@ use:
Where do you live in the WNY area? I moved away almost 20 years ago but still miss the good wings and pizza joints. Don't miss the winters, but summers nice at least!
Since having my van done it hasn't done anything funny (fingers crossed).

 

I live out in Yorkshire. Picked the van up last night and it runs the same as it did when I dropped it off. I did notice that the van wants to pull to the left a little since they dropped the under carriage to perform the converter replacement. I let them know and told them that I would give it a few days to settle back in. If it doesn't, they will do an alignment on the van since I don't need the tires to start getting chewed up. Haven't had a chance to look over the work since it's been raining. I asked about my old torque converter. The mechanic said that the old one was perferctly fine. Guess that means that the new one should be bullet proof .

 

Well, have an appointment for wednesday to get my front-end alighnment as the van still pulls to the left after the torque converter replacement. Was told that they (Ford) use an 'Alignment Tool" to re-install the sub-frame and the alignment should not be out. Well, after driving the van for 8.5 years and almost 128,000 miles, it has never pulled either direction until the recall was performed. I even gave it a few days of driving over various road conditions to see if it would "Settle in", and it still pulls. Will update the results after Wednesday.

 

Is it possible that they switched the front tires to the opposite sides when they were replaced?

 

It's not the tires. The subframe is actually not bolted into it's original position. The subframe is actually rotated counter clockwise from it's original position causing the vehicle to head left. This is then causing me to keep constant clockwise pressure on the steering wheel to go straight. This in turn is now causing my tires to wear and "Feather" across the tread.

 

Well, got the front end re-aligned. The van now tracks like it did before the torque converter replacement. Thought they would have re-bolted the sub frame back into its original position, but that wasn't the case. They just did a 4-wheel alignment. Here is a somewhat blurry picture of one of the sub frame bolts new positions. All 4 are off from their original location. With all 4 like this, the sub frame was rotated counter clockwise causing the van to head due left.

So, as a sugestion, I would double check your steering after a converter replacement.

 

So here is my story. I work at an auto wrecker and we bought an 04 freestar with a bad torque converter. We purchased it from the local ford dealer because the original owner must have decided to upgrade rather than to pay for repairs because it happened before the recall came out. Needless to say they traded it in and the company I work for bought it. I then bought it from the company I work for because I'm in need of a van due to a growing family. I was planning on just putting another used transmission in it because we had a couple sitting on the shelf. I now read there is a recall on the torque converter. What are my chances of having it repaired at the local dealer that once owned it? I've read it's covered no matter where you bought it from but is my situation different and would they still be obligated to fix it? I'm thinking about taking my chances and hopefully no one recognizes the van. Any info or any opinions?

 

I would say that as long as it has a clean (NON-Salvaged) title, it would be covered under the recall regardless of who owned or owns it now as long as the recall hasn't been performed on it. Since it is a safety recall, Ford is On-The-Hook for it until the vehicle is repaired or permanately retired.

 

Well...I got to wondering over the week-end... What I was wondering about, is all of these transmissions that have been replaced just because of bad torque converter splines. Seems to me, sheared splines would be an easy diagnosis once the trans was dropped. A good tranny shop would have said "Hey, it's just a bad torque converter and that will only be $150-200 + a few $$ mark-up for the converter and $$$ for the labor". I mean really...a good MOVERAS, rebuilt and tested tranny is only about $1500. A JASPER would cost more. Both includes the torque converter. However, the average being charged is $3500+. One has to wonder how many transmissions were actually replaced with a rebuilt unit or was the old one just prettied up for the customer with a new/rebuilt torque converter? Just my meandering thoughts...

 

Stevens Ford/ Mercury in Milford, CT, did the recall on our 2004 Mercury Monterey. You all should realize it is a big job, a lot comes apart. Engine gets cradled, so the hood, cowl, come off. The exhaust gets disconnected, and of course the CV- shafts. Unfortunately for us, this dealer had so many different hands in the pudding, they did a poor job all around. Five different harnesses were left unclamped, as well as my power steering hose. The engine ran crappy, they took it back, blamed it on a plug, Found out now that they cracked the coil with the engine support cradle. And KrazE, they broke my cruise control cable - maybe that is your problem too. Just did the coil, wires and plugs myself, and noticed they left out a bolt holding the cowl, and a couple of the snaps are broken. They did not bother with the PCM sealing bulletin - but I have it all greased up anyway now. All in all they had car for a month, and I am just getting it back in order. They did cover two weeks rental.