This maybe of interest to KJ CRD owners who have been running the Green Diesel Engineering ECU flash software (ECO or Full Torque), or others that just tow alot with stock machines. The KJ 545RFE transmission, while a great 5 speed unit used in much larger Chrysler trucks, has one weakness, the torque converter they selected to put in it for the KJ. In certain loaded situations the torque converter will shudder, this is caused by a weak lockup spring in the torque converter. Much research has been done by KJ owners in the US and by Green Diesel Engineering to identify a suitable replacement torque converter. Suncoast makes a good one but it is expensive (over $700 USD) and then you need to allow for shipping that very heavy item to Oz. There is one called the Euro TC which is basically the one that Jeep sells now as a replacement for the KJ, and seems to have been supplied in certain Euro models. Recently I have been talking to Torco in California about a replacement. Torco is a remanufacturer which means they take a stock TC and crack it open and replace all the bad stuff and upgrade all the parts that make it a much more robust unit. You can read about what they do to the TCs here:
http://www.torqueconverter1.com/About_Us.html
In summary this is what they do:
All parts in our torque converters are modified to exceed OEM standard!
Impeller Hubs, Turbine Hubs, O-Ring, Seals, Bearing, Races,
Thrust Washers, Stator Caps, Springs, Ring Gears, Lockup
Cluthes, Lockup Lining, Bushing, and Front Cover.
They are selling the KJ torque converter for about $165 USD depending on which one you order. I bought the 600SP which is a heavy duty model with extra strong springs, and lock up clutches. This thing weights 38lbs so the shipping via USPS was a killer at $183 USD, BUT it solves my shudder problem and is according to Johnny at Torco going to have no problem with the GDE full torque output, it's basically a Hemi version with extra strength in key areas. They also offer a low stall version.
Now here are the steps required to remove your old torque converter and install a new one. Most of this was supplied by Green Diesel on their Forum but I have added alot of comments and inserts applicable to the Australian KJ CRD, and more steps where GDE skipped over some important steps.
Removal and replacement of the Torque Converter:
1. Disconnect battery.
2. Make sure vehicle is secured on a lift or up at least 300mm on jack stands.
3. A tranny jack, or a floor jack with a transmission adaptor, is a must for supporting the trans after disconnecting from engine. Watch out when your buying a transmission adaptor for your hydraulic floor jack, as most of the adaptors have a larger saddle pin that will not fit some of the cheap floor jacks like the ones sold by Supercheap for example. Check it before you buy it.
4. GDE suggested removing the mechanical fan with a large crescent wrench or equivalent. (May need to hold the fan hub pulley in place while hitting the wrench with a hammer, it is a standard thread so left to loosen.) But this only works for you if you have two people doing the job because you can't turn the flywheel that way when you are under the vehicle accessing the torque converter bolts. A better way for one person is to skip this fan business and simply move the flywheel with a screw driver inserted into the starter port and lever the notches of the flywheel to move it around.
5. Remove wiring from starter and remove starter (3 bolts).
6. Remove torque converter access plug, located just above starter.
7. Remove front skid plate (4 bolts). And any other skid plates which you have on your vehicle. May be a good idea to do this before you remove the starter above.
7A. Remove the oil filter and catch the runoff oil to be replaced later. Stuff some rag into the oil filter opening to avoid contamination during the work but remove it later when you replace the filter. If you don't remove the filter the transmission will remove it for you when it is dropped later.
8. GDE suggested "pulling the transmission line connector off the attachment stud on the bottom side of oil pan. This provides enough play so trans cooler lines do not have to be disconnected." Wrong, it did not work for me, there was not enough slack to move the transmission back. I had to cut the cooler lines and repair them again on the install side. If you have an auxiliary cooler you maybe able to just disconnect it to get enough movement. Obviously this gets messy and please recover any fluid so you can put it back if possible.
9. Remove front propshaft (NOTE: use paint pen to mark both shafts when removing so they are re-installed in same orientation this will make sure the balance is maintained), may need to use a hammer to pop out CV joint after bolts are loose as it tends to freeze in position. Having the trans in neutral may make disassembly easier. These are 8mm bolts and there are a fair number of them on both ends. Pop the back out first by pushing the front forward to compress the slip and then put the back up behind the spindle and pull the front out.
10. Mark the rear axle with paint on the diff spindle so that you can put it back exactly where it was. Remove 4 bolts holding rear driveshaft to axle, and slip it out of the slip yoke (this is a good time to grease the slip yoke as well). Don't let the drive shaft just hang down from the Slip Yoke spindle because it may fall out and it's extra weight on your jack..
11. Disconnect the two exhaust hanger isolators from the crossmember. It's hard to get a socket ratchet in there so a good supply of ratchet wrenches is a good idea. This is 13mm.
12. Rotate the engine over clockwise to get the 4 torque converter bolts to line up in the access window just above the starter.
13. Line up each TC bolt in window and remove one at a time, then rotate engine 90 degrees and proceed with next bolt until all four are removed.
14. Remove all the bolts holding the transmission to the engine, minus the two that are on the topside of the trans.
15. Remove the six crossmember bolts, while having a jack supporting the transmission.
16. Lower the transmission as far as it will go, now you will have access to the two bolts at the top of the trans that are still holding it to the engine (keep slight pressure on the jack). The engine oil pan will be just above the engine cross member at full droop.
17. Use a swivel and long extension to reach the two bolts from underneath the vehicle, the approach should be from the passenger side of the vehicle. Reaching over the top of the transmission from the right side with your right hand, attach the socket and swivel and then stick your extensions on. I found I had to use a swivel, a long extension and two short ones which put the ratchet back around the transfer case where there is more room to move it back and forth. This is all work that has to be done by touch because you can't see them.
18. Once they are out, jack up tranny a little bit and then pull the unit rearward until it disconnects from engine.
19. Disconnect the 10mm bolt that holds the transmission dipstick to the trans. Pull the dipstick upward until it pops out of tranny (may need to lower tranny for this). Now this is a real problem on the CRD, I found it very easy to get the dipstick out but impossible to get it back in later because of the brackets attached to it and the twists that are necessary could not be done with that long piece of tube. I finally got so frustrated by the install of the tube that I cut it in two pieces to get it into the transmission and then repaired it later.
20. Now the unit can be lowered and pushed further back so the torque converter can be removed. You will need to have enough room to slide the torque converter off the pump shaft so try to get at least 250 mm of clearance behind the engine flywheel.
21. Make sure have a drip pan underneath bell housing when removing converter as 1 to 3 litres of fluid will drain out of converter. Be very careful with this step as the TC is a very heavy item and you will be using your arms to support it. I found that using my scissors jack raised to the level of the transmission allowed me to slide the TC onto that jack and then lower it.
22. The install of the new TC is the reverse order of these steps. Make sure to align the two dowel pins on the sides of the engine adapter plate to the bell housing and tighten one of the top attachment bolt to pull the units back together.
23. When your putting the new TC into the transmission be very carefull to make sure that you properly engage each of the gear sets and index it to the pump shaft. By this I mean rotate the TC on the shaft as you insert it and feel for the two flat surfaces that are on the pump shaft and allow it to seat fully. Once in, check the rotation, if it scrapes on the sides of the housing it is in too far. Measure from the front edge of the transmission housing to the back of the TC bolt mount surfaces, this distance should be only about 1/16th to 1/8th of an inch. Try to align the TC bolt holes with the flywheel bolt holes (by eye) so that you have little to do in moving things around once the transmission is bolted in place - as you will need to put the TC bolts in to secure the flywheel to the TC. Mine were really close but if yours are not you might be bale to move the TC around by pushing it with a screwdriver from the starter window through the lightening cutouts in the flywheel.
24. Note when installing the four bolts that hold the torque converter to the flywheel. Get all 4 bolts installed one at a time, but just hand tighten and back out ¼ turn until all four are installed. Then torque each one and finally complete a torque check on each bolt after the sequence is complete. There is no sense to short cut this and risk a torque converter becoming loose. BTW the torque values for the TC bolts is 28.8 Ft Lbs, over tightening these bolts can put dimples into the TC lockup surface. I used Locktite (Blue) on the TC bolts.
25. When you have it all assembled, check all your fluid levels. Make sure you have replaced the oil filter. Return any transmission fluid that you saved from the old torque converter or add new fluid to top up the system . Ideally if you capture and measure all the fluid that came out then you know exactly how much as to go back in. Note that the old TC will take some time to drain and may contain fluid for some time as it's trapped in the cups inside the housing, rotating it and lying it on the flywheel side allows the fluid to drain to where it can be poured out. It's a pain trying to recover it all.
Here are some suggested tools. A good set of 1/2" sockets and ratchets with some deep reach ones for critcal sizes like 13,14, 15 and 17mm. Extensions of various lengths, a good 1/2" Uni swivel. The transmission jack adaptor, and hydraulic floor jack with high reach. Good Jack stands. A 1/4" ratchet set with extensions for the 8mm bolts on the front drive shaft. Plastic boxes to catch transmission fluid from the TC removal. A large flat blade screwdriver to lever the flywheel around - not to long as you won't have enough room to lever it, about 6" would be good. Finally, get some tie down straps with cam locks - I used these as an extra security device to hold the transmission in place as a fail-safe incase the jack failed or I was leaving it on the jack overnight. The straps whould be rated at 300kg and long enough to go through the holes in the frame rails and back to the cam lock. Better safe than sorry, that transmission your moving around has a transfer case and cross member still attached to it and it is one heavy assembly - work safe.
Any questions?
Replacing your Torque Converter
