[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Going to need a torque convertor for an 89 Dodge B350 Van with 360cid and 727 transmission.
I think it is a lock-up convertor/trans.
Won't really be sure until I pull the convertor out and verify the input shaft.

Florida Convertors reman is going to be about $350 when the dust settles.
Anyone used cheaper alternatives that worked good ?

Nothing fancy , just stock application.

[Jay S]

I don’t know if it will save you any money. But Dacco is what we have used and have not had any trouble with remans. I think they are the largest converter company in the country. I have one behind my 03 cummins.

[Cliff R]

Transtar Industries gobbled up most of the market in recent years. I used them way back when I still did transmission builds in the shop and never had any issues with their stock replacement converters.......

[Half-Inch Stud]

U-Pull-its have the best factory spec'c converters. Get 1 that has been stored properly, and shows red fluid. Should be like $70.

[Jay S]

Precision is another good source for stock converters.

https://gopnh.com/

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

The yards around here don't have loose convertors anymore.
Have to pull the trans yourself if you want the convertor.
On a 727 Chrysler you won't know for sure if its standard or lock-up type until you can see the input shaft on the trans.

All vehicles are elevated on rims welded in a T fashion.
No jacks allowed.
Have seen guys stuff the rear seats out of cars under a trans to get the bolts out and then wrestle them out from under the trans - to get the trans out from under the vehicle.
Too much for my solo act.

Looks like I can get a reman for a 360cid in L-U or regular flavor for around $150 from local auto parts chains.
TC company ? seems to be everyone's supplier.
1 year warranty

Florida gives a lifetime warranty but $350 after the dust settles. For L-U
Standard is about another $100
All others have been even higher $

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

318 cid is internally balanced engine - no weight on convertor
360 cid is externally balanced with a weight on convertor

I don't know about all the other Mopar cid balancing

Then there is unknown parameter of whether its L-U or standard.
Some years can be either
Then they have low stall and high stall depending on axle ratio

You either need to find an untouched unaltered vehicle that you can verify all the physical parameters
- or get a reman in a new box with the right specs.

[Jay S]

A $500 rebuilt converter sounds cheap to me compared to driving too a U pull it and pulling one out by myself. Lol

You can buy a flex plate that converts a 360 to neutral balancing like a 318. The A518 is the converter as the later A727 converters if you want to widen your search some. Still have to match it up with what you have though, (23 spline input) LU or (24 spline) nonLU, and unfortunately have to wait and see what you have before your ready to order anything. Non LU converters are of course much cheaper.

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

I'm with you on the junkyard labor , Jay .
Would have to do it all by myself without my transmission jack.
And then roll the dice

Was hoping maybe there was an in-between of the $350 Florida and $150 O'Reilly.
All the chain stores seem to use the same "TC" company supplier.
They are probably a roll of the dice too

The private outfits that I can get prices for without requesting a quote are actually cheaper on the L-U versus Standard.
Kinda odd

Seems like you have a bit of experience on these Mopar items and good to know about the conversion 360 flexplate.
That might be another possible avenue if my hunch proves right.

I just recently found out about the 318 / 360 balance criteria less than a week ago.
Appreciate the spline count too - was just told to check the input snout whether the end was smooth or splined to the end.

All I know about the transmission by the stamped ID is it came from a 78 Truck
Presuming that truck had 3.90 gears since the speedo reads about 5mph too fast with my 3.54 axle.

If that is correct -- I'm guessing a 3.90 axle Truck probably used a high stall convertor ?

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Okay , some back story - trying for the shortest version. lol

Bought this 15 passenger van little over 2 years ago - on the cheap.
" Bad Transmission - Runs good - new tires - rock solid - nice seats/interior - original paint - 1 Ton "

Seller bought 4 vans from a former transport service to get the 1 van he wanted.
No back history available - this one didn't have a key - so he put a new ignition switch and got it running.
Listed it on Craigslist

Real life evaluation =
Rumbles and grumbles more times than not , in various severity , mainly at start up and low speed.
Shifts erratic , sometimes won't go into 3rd gear.
Speedo bounces around crazy
Towed it home.

Figured get another trans - rebuild it - new torque convertor.
Checked over everything and trans looks sorta fresh looking ...hmm
Run the numbers and its not original - 78 Pick Up Truck ... hmm

Nothing to lose , I service the trans and start reading up on 727 adjustments .
Short story - I get it working Great
Still rumbles - but way less.
Go through Everything Else front to back , then new synthetics everywhere , speedo cable , yank the seats out.
Put it to work.

Been using it for 2 years - 2 or 3 weekends a month - doing a flea market gig I fell into.
That's what I mainly bought it for.

Finally thinking about straightening it out now. Has stayed the same - but would rather go ahead and get it right before I ruin something and get too old to fool with it.
I'd use it for more things if I didn't feel like it was a time-bomb transmission deal.

Whether its a lock- up , or a high or low stall - idunno.
But whatever it is it works great overall.
Leaning towards it being lock-up ,,, its great on the highway and hard to keep the speed down.
With 1200-1500 pounds inside of it.

Should find out this afternoon if it has a 318 convertor or not.
With new knowledge - I'm thinking its very possible when they swapped the 78 Truck trans it may have been a 318 Truck and they used its convertor too.
Been rainy weather here since last weekend , and other stuff.

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Just finished marking the convertor and looped it around a full turn.
No Weight on the convertor or any signs of a missing weight.
Its got a 318cid convertor in it .

Hey Jay , tell me more about those conversion flexplates !
Have you ever used one , or know anyone who has ?

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

$85 + $15 shipping from Jegs on eBay
360 external balance - conversion flexplate
SFI certified

[Jay S]

If it operates ok it could be that rumble is from the wrong balancing with the 318 converter. A lock up converter that is going bad can make a chatter in high gear, but I would be a little surprised if it was a lock up if it came from that late 70s dodge pickup. I think that is likely a non lock up. I think it would be a low stall non lock up if it was in a 318 from a late 70s Dodge truck. A 360 probably have been a high stall non lock up. I think your 3500 van with a 360 would have been a high stall lock up from the factory.

Those external balance flex plates are common in the Mopar world. Over the years I have add weights, removed weights, and drilled holes for changing from external or internal balanced Mopar engines. Since they came out with those external balanced flex plates I just get the flex plate instead and run neutral balance converters.

B&M has a flex plate for a 360 to neutral balance it. Those have been out for quite a while. The last ten years many other companies came out with them. PRW is about the cheapest, you can see the big portion notched out neutral balance it.

https://www.manciniracing.com/prwflchsfi1.html

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Thanks Jay.
Definitely believing its due to the 318 convertor without balance weights.
I've seen what the big butterfly wing weight looks like for 360 on the websites.

Going with a new flexplate after I get some other projects squared away.
Front and rear seals and a new rear bushing.
And keep using the same convertor/trans.

They must have done a blind swap with everything from the 318 Truck.
The speedo reading around 5mph too fast doesn't bother me , helps keep me on the right side of the law .

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Here's the difference between my stock flexplate and the conversion-balance flexplate.





318 convertor w/o weight and 360 convertor with weight

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Mancini is out of stock but will have them back in about a week.
$45 + $15-20 shipping
Great deal

Thanks again for such great help Jay