assumption 1 is very correct, ran well enough to blow the old transmission. yes i installed transmission myself, always have, it does have a vaccum modulator and it is connect properly, converter is a stock converter that i bought brand new about a year ago... the starter did have just the very edges of the teeth chewed up a little bit, not even much..... ussually they disentigrate at that kind of force put on them... i got her to start earlier and run without holding the pedal down... but i'm still getting a squeeling... i'm gonna try and see if the flewplate might have gotten bent....i have had that happen before