Finished last season at Huntsville MVP race. Parked and haven't touched anything mechanical all winter. First time out was this weekend and car isn't acting right. I've always had issues keeping the front end on the ground but this weekend it wouldn't pick the front tires an inch and 60' has slowed from 1.26 to 1.33 and et loss from 6.00 to 6.24. Also after I go through the lights and slow to make the turn the car try's to die like the motor is pulling down (bogging). I can shut it off and refire and it's fine. The converter is 15 years old and does have a sprag. I've sent it back many times over the years for adjustments and freshen ups but never had any issues with it. Does this sound like the sprag is Broking?

Broken Sprag in the converter
Put a Spragless in it,and forget it.

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I have a spragless that's .015 lower than my sprag converter. If it's the sprag and I can get another 15 years out of it then I'll stay with the ATI. Not looking or asking for what's best just asking the ones who have had a sprag break if this sounds like what I have going on

When my sprag broke it would about kill the motor off just putting in gear. Sure sounds like the problem to me.

Sounds like the sprag.....Not being a smart a$$ but why are you worried about 2 hun in e.t. when you can have one less thing to worry about?

I broke a sprag on my old converter and went spragless on the new one. Did not notice any difference in Et.

A spun stator support tube can act like a a bad sprag as well.

quote:

Originally posted by C Hodge:
I've sent it back many times over the years for adjustments and freshen ups

NEVER send a converter back for a "freshen up".

I have had a spark plug cause the same type of problem.

I have seen this before after setting up a while. And it was fuel related. Once pump got weak. And one time carb pumps were bad. Was your last day of racing last yr. all OK?

I had the same problem at the beginning of the year. It was perfect the last race out last year in November and at the first race in February I was .2 slow and my car wouldn't pick up the front tires an inch. my sixties were .04-.05 slow. Sent the converter to FTI and they said it had a broken sprag. Got it back and everything is perfect.

quote:

DragRaceResults

My car would break a sprag every now and again. When it does here is what I get. 60' slows way down, reaction times slow way down, Et is down. Sounds like maybe you had one let go.

quote:

Originally posted by Al Alguire:

quote:

DragRaceResults

My car would break a sprag every now and again. When it does here is what I get. 60' slows way down, reaction times slow way down, Et is down. Sounds like maybe you had one let go.

Trans temp is up if you monitor it and the rpm drop at the shift should also be way down...

quote:

Originally posted by Curly1:
I broke a sprag on my old converter and went spragless on the new one. Did not notice any difference in Et.

Neither did i. Ran the same thing

From an 8" ATI to An 8" FTI I slowed 012-015. Not bashing the FTI but I choose to run what's faster. In my dragster I didn't see any difference sprag to spragless and ran FTI in it. And it could not be the converter but I'm checking it and the trans just to be sure. One thing I did notice coming up the return road was a load noise in high gear when coasting.Neutral and low there was no noise so it could be the trans. Should know tomorrow is something is wrong inside the trans or it's all good. If the trans is good I'll be putting the FTI in to run this week and see if that fixes it.

So you mean it's .12-.15 slow not .012-.015 correct?

quote:

Originally posted by C Hodge:
From an 8" ATI to An 8" FTI I slowed 012-015. Not bashing the FTI but I choose to run what's faster. In my dragster I didn't see any difference sprag to spragless and ran FTI in it. And it could not be the converter but I'm checking it and the trans just to be sure. One thing I did notice coming up the return road was a load noise in high gear when coasting.Neutral and low there was no noise so it could be the trans. Should know tomorrow is something is wrong inside the trans or it's all good. If the trans is good I'll be putting the FTI in to run this week and see if that fixes it.

Sounds like you broke the planetary.

6.20 to 6.35 changing converters. Pulled the trans tonight and drained converter no metal in the pan. Drained trans and only a little glitter in the pan but not much. Has me wondering if I'm looking in the right place but there's still the noise. After running 1.76 for years with no problem I'm hoping it's not the 1.80 planetary but anything can break. Only ran the 1.80 8 races

Finish First , just went thru the same issue about 5000 dollars later I found a bad plug . Never missed or any signs . I use NGK

I had my car drop 2 hundreds heard noise coming from back of car while coasting thought might be planet took trans apart found nothing. Next time warming up car sounded fine running on Jack stands heard noise coasting had someone else in dragster and had friends listen and decided it might be in the rear. Took it apart and found 2 teeth knocked off the pinion. Not saying this is what it is but might be last resort if you find nothing else. Good Luck.