Bad Torque Converter? How to test and rule it out?

[MyMopar]

Is there a way to test to see if a torque converter is going bad?
My friend has a 72 Charger and the thing is stalling out w/o any warning signs on him every now and then.  It seems to happen only when he is slowing down to stop.  He checked the power brake booster and for any vacuum leaks and didn't find any. He drove around the block w/the brake booster plugged and the car still stalled when stopping. 
I'm starting to thing the converter is not slipping anymore and like stopping with a manual tranny w/o putting the clutch in stalling the motor.
SO how can the converter be tested or at least ruled out?  Anyone? 

[MyMopar]

Would bypassing the neutral safety switch and try starting it in gear the next time it happens help solve the problem.  I'm thinking that is the converter isn't allowing slippage, tehn when it stalls when he stops, he can try to start the car in gear and see if it turns over and moves the car at the same time?

[tactransman]

Unless it is a lock up torque converter(which would not be stock on a '72,not till '79) I doubt that it is the problem. Someone could have swapped the tranny for a later model LU one though. By-passing the S/N switch will not tell you anything.

[MEK-Dangerfield]

If the torque converter was going bad, wouldn't this problem rear it's ugly head when you put the car in gear and give it some gas too?


  Mike

[MyMopar]

If the torque converter was going bad, wouldn't this problem rear it's ugly head when you put the car in gear and give it some gas too?


  Mike

I wonder the same thing?  The car doesn't stall out all the time.  Last time, it stalled pulling into the driveway (again slowing down about 5mph) but it starts right back up no problem.  However when he put it back into REVERSE it stalled immediately again, but again putting it in PARK it started right back up no problems.  So I'm thinking TC but would hate to tell him to replace it and the problem still be there. 

BTW the idle speed in gear is 850 rpm so it's not too low.

[tactransman]

I think that the converter is bad,and it IS a lock up style that has been switched out of a later car. I have never had a non lock up converter kill an engine,they get more "Stalling" when a non lock up goes bad.

[MyMopar]

Thanks for the input and info