Congratulation's Dave it's been a hard road but you got there my friend well done .

 

Just posted the video of my son driving my drunk *** home on Facebook a few minutes ago. Go over and take a look!

 

So an update on all of this....

I drove the car quite a bit last week, it was awesome. On the way to take my daughter to school Friday I heard a noise. I couldn't figure out what it was so I planned to pull the trans this week. Well we had planned cruise in on Sunday for my son's 16th birthday (Zachary), it's all he wanted for his birthday. Saturday in the evening I decided I'd pull the trans and swap converters as it seemed like either a converter or pump issue. It took about 3.5 hours to swap it all and I did some other stuff while I was at. Sunday I filled the trans and the noise was gone. Sweet.

I drove to get my son and we headed out for the longest drive the car has been on in quite a long time. About 30 miles to Quaker Steak. The car drove and shifted flawlessly, the drive was just fantastic.

I got drunk walking around and having a good time and let Zachary drive home. He got on it a little a few times and asked if he could stop and run through 1-2-3 gear and I told him yes. He did it once, then asked if he could do it again and I'd video, so we did. I posted that video on our FB page a few minutes ago.

I dropped him off and had to drive about 4 miles home. I got on it and the car free rev'd...not good. I decided to just try to get the car home and be easy on it, no will power, I tried it again. My wife was following me and I pulled off the road. No gears, engine won't crank. I've had this happen before when we lost converter bolts and they got lodged between the flex plate and block. She went the 1/4 mile to the house, grabbed my truck and pulled me home.

Tonight I'm going to put the car up on stands and take a look. Its impossible for the bolts to come out now with the locking plates we use on the bolts but I am thinking it may have actually sheered the bolts off, that is what I am hoping anyway.

More development.....

 

Bummer to hear you are having some issues. Its good that you have gotten in some pulls and some fun in the midst of breaking stuff.

Link to vids please? No FB access from work (where I live basically)

 

The link to the vids would take you to Facebook where they are posted. Maybe you can take a look tonight. The link to our page is in my signature.

 

Dave, did you have a chance to inspect it a determine the problem?

 

Yes, it's apart but can go back together tonight if I get motivated enough. The damage sucks. The bolts appear to have sheered off at the converter, they were re-used quite a few times. I won't do that again. The accessory belt shredded and worked it's way under the damper and got under the timing belt, I'm hoping it didn't bend any valves. The starter has the head of one of the converter bolts lodged in the gear, the starter plate is destroyed. It's my own fault to be honest. I hate giving up and getting the trailer. I should have just pulled over as soon as something seemed off and got the truck/trailer to haul it, instead I continued to beat on it....

 

Does arp make a bolt that could be used?

 

I think we are all guilty of that at some point. We are gluttons for punishment, thats why we are in this hobby. Dump tons of money and time into cars that are never worth near what we spend on them. But its what makes us car enthusiasts happy and no one will ever understand but us.
Luckily everything is fixable and will be back together soon for more testing.

 

It's just work in progress, if we know you the car will only come out even better. Like the other guy said, see if you can get some ARP's for it!

 

ARP doesn't make a bolt for it, I checked already. Kiggly had some bolts done for them but can't get them anymore and I'm not sure they were longer, I had a set and can't find them to double check.

The new bolts came today, I'll get everything fit tonight/over the weekend I hope and I'm going to use ever available thread there is in the converter.

I'd assume after guys running this set up (basically) in the DSM's for all these years someone figured out that the factory bolts were way to short, hell I never even stopped to look at it. Now after last night I see there is maybe 5mm of thread engagement, no way that is holding any power/vibration. It tore the bolts right out of the threads.

 

Dave,

you might have already done this, but have you considered moving to a 8 bolt flex plate ? and maybe increasing the thickness of the pad, where the converter bolts marry the flexplate and converter.

For what its worth, on my auto car, I bought 10.9 black oxide bolts, and cut them down to size, coupled that with loctite. I wonder if harmonics are playing a role in your case.

my $0.02

 

How about one of these grade 8 or grade 9 bolts in a longer length Dave?


http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-cap-screws/=sapfdc

 

I'll move to an 8 leg at some point if we have to have the converters we are using modded or go to billet. The thickness of the pad can't be increase, I had to have the flex plates custom built by Kiggly just to fit what we have in the car. I have 10.9 grade bolts in the car now, the heads have to be milled down to fit but I have an additional 6mm of thread engagement now, which is HUGE, about double what we had.

 

Thanks but I have the actual bolt situation handled.