TC Debate - Euro vs Suncoast vs ATS

ChooChooman74 · **Posted:** Thu Jun 07, 2012 4:40 pm

I know that this winter, I am going to need a new Torque Converter. My question, which one? I see that I have 3 options. I can go with the Euro. Not sure what the price is, but I bet it is the cheapest. Or, I can go aftermarket and choose between Suncoast ($700) and ATS ($800).

:CAMPING:

For me, the bid decision is towing. I towing a travel trailer during the summer. I will be pushing the recommended towing capacity of the CRD. Will the Euro handle it, or should I look aftermarket?

papaindigo · **Posted:** Thu Jun 07, 2012 5:36 pm

The Euro should handle it unless you are pulling something huge in really hilly terrain. We just finished a cross country trip with on the order of 800lbs total inside Jeep and a UHaul 5X8 with a total weight of 2,000-2,500 lbs on a stock TC, with the GDE EcoTune and TCM tune, and had zero shudder.

The Euro runs about $450 and SunCoast $695 but on top of that you have to add shipping to you and shipping the core back which is probably another $50-100 depending on how shipped. I don't know about ATS but I do know there has been some recent chat about a heavy duty product from http://www.torqueconverter1.com/ that may be in the $200-330 range. Alternatively if there is a good local torque convertor shop they can probably build what you need.

I chewed on this for quite sometime until installation of the GDE Stage II turbo forced my decision at which point I went with SunCoast for no better reason than they are 3 hours away and did the install (TC, Transgo kit, tranny clutch pk inspection) for a fair price with a 2 year warranty on the TC. I did find out later, from the parts manager that I've know for years, that the local DCJ dealer had installed several SunCoasts in Dodge truck so the could have done the job (yes I know about dealers but this one is a good one and, anyway, the tranny is a standard Dodge truck tranny and installation of a TC is not a special CRD "thing" as long as they use Loctite on the bolts).

SunCoast strongly recommends the Transgo kit (minus the resistor which I understand no longer comes with the kit) mainly because if replaces some weakish OEM parts. I'd concur that while you are in there this is a good upgrade.

Finally regardless of who does the install 1) locktite on the bolts is critical; 2) follow torque specs to avoid warping things and 3) ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL use only ATF+4. The latter is very important and sometimes has to be impressed on the shop's head with a club as some members have found out.

ChooChooman74 · **Posted:** Thu Jun 07, 2012 6:20 pm

Thank you for the useful insight. I will be sending this to my long time diesel mechanic and friend for this.

One night thing I like about the ATS is the 5yr/500k warranty and billet housing. But is it worth the price?

Is there a core for the Euro?

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

papaindigo · **Posted:** Fri Jun 08, 2012 6:26 am

The Euro is a reman so I suspect there is a core.

racertracer · **Posted:** Fri Jun 08, 2012 7:14 am

Dealer said that the EURO TC is not a reman and there is no core.

thermorex · **Posted:** Fri Jun 08, 2012 10:49 am

I've been using suncoast for over 2 years, never towed more than 4000 lbs, but I can say there was no shatter at all. I'm happy with it, the only problem
I see is the mileage is worse with about 1 mpg versus the stock one. Doesn't matter for me, but may for you.

racertracer · **Posted:** Fri Jun 08, 2012 1:01 pm

I spoke to the parts department and they corrected what I was previously told by the srvice department. The torq converter that I will be getting is a remanufactured one with a core charge.

ChooChooman74 · **Posted:** Fri Jun 08, 2012 1:23 pm

racertracer wrote:

I spoke to the parts department and they corrected what I was previously told by the srvice department. The torq converter that I will be getting is a remanufactured one with a core charge.

Thanks for the clarification. When they remanufacture it, I guess to European standards?

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

papaindigo · **Posted:** Fri Jun 08, 2012 2:29 pm

Yep if it's part # RL037142AA which is what I show replaced the original Euro # 68037142AA .

audiboy86 · **Posted:** Fri Jun 08, 2012 8:42 pm

I have over 4500 behind mine with the stock convertor in the foot hills and never had and issue. I don't believe anyone on here has the ATS convertor yet.

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Sat Jun 09, 2012 10:03 am

FYI - the original vs Euro thread
http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=578144#p578144

ChooChooman74 · **Posted:** Sat Jun 09, 2012 1:03 pm

ATXKJ wrote:

FYI - the original vs Euro thread
http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=578144#p578144

Thanks. I will review the topic while on the computer.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

Tony P. · **Posted:** Wed Jun 13, 2012 1:30 pm

I have had the suncoast T/C installed for approximately 11 months now and about 15k miles on it with a mix of city, highway, and mild trailer towing with it. No problems what so ever.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Wed Jun 13, 2012 1:34 pm

I'm at about 55k on a euro TQ and I think it is failing.

Considering my replacement options.

racertracer · **Posted:** Wed Jun 13, 2012 2:43 pm

I just got a new OEM TC installed 2 days ago and I am getting mild shutter and abrupt shut downs when coming to a stop and at first start up in the morning.

The filters were replaced but the transmission pump was not.

Any ideas?

papaindigo · **Posted:** Wed Jun 13, 2012 3:26 pm

Before I got my SunCoast installed along with a tranny service w filters and the transgo kit I pretty commonly had tranny problems when I first cranked up in the am or after a day of work. If I cranked up and shifted into neutral (not Park) and ran the idle up to about 1500 for 10-15 seconds before attempting to drive I had no problems. If I failed to do that and just drove off sometimes things were fine and sometimes I'd get maybe 100' at which point the vehicle would stall out; restart and it would drive ok; sometimes I got a code sometimes not but if I got a code it went away in like 5 restarts. I'm 99% sure I had a classic case of ATF drain back out of the TC.

It's possible you have a bad out of the box filter with a bad valve; it's possible they did not install the filter correctly; or it's possible there is not enough fluid in the system. I'm assuming ATF+4 was used.

Best I can suggest.

racertracer · **Posted:** Wed Jun 13, 2012 4:44 pm

Hello Pap,

Jeep did the work, they used the most up to date filters on the shelf, and atf-4.

warp2diesel · **Posted:** Wed Jun 13, 2012 7:59 pm

Link to a NEW Euro (before Reman ones) cut open at Suncoast right after it came out. Chrysler put in larger dampener springs, that is it, nothing more.
http://s362.photobucket.com/albums/oo69 ... Converter/

kdlewis1975 · **Posted:** Wed Jun 13, 2012 9:43 pm

I went Suncoast myself. I finally got things back together last weekend and things have been fine this past week. Being a bit heavier it does noticeably cut down on the engine vibrations. Their service is fast too. The stall rating is a bit lower than the OEM, so you don't have the engine revving as high on take off or getting up to speed ...at least if you do rev high, it seems more productive.

Overall I'm happy with it. Unfortunately none of us have independently tested all of the offerings that are available, so all you have to go on is our personal opinions which are going to be biased. I did the swap myself and went in with the mindset that I was only going to do this once.

Good luck...and keep in mind that your TC may decide your schedule for replacement. Mine stranded me in the parking lot at work in mid-February.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

audiboy86 · **Posted:** Thu Jun 14, 2012 7:22 pm

Well I might have to swap to sun coast when the euro goes it has 60K on it and shows no signs of giving up. And if I do the turbo tune the sun coast will have to be a must.

TC Debate - Euro vs Suncoast vs ATS

Who is online