torque converter chatter?

[Ktmracer419]

This is a new one to me



the jeep:97 cherokee

engine:95 cherokee 130k miles

tranny:97 aw4 240k miles

torque converter:96 60k miles



I just swapped the engine in yesterday along with the lower milage torque converter (converter was run in my last cherokee without issue)



Drove the jeep around last night, put about 60 miles on it. noticed a slight vibration arrive towards the end of the night.



today i put maybe another 60 miles on the jeep and the noise/vibes got worse.



They happen in any gear/park.nuetral, under any load, sitting or driving as long as i'm between 1800-2200 rpm's.



it's almost like i'm driving down railroad tracks or a washboard.



jeep runs and drives perfectly smooth otherwise.



Took inspection plate off, checked torque converter bolts and they are tight, flywheel is not cracked. Noise is 100% coming from the bellhousing area.



When the motor was installed I made sure the torque converter was seated properly and the engine was tight against the tranny before i torqued down the bellhousing bolts.



I have done this a few times on other jeeps and never had an issue until now.



bad torque converter?



HELP!

[ninetysix-ex-jay]

I used to work for the guy who owns Ultimate Converter Concepts (they make all the drag car converters top fuel ect) I'll give him a call tonight for you

[Ktmracer419]

I used to work for the guy who owns Ultimate Converter Concepts (they make all the drag car converters top fuel ect) I'll give him a call tonight for you

that would be awesome

the internet seriously has nothing on this issue

i searched the crap out of naxja and google

[LittleD]

Just asked my dad about this and he said that for different makes and models for the cherokee, the bushings on the back of the crankshaft that go to the snout of the converter, if the bushing is the wrong size, it'll cause the torque converter to move around and cause chatter.

Edit: It's been awhile since he's done a torque converter, so some of this might not be 100% right

[ninetysix-ex-jay]

Hokay, just got off the phone with the guy and hes what he says:

-When you installed the converter/tranny were you able to pull it all the way forward toward the flex plate?

-Do you hear a clicking noise when it happens almost like your going to lose a rod? If thats the case it may be a cracked flywheel. They tend to crack close to the center if they are but it should make a clicking noise.

-Sounds like it would be a balance issue so with that said you really want to get the converter that came with that engine especially if the converter had a balancing weight on it. The engine could have been internally or externally balanced and that would throw it off. Also, since its around a range of RPM its almost a harmonic vibration. Did you use your old harmonic balancer?

-Did you check the flex plate? that could also cause an issue if its cracked.

-Don't rule out having a cracked flywheel just because you can't see a crack through the inspection port of the bell housing.

I hope this helps some. If you have any questions let me know and I can call him back up for you

[003brian]

so i searched this for awhile an it seams that it might be that your lock up clutch could be fucked up in your torque converter. they were sayin that if the vibration starts right after or before the torque converter lock up clutch engages that it could be that.

i seen one dude say that changeing the fluid in the tc helped alittle but it would be best to just get a new tc.

this has a small thing about tc "shudder"

http://www.aa1car.com/library/2003/ic60340.htm



also here is someone that seams to be having kinda similar problems as u an said it was the lockup clutch


http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/th70...ons-53158.html

[Ktmracer419]

Hokay, just got off the phone with the guy and hes what he says:

-When you installed the converter/tranny were you able to pull it all the way forward toward the flex plate? i installed the motah on the tranny, not tranny on motah

-Do you hear a clicking noise when it happens almost like your going to lose a rod? If thats the case it may be a cracked flywheel. They tend to crack close to the center if they are but it should make a clicking noise.
it makes a hell of a noise and sometimes a light click at idle, but it is not a cracked flywheel

-Sounds like it would be a balance issue so with that said you really want to get the converter that came with that engine especially if the converter had a balancing weight on it. The engine could have been internally or externally balanced and that would throw it off. Also, since its around a range of RPM its almost a harmonic vibration. Did you use your old harmonic balancer?
used the hb off the 95, shit was in good shape
-Did you check the flex plate? that could also cause an issue if its cracked.
not cracked

-Don't rule out having a cracked flywheel just because you can't see a crack through the inspection port of the bell housing.
there wasnt a crack when i held it in mah own 2 hands

I hope this helps some. If you have any questions let me know and I can call him back up for you

.

[ninetysix-ex-jay]

I'm going to go with it being out of balance. If its doing this at a range of RPM's its getting into a harmonic rhythm IMO.

[ninetysix-ex-jay]

Let me know if you want me run anything else by him. Until then, gods speed

[Ktmracer419]

either way everything was mint when it went in

ima thinkin a compatibility issue

i'm gonna do a tranny swap and throw in the other torque converter and run some part numbers

[Ktmracer419]

well i put maybe 100 miles on it since last post

and on occasion it will make noise at idle (no vibes)

theres no bushings, but there is a hole in the crankshaft that the torque converter seats in.

perhaps if i has the wrong converter for the crank its loose in there and the flexplate "flexes" just enough to cause issues.

i didnt think an out of balance issue would make such an intense noise/vibration, but i have never had an issue such as this.

either way it's all coming apart later this week

[Ktmracer419]

now that i think of it

why would crankshafts change? people swap 4.2l cranks into the 4.0l all the time for strokers and i have never heard of this.

guess im leaning towards a balance issue or maybe the flexplate on the old motor is warped from its travels? (doesnt appear so while running with the inspection cover off)

[Magilla]

did you suck the torque converter in using in the bolts but left them loose until all of the bolts were caught or did you just throw it in and crank down each bolt as the hole came?

[ninetysix-ex-jay]

If you want me to call him up again let me know. Just tell me what to ask

[Ktmracer419]

did you suck the torque converter in using in the bolts but left them loose until all of the bolts were caught or did you just throw it in and crank down each bolt as the hole came?

one at a time