Torque converter needs replacing?

[MozMike]

My 89 325 started vibrating when I would accelerate and would stop when I let of the gas pedal but still rOlling so I knew it wasn't my tires or suspension.

Then it started making this winding sound one day as I drove home from work I accelerated to see if it helped and instead of moving faster my car just reved hi as if it were in neutral, only if I accelerate smoothly would it engage gear.

This all happened in a month period and the day I drove the car home from work and heard thAt sound I parked the car and haven't moved it for fear of damaging it more.

The transmission was rebuilt about 3 years ago and has been properly maintained, my friend says its the torque converter and all my research points to the torque converter my question is

1. Could it really be the torque converter and, does any one know what it would cost to replace with labor?

2. Would I be better of converting to manual depending on what it would cost to replace the torque converter?

Thanks for your help.

[jeffnhiscars]

Then it started making this winding sound one day as I drove home from work I accelerated to see if it helped and instead of moving faster my car just reved hi as if it were in neutral, only if I accelerate smoothly would it engage gear.

1. Could it really be the torque converter and, does any one know what it would cost to replace with labor?

2. Would I be better of converting to manual depending on what it would cost to replace the torque converter?

Thanks for your help.

The high rev without acceleration pretty much means tranny. "Rebuilt" doesn't mean they even touched the TC, so you could also have a stuck valve body, grit etc (others here will know better on this). TC slides off the front tranny shaft once its out. You sure dont want to mess with its guts yourself and its $$$ to pay someone else.

if you have ANY interest in a 5sp just swap regardless of cost difference. Easy, well documented and WAY more fun.

If budget or time is a big deal you can find used auto tranns cheap. I'd be amazed if anyone here says fix it.

[Sagaris]

fix it.

[Sagaris]

kidding

If you do a 5spd swap, give yourself plenty of time. I am only working on mine a few hours every Saturday but I recently discovered what a pain it is to remove the top bolt on the trans. and will be pulling the engine to make things easier.

[MozMike]

5spd it is, I know how big a pain that top bolt can be, when replaced my starter I had to remove that top bolt, it took me two weeks of messing with it until I found a guy here who posted his pictures and a tool he made himself to remove that top bolt, long story short I had a tool custom made by a friend and I removed the bolt on my first try with the tool.

Any ideas on where I can find a good used manual tranny?

[Sagaris]

You can expect to pay between $400 and 500 + shipping for everything you need to swap a decent late-model manual transmission in. Mine has cost much more because running a used clutch, un-resurfaced flywheel, sloppy shift bushings, old oil seals, and old clutch hydraulics is just dodgy.

The starter bolt+nut was actually not a problem for me, its the one bolt just a few inches towards the passenger side that got me.