I recently changed the torque converter on my 2001 v6 3.8 L Mustang with a 3.8L engine and a 4r70w transmission. Below are all the steps as I can recall and a few difficulties I encountered and a few tips to begin.


SPECIALIZED TOOLS:

1) transmission jack - http://www.harborfreight.com/450-lb-...ack-39178.html

2) craftsman stripped nut sockets - you'll only need this if you're taking off the torque converter nuts yourself - http://local.sears.com/Craftsman-PC-...x00001xlpla#!/ http://local.sears.com/Craftsman-Bol...x00001xlpla#!/ - you'll need both those sets or if you want to spend the money (i'd recommend it), get the impact set: http://local.sears.com/Craftsman-pc-...x00001xlpla#!/

3) long extensions (at least 2.5 feet worth)

4) swivel socket - i only needed an extension and not a whole set: http://www.harborfreight.com/7-pc-38...set-67908.html


TIPS:

1) Bring your vehicle to AAMCO if you trust the guy there, and have him REPLACE YOUR TORQUE CONVERTER BOLTS and ask him to torque the bolts back on at the minimum spec! For me, this was an 8-hour job. For him, it will take less than an hour.

2) You may as well bring your transmission itself to the transmission shop while it's out of your car. Many shops will do a free analysis. It may turn out that it wasn't your torque converter but a pump inside your transmission, etc; if your transmission is already out of your car, that could be a $175 job compared to at LEAST $350 at the shop. It's very likely that you can find a shop that will do a free diagnosis on an already dropped transmission, so HAVE IT DONE WHILE YOU HAVE IT OUT!

3) It may help to use your transmission jack to hold up your exhaust and then your driveshaft as you are removing them.

4) Swivel extensions are a must for several jobs, including the top bell housing bolts and the transmission dip stick tube, and taking the torque converter bolts off.


STEPS:

1) Put your car on ramps, parking break on. I had my ramps facing each other so the car couldn't roll off even if I put it in neutral. I used jacks later for more elevation. Disconnect your battery.

2) Drain your fluid if possible. On my 2001, I was able to drain the torque converter through a drain plug. You will at least be able to take off the transmission pan and drain a few quarts there.

2a?) I don't know when it's best to do this, but remove your transmission dip stick tube. You'll need a very long extension.

3) Take off your middle exhaust - the section that has the o2 sensors on it. This is straight-forward enough; but I had serious difficulty putting back on the passenger side pre-cat o2 sensor. You can take it off by putting a screw-driver in the clasp and pulling GENTLY on the wire; it will come right out if it is disengaged. Putting it back in was frustrating and required a pair of long needle-nosed pliers.

4) Remove the two fluid lines that lead from your transmission to your radiator. Remove them completely all the way to near the wheel well so they will not be in your way. Cap them to avoid contamination.

5) Remove your starter. Feel around and find where there is an bracket just in front of it holding the wires in place. Disconnect this bracket and the 2 bolt that connect the starter to the front of the bell housing and the bolt that holds the ground wire. Drop the starter onto a block of wood and disconnect the two electric wires from it.

6) Remove your drive shaft. Mark the end of your driveshaft so you can position it correctly to the differential gearbox when you put it back on. Try to break the bolts you are able. I had to break 2, then take the car off the ramps, put it in neutral, jack up the back, keep chucks on the front wheels, and then rotate the tires by hand so the driveshaft would turn to give me better access (with a breaker bar) to the other two bolts when I put it back on ramps.

7) Remove the access panel that is on the driver's side of the transmission so you can access the torque converter nuts. I recommend you had a pro already replace them so they are simple to take off. If you did not, you may need, as I did, a chisel, a dremel, an impact wrench with good extensions and a swivel extension, a set of stripped bolt sockets from craftsman, and a very long audio book to help you keep an iota of your sanity.

8) Remove the bell housing bolts that you are able to reach.

9) Drop your transmission a bit. Put your transmission jack underneath your transmission and remove the cross member. Slowly lower your transmission almost as far as it will lower until you have access with two very long extensions (about 2.5 feet) and a swivel extension. Remove the bolts.

10) Your transmission is ready to be pulled off.

11) Remove your old torque converter.

12) Install your new torque converter. When installed correctly, you should be able to pass a straight edge over the torque converter from the bell housing.

13) Put your transmission back on the bell housing. This was pretty tough and required two people. Make sure the bolts of the new torque converter line up to the flexplate holes before you put your bell-housing bolts back in.

 

Sweet, so is your car shifting right again?

 

NO!!!, but initially it felt like it was (when I was going 80 mph or so the first time after changing it - I was so thrilled by the way it shifted that I laughed) so it was at least partially due to the torque converter but it seems there are still problems somewhere in the transmission.

That's why I really should've taken the transmission to a shop while it was already out of my car for a full diagnosis. It would've cost nothing, and now it's going to be at least $340 for them to pull it.

The terrible thing is that I've got to sell the car because I'm moving out of the country, so I won't get the value out of it that I need, and I can't sell it without telling the prospective buyer about the problem because I'm just that way.

I have a friend who might want to buy it, so at least if that works out, the value will go to him and not a stranger.

 

Well that's cool. Sucks you gotta get rid of it. What country you moving to?