what causes one of these to go bad? when one does go bad what else can happen to a motor? could anything happen to a tranny because of it?

 

Usually the converter balloons up and screws up the thrust clearance and then it starts a downward spiral on both the tranny and motor.

Bret

 

so in otherwords you'd know when something was wrong before hand? is there anything on the motor that could give you signs externally?

for example if your crank had play in it, would that mean that your thrust bearing could be bad?

lets say i pull on my balancer and it has 109 thousandths of play or even 1/16" of play could that mean my thrust bearing was bad or something else?

 

yeap means you need to check the crank rear main journal and replace the rear main bearings.... (probably the whole set)

I'd also check the sides of the rods where they contact each other and the crank as well.

Pro Stock John bitched about his motor from one of the vendors on LS1tech said they did it wrong before.... He just had some freaking goofs install the converter and tranny wrong and they actually ****ed it all up but, $hit you can't tell him anything. His thrust was way off too.... 95% of the time it's the freaking converter or tranny causing it, the other time it's usually the thrust cap is cocked and the motor makes it's own thrust clearance.

Bret

 

how would you know how much play in a crank, measured by pulling the balancer would be evident of a problem?

 

Well if you know there is endplay without a dial indicator telling you what the endplay is it's WAY FREAKING OFF!!!!!

Crankshaft end play is less than .010" on a worn motor. If it's more than that, then you are SOL. Time to check that thing out.

Bret

 

what could cause such endplay besides a trans?

 

Said this already.........

"95% of the time it's the freaking converter or tranny causing it, the other time it's usually the thrust cap is cocked and the motor makes it's own thrust clearance."