E53 3.0D (6hp26) Shuddering at low speed coasting & more - TC?

[Sobek]

Hey guys,

Just a quick question today. We have a 2007 E53, 3.0 diesel motor and 6hp26 transmission. It's just ticked over 220k kms (135k miles) and has what I believe is a torque converter issue, but would just like to get your opinion on first. It's been doing this for a little while now, but we've been so busy with work and needing the car to drive that getting it fixed had to be delayed. But now we're all good to sort it so time to get stuck into it.

Basically, when coasting along at very slow speeds, like 5-10km/h busy traffic crawl, it tends to shudder, almost jerk along. If you give it a little gas but let off the pedal completely (without going up a gear) it will do the same shudder but far more pronounced. It's like a slipping, jerking feeling that you feel through the entire car. I also had a trans failsafe once when I was going down our steep-ish driveway and manually put it down into first. My thoughts are that the torque converter is on its way out, does that sound about right to you guys? It does sometimes give a tiny little shudder when changing gears too, unless you push it to high rpm's and let it shift there which is does more or less perfectly, which also makes me think torque converter. Also, just to give you an idea, the shuddering is like... how to explain. Imagine that you had a toothed gear spinning around but one tooth was missing, it shudders in a pattern as if that tooth were missing, if that makes sense? The shudder pattern is the same every time.

I did a very small trans oil change in the driveway, ie about 1L of fluid and chucked in a tube of dr tranny shudder fix at the same time. It didn't change the feel of the shuddering but nothing else has happened (such as the failsafe), so I figure at best I bought myself a few extra miles. Finding torque converters for these things is HARD, but I found a company in the UK who can provide a rebuilt and warrantied torque converter for just under $1,000 AUD - does that sound alright? Never had to purchase a TC before so not sure if that's ok value. Still have to find someone local who will do the install and give it a full fluid change too but that's another step for another day. This is the one I'm looking at;

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/222263358068

Really appreciate the input guys. I'm sure this is the issue but it never hurts to get a second opinion.

Cheers

[Sobek]

No ideas? Thought this one would be pretty straight forward haha

[optimist2014]

No ideas? Thought this one would be pretty straight forward haha

Hey Sobek,
Was it the TC? Having very similar issues in my e60. High gears fine, first and reverse it shudders and almost wants to stall.
Thanks
G

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