Torque converter issues

[Garrett Park]

Hey what’s up folks, new to the forum and dodge. I bought a 06 5.9 a few months ago to haul my camper with. Recently it started to make a squealing noise when you’d let off the throttle, it would go away once you cracked the throttle, I had thought just quickly belt squeak or turbo whine of some sort 2 more days went by and it started making a real bad rattle metallic sound almost constantly. I took it to the dealer to diagnose it and when they took the inspection cover off of the belhousing they said the torque converter bolts had started to back out. I assume they meant the flex plate to torque converter bolts. Once they tightened them back up the noise and the squeal went away. When they had it on there lift they saw the driveline vibrating pretty good and looked through the ujoints and what not and couldn’t find anything wrong. They said as they ran it you could feel pretty good shutter. They advised to install a new torque converter as that was what they diagnosed the issue from.

Is this something that would make sense or is there something I can do to verify that it is indeed the problem.

If this is the case I’d love some replacement tips on making my life easier installing a new one.

Application use is daily driver and hauling a 7000# camping trailer on weekends. Thinking a standard single disk low stall option would be most suitable?

Thanks for all the help.
Garrett

 

[Bloody_Knuckles]

Have the driveshaft balanced before you pay to change the torque converter.

 

[Bloody_Knuckles]

Also, if the noticed the vibration only when it was on the lift, check the rear tires for balance, If it was vibrating as badky as the said, you should be able to feel it when driving.

 

[HemiHouseLLC]

Hey, new to the forum!
For anyone browsing through this "torque converter" post, just an FYI; HEADS UP!!! My friend has a 2006 2500 Mega Cab. He uses it for showing property mainly on dirt/rough/muddy roads. He's got somewhere around 210-220,000 miles. He's faithfully kept maintenance schedules at the Dodge dealer since new. They entice you to bring it to them for scheduled maintenance by giving free oil changes. They changed the Auto Trans fluid and filter awhile back and must have failed to remove the 3 bolts for the inspection plate to at least check the flex plate bolts to the torque converter. While trying to start on a very cold morning he was trying to get it started, he did something he has never done before and had his wife spray ether into it while cranking! He failed to tell her to just do a quick short blast.... She sprayed tooooo long. Of course the 24v ran away and made all kinds of noise! BAD! Pegged the Tach! Got it stopped then upon starting it again it rattled while idling! He revved up slowly and rattle ceased at around 1500 rpm. A couple of his friends told him it was timing chain! Or Injectors! I went over and got codes P2509 and P0219 Those had to do with... wait for it!, Over-revving! So we started the Cummins and listened to it and it did sound like engine prob. But got out a long metal bar and used it for a stethoscope! The rattle was between engine and Trans. Removed bottom Trans inspection plate and one buggered up torque conv. bolt was lying there and obviously there were other bolts lodged up higher! Come to find out there were only 3 loose bolts holding the plate to Converter! The shop he took it to, NOT the Dealer, had to replace the Flex Plate AND the Torque Converter! They said the threads for the bolts in the Converter were too messed up to receive the new bolts back into them and torque them to spec. I'm saying the Torque Converter was still mechanically sound but could not be reused! So, heads up guys it was a $2900.00 price tag for him at a shop! The price at the Dealer would have been way too overwhelming for this 75 year old, "Shirt off his back for you"" Vietnam Veteran! So, if you have an Automatic go out and check those 6 outer flex plate bolts now, because those bolts are not on the maintenance schedule at your "favorite dealership"! I haven't yet but am going to before I drive my '04 Dually anywhere else!