Converter lock up?
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 795
Likes: 2
From: Midlothian, Virginia
Converter lock up? This was my 3rd time out with the new stall this morning and I noticed when cold the converter did not want to lock up. The car is stored in a garage and I let it idle for about 5-7 mins. I backed it out and the temp gauge just started to come pasted the 100 degree mark. Is this normal. The past 2 times I have let the car idle for 15 mins + and no problem. Whats your thoughts?
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
At idle a transmission doesnt really warm up. A stall converter is going to create alot more heat then a lower stall converter. Not until you go drive the car around will the transmission heat up into normal operating temperature. The shift strategy set up in the ecm tells the converter to lock up once it is above a certain temperature. A converter in a 4l60 locks up in both 3rd and 4th. A converter will lock up in 3rd at a lower temerature than 4th. The fluid in a transmission is less viscous so the holding power isnt as great. This is why a transmission must warm up before alowing the converter clutch to engage. This process helps to warm up the transmission to normal operating temperature. Does this help?
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 795
Likes: 2
From: Midlothian, Virginia
Yea I barely drive the car it sees maybe 1500 miles a year. - do not have a cooler on it yet but I am running good fluid. - plan to put a cooler on it but I figured with it being 20 degrees out I'm fine for now. I have driven it maybe 25 miles since it was put in. I just drove it to work because it was dry out. I will just let it warm up longer next time. Give it 15-20.
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 795
Likes: 2
From: Midlothian, Virginia
Today while driving up a small incline the converter was locked and halfway up the incline it unlocked and would not lock again until i came to a stop and accelerated through the gears again. any thoughts?
pretty much the computer is telling the trans it isnt in the right position, torq enviroment to lock up, not sure if you can change the settings or not
a factory car/truck acts that way, based on trans temp, driving conditions, throttle postion, etc-then with a diff converter, it is now seeing diff things
a factory car/truck acts that way, based on trans temp, driving conditions, throttle postion, etc-then with a diff converter, it is now seeing diff things
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Verdad Gallardo Teching In
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
Yes this can be changed! A good tuner can change the TCC duty spread to make the converter lock up sooner. The computer still thinks you have the oem converter. A converter clutch doesn't just lock or unlock. The computer calls for a percentage it wants to lock up the clutch. Basically that clutch slips all the time until the computer calls a high enough percentage to lock it 1:1. If you want the shift to lock up harder then this car needs to be tuned. Also if this trans hasn't been shift kitted then that needs to happen. There is an update in shift kits that either pressure the converter or not. They update it so that the converter doesn't pulse on. This is only a comfort issue because a faster applying converter lasts longer and holds harder.
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 795
Likes: 2
From: Midlothian, Virginia
So all in all I need a tune to properly operate with this converter..... I also have an issue with it hitting the rev limiter between shifts but shifts are fast and firm which I like.
