converter lockup
Thread Starter
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 580
Likes: 0
From: Manhattan, NY
converter lockup might be a stupid question, but how do i know if my torque converter has locked up or not?
rpms go down a lot and stay there, or what? how do i tell?
oh, and what is this i hear about a lockup switch ? would the switch force the converter to lockup whenever you press the button, or i am not making sense again?
thanks
rpms go down a lot and stay there, or what? how do i tell?
oh, and what is this i hear about a lockup switch ? would the switch force the converter to lockup whenever you press the button, or i am not making sense again?
thanks
Can't you feel it when it it locks up? I know exactly when mine locks up, I can feel it in the pedal and the rpms drop. Once it locks you can let up on the gas and it will keep cruzing at the same speed but at lower rpms. I don't know much about the lockup switch but I know most people get it so they can lock it up after launching at the track. From what I've read it doesnt make that much difference if any.
11 Second Club
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 5,524
Likes: 1
From: The South
If you watch the tack and listen to the exhaust (if you can hear it) then you can tell. It's almost as if it shifts up a gear. Lockup switches are used by some people to manually lock the converter in certain situations. Some non computer controlled trannies that have lockup have to be done via the switch.
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 5,399
Likes: 3
From: Jacksonville, FL
I can feel mine lock too, it's pretty pronounced. Every morning from a cold start when my water temp guage hits the first mark (141 on a scanner) and at about 39 MPH at steady part throttle -
When the converter is unlocked you will see the RPM's rise and fall when you push the gas. With it locked it is like driving a manual. The RPM's rise and fall as the car speeds up/slows down (very little slip).
