k on it).
 






$850 is a VERY fair price for that work..TC and front pump alone is over 300..nevermind almost a $100 for a new filter and fluid..
 






How much is the typical torque converter repair? My 03 EB V8 is making a rattling sound when in gear and under acceleration. After reading some other post with similar issues I am convinced that the torque converter is the issue.

When it rattles does it only do it during acceleration? Or at idle too? Does it last for 2-3 seconds or longer if you going uphill?
 






Dying at different temps doesn't sound like tc sounds like one of the many engine sensors and mid vehicle rattling could be coming from a number of places. I worked at a parts house for 5 years and I was never asked for a tc for an explorer. I agree with the trans shop sounds like engine problems. Is the ck engine light on?
 






Check engine light came on, twice, when the truck first started doing it (about 6 weeks ago), and since sensors were replaced it hasn't done it again, but it has thrown the P115 (P1115?) code again since then. And that sensor was replaced.

Drove it this AM, it was 71 degrees, didn't act up at all until vehicle was warmed up, and then just a little. In fact I idled at a train for 10 minutes.

Drove it again when it was 85, and it acted up much faster (warmed up faster?), and wanted to die at every stoplight. It was OK if I put it in neutral, and kept rpm's at 1,000 or more.

The rattle is really only noticeable when accelerating. The Ford tech said he put his hands on the TC and it felt like marbles were inside rolling around. I don't doubt that the TC could be rattling, but I don't think it's causing the engine to die.

What about catalytic converter? Could that rattle and cause engine to die?
What kind of part failure would be affected by temps?
 






Ok, feeling like marbles rolling around the tc is not a good thing so that is probably the cause of the rattle but I think the idle problem is still due to a sensor. I actually had the exact same problem on my wife's Altima on hot days it would die at stop lights but on 70 degree days and cooler it idled a little rough but never died. I replaced the crank position sensor and it hasn't stalled since. I'm not saying that is your problem but that's what I did to fix her car. And if the Cat is failing you should get a error code on the O2 sensor. I get P1115 is coolant temp sensor I had a Grand Am that was throwing a coolant temp sensor code but turned out to be a broken connector on the crank pos. sensor don't ask me why but that's what it did. I think someone else on here had a similar problem I will ck and post their findings.
 






$830 at my Ford dealership, covered by warranty.

I do not think TQ noise is anything to fix until it actually becomes an issue. I put thousands of miles on mine with the noise, and only got it fixed because I was approaching the end of the warranty period.

A few weeks later I needed a new tranny, at least it was still under warranty.
 






Ford replaced 2 cams sensors and a crank sensor. P1113 and P1115 are lean sensors, each bank, and Ford tech wrote on my bill he'd replaced P1113, but wrote the opposite bank. When I questioned this, the tech said he remembered which bank/side, so must've written the wrong sensor number. I will be really pissed if it's been the other sensor all along. Will have that rechecked.
 



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Ford told me today that the engine died while in Park, so it's not the TC- is this right? So it rattles, but isn't causing the engine stalls? Also, to correct the codes, it threw a P1131 and a P1151 (6 weeks ago, but not since).

Ford could not get it to act up today, so I went over to drive it myself, and it didn't do it. First day in many weeks. But- the temp is a lot lower today-71 degrees. How weird.

It was at the trans/engine shop Tuesday, and it killed constantly, and they checked everything they could think of, they couldn't figure it out. They drove to Ford the next day for me, and it didn't act up on that trip either. so, either they messed with the right wire, or it's just due to the temps.

I Ok'd Ford to replace the IAC, seems reasonable and inexpensive.
Any ideas on this latest? And would killing in Park elim. the TC? Has only done that twice out of maybe a hundred stalls idling in drive or reverse.
 






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