Tranny experts...little help please...Pics included

[Wagoncrzy]

Was going to throw the new motor in today, but it started getting dark by the time I had moved the engine to street level. I took the hood off and noticed that the torque converter has a little surface rust. I spun it and it made a noise like it had a little dirt or sand behind it. There was no sand inside the torque converters sleeve. Just in the bellhousing which I cleaned up. There were also a cpl of metal shavings on the bottom of the bellhousing. They are the size of a dime cut in half and are paper thin.
QUESTIONS....

Should I clean up the surface rust on the torque converter?(motor is painted and pretty...lol.)

What Is the SEAL directly behind the torque converter...Is it hard to replace??? (torque converter oil seal????)


Should I replace the torque converter...Truck ran fine from Maryland to Ky last year....the sand is prolly from when I sandblasted the frame. The motor was still attached to the tranny at the time...the metal shavings were what concerned me.

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x160/Wagoncrzy/000_4933.jpg

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x160/Wagoncrzy/000_4935.jpg

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x160/Wagoncrzy/000_4936.jpg

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x160/Wagoncrzy/000_4937.jpg

Thanks, jim

[azwagoneer80]

I personally wouldn't worry about the surface rust unless it was on the outside of the hub that fits into the front pump. As far as the noise...was the converter on when you sandblasted the frame? So no sand got into the transmission. The shavings could be from the starter maybe chewing on the flexplate at one time, or anywhere for that matter. The seal is easy to replace with the converter off, just prys off, new one taps in flush.

[710 Burner]

Well if you spun it without supporting the front of it, it was grinding against the input or seal (so don't do that). When it is installed, it has support at the front so its not just hanging there.