Torque Converter chatter just started

[MtnOilRIG]

I'm out in Nashville visiting my folks and 1200 miles from home and have a failing torque converter, I think. My folks have a steep driveway and backing out this morning there was a pretty good rattle from the trans area. I had to keep my foot into it and allow the rattle in order to back out, it was my only option.

While starting and idling the truck it is very apparent the sound is coming from the TC area. Took the cover off and inspected for loose flywheel bolts and anything else that looked wrong. Flywheel looked good best I can tell.

If I bring the RPMs up to 1400, the rattle goes away...I assume this is the TC locking, no more noise until RPMs drop below 1400.

Driving at highway speeds (or at lower speeds in town when the TC in locked) there is no noticeable chatter or shudder only when it unlocks to come to a stop and below 30mph. I have read about the early 99 TC issues and mine sounds exactly the same, some of these guys put 20k before fixing it. But I have an 02 and not sure if my failure point inside the TC is the same as the e99ers and I don't want to trash the tranny or flywheel by having something fail at highway speeds or when slowing down from highway speeds to refuel.

So...now for my question to you guys out there. I would love to do this job in MY driveway and not in my folk's...what do ya'll think about the risk involved?

I want to order the right TC (solid billet, etc) and do the job when I get home. Otherwise, its a NAPA (Pro-king) Torque converter working with only the tools I brought with me in my dad's driveway...

I realize it's a loaded question but thanks in advance for your help.

[MtnOilRIG]

I ended up completing my cross country trip and parked the rig next to the house. drove 1200 miles straight with a cracked flywheel (the KC turnpike played hell on me, it made all kinds of racket), see below for what I found. Fell apart when I took the 10 bolts and bracket off.



Trans oil was clean with normal magnet metal buildup, replaced the trans filter, trans shaft oil seal and fluid flush, Replaced the TC with a RacerX prowler triple disc and replaced the flywheel with an OEM (wish I could have found something different to avoid the same failure point, no time). 4 of the 6 bellhousing to engine bolts were missing too,

I think more of us have cracked flywheels on their way out than we know of.

Trans shifts way smoother, pulls incredibly well with new TC compared the old one. Before the the flywheel let loose, I definitely had some "lash" in the old TC when compared to lockup on the new one. Not sure if this was a sign of a cracked flywheel or a on-the-way-out TC.

Happy with the RacerX so far.

Greasyside down,

[floundergigging]

I have changed flywheels that were cracked in the past that I know had overtorqued bolts. With the other bolts that you said were missing it makes me think someone had pulled that tranny once upon a time. BTW thanks for the follow-up on the problem. So many times people post problems and people try to help them then they quit posting and you never know what the fix was. Thanks again