Re: [Chrysler300] C300 torque converter

John G

Sent from my iPhone not by choice

On 8 May 2020, at 6:50 pm, John Nowosacki <jsnowosacki@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Hi Jack,
I've been driving Mopars since about 1969 (I know, just a kid), and in all the years and the many that I owned, there was only one Mopar that had the TC drainback issue, and of course, it's my favorite- my 300G convertible that I worked my way up to finally in 1998. Hard to believe I've had it 22 years already. It can sit for a week and not leave a drop on the floor of the garage, but then sometime in the next few days, whoosh, what seems like a couple of pints is everywhere all over the floor. It's not really that much, but that fluid sure does spread like wildfire. I eventually got a big pan from Home Depot that is designed to sit under big hot water heaters to catch leaks and leave that on the floor where I park. If it's a good car show/cruise night season, and I drive it at least once a week, the pan stays clean and dry. I'm in MA, so by October it is usually no longer convertible weather, so it goes away until Spring (which seems to come later each year- we may get snow tonight and temps in the 40's tomorrow!)
When it's a cold Spring or Fall, I spend more time in the Hurst or 57C coupes, but they don't get anywhere near as many miles as my favorite, so they sit for weeks sometimes and never a drip. Go figure.
Best as I could determine in my case, is that the TC holds the fluid for a week or so and then drains back into the pan, and the level rises up to where is shouldn't be, which means there is no leakproof gasket, which happens to be where the kickdown linkage slips over a vertical shaft on the cast iron TF. With nothing there to hold back the fluid (the loose fitting bushing doesn't provide a seal), it goes up the shaft and down the side of the trans, all around the lip of the pan, and onto the floor. I guess the good news is that for winter storage, it only does this once and then 'finds it level' and is done for the rest of storage season. During the year, if weather or schedules don't allow me to drive as often as needed to prevent the leak, I'll start the car and put it in Drive and Reverse and shut it down and that seems to also keep the fluids where they are supposed to be. Sucks when it only happens to your favorite car. I hate leaks and rattles. 57 doesn't leak, and it's older with higher mileage. Only disaster I had with that car was winter storage when somehow the trans cooler in the radiator decided to let go when it was just sitting there. By Spring there was a big puddle of Pepto Bismal Pink gooey fluid on the floor as the radiator had drained into the transmission, thus raising the level of the fluid and mixing with it. Not sure where it came out, but probably also the kickdown shaft or even a vent tube (if there is one?). What a mess. It does have an annoying rattle from somewhere in the rear when I go over bumps. Haven't found it yet. Need a buddy to ride in the back seat or trunk to isolate it. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

On Fri, May 8, 2020 at 5:57 PM jackcboyle@xxxxxxxxx [Chrysler300] <Chrysler300-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Thank you all for your replies to my torque converter issues.

I have attempted to sort through and reconcile the various opinions and
options.

Since my earlier note to the yahoo group I have talked to three different
tranny shops that speak powerflite. Two of these shops offer rebuilt TC's. I
would do this if I was 100% sure that my situation would improve. If I am
not convinced that a rebuilt unit would solve the problem, I am even less
convinced to try a used one with unknown history. Apparently, the
tolerances for the TC and associated bushing, seals etc. are very small and
difficult to eliminate or even improve on even after spending $$$ on a
rebuilt TC.

One option for me is to do nothing and just drive my car more often and keep
the fluid up in the TC as the leaks don't show up on my floor until the car
has sat for a week or more. This is tough to do, especially in Kansas in
January. The transmission does not leak or otherwise consume fluid when
driven. I will lose a pint or so a week while it sits - but to Bentonville
and back and Chicago and down ½ of Route 66 it took no added fluid.

All other suspect internal parts have been replaced, many twice. According
to my late father (a 50-year Mopar mechanic) it is the TC bleeding down and
over filling and then spilling out the linkage seals etc. (see photo) These
seals were not designed to hold fluid above the pan level. Quick arithmetic
says I have cleaned up 200 quarts of fluid over the last 53 years. In fact,
this car refused to move the night I bought it in 1967. My dad (who made by
buy it) said to let it run in neutral for a few minutes, then in gear for a
few minutes to "refill the torque converter" all of this 110,000 miles ago.

According to Marshall Goodnight ...the 300 TC It is not the
same as that uses on New Yorker and Imperial, but it is the same as that on
the Windsor. It is slightly smaller and has slightly higher stall speed,
but additionally it has fins welded to the outer case creating a fan for air
cooling the transmission and the bell housing has more screened ventilation
openings than the New Yorker and Imperial.

New Yorker and Imperial transmissions are liquid cooled by a
heat exchanger in the lower radiator hose. The Windsor transmissions are
air cooled only. The C300 has both cooling systems sharing the New Yorker
liquid heat exchanger and the Windsor torque converter (fan) and extra
ventilation openings.

I contacted every source identified in various club websites including the
Imperial site - about ½ are out of the business. One shop offered: 1955 300
/ Powerflite air cooled converter, 12" diameter, 146th, 19 spline input -
have them in stock, rebuilt Part # 789 Cost $550.00 + $150.00 core deposit
plus shipping. To have my old converter rebuilt, it will be the same cost
minus the core deposit, but there will be an additional cost to cover the
R&R shipping of the converter which would be around $40.00. he does not
actually rebuild converters, he only distributes them so I would have to
send out my converter core to be rebuilt.

I am just about ready to give up and put a leaky but operational
transmission back in a car that I am painting, reupholstering, rewiring and
putting new brakes and suspension in.

For those cc'd on this email there are photos attached - and thanks again to
everyone.

.....Jack

Jack Boyle
(913) 544 4650

Enjoying the same C-300 since 1967

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]