Trans/Converter issue....verter locked in 1st gear?
 

2000 SS auto

OK....installed a 3600 stall converter, built tranny, lots of mods. Car bogs at the track and street from a dead stop, won' spin tires at all. At about 4500 rpm, car feels normal, and at a high mph kick, it feels fine. Tranny shifts perfect, feels fine. Converter feels good except at WOT from a dead stop. Seems like the converter is locked while in first gear at WOT...it just drags and drags until about 4500 then the car comes alive. I have some things to try per converter manufacturer.
1.) Try the car in 1st and reverse, see if it feels different than in D or OD (due to line pressure increase).

2.) monitor engine to make sure its not taking out timing (KR) at WOT from a dead stop.

3.) remove pan, unbolt TCC solenoid, and drive the car to see if it acts differently since it won't be able to lock up at this point.

Can the forum think of any other things I could try?

Don't wan't to name the converter company or transmission company since I have seen how people can get the wrong idea and "bash" vendors without knowing all the info!


LS1AutoCar

Do you have the ability to scan the car to see if lockup is being commanded? That would be the easiest thing to do if you have scanning/tuning software.

I scanned with EFI Live....I noticed that the Torque Converter Apply Duty Cycle is about 98% at WOT as well as cruising. I dont know if this is the right thing to look at though!

It seems to be a little snappier when I manually shift it, and it will spin the tires if I brake stall it to about 2600 (in D)....as compared to just hitting it in D from a dead stop.

I am able to lock and unlock it with the EFI Live at will, seems to lock and unlock fine with using the brake pedal to unlock or the EFI live to turn the TCC solenoid on or off.

What do I look at to see if TCCis being commanded on EFI Live?

Well, there is no table for 1st gear TCC apply, so you can't check values there ... a P0742 DTC would indicate that the TCC is stuck on.

You wouldn't be locked in 1st at 0mph, your car would be killed just like letting the clutch pedal out on a manual transmission.