TCC-keep it or defeat it?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 496
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From: Valparaiso Indiana
TCC-keep it or defeat it?
For performance and pleasure, is the lock-up torque convertor really a good thing? My tranny may need work so I can't tell for sure if the extra "gear shift" feel when the convertor locks is a help or a hinderance. Good for gas mileage, but my other cars seem not to lock up or they just release so smoothly you can't hardly feel it. Seems to make throttle response sluggish or is my experience with this unusual?
Safety Car
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 3,758
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From: Surrey
Re: TCC-keep it or defeat it? (boodyman)
All it does is effectively lock the converter so that the crank is directly coupled to the rear end, just like a normal manual g/box would do. When the TCC on my '81 went awol the driving pleasure wasn't reduced... until I realised just how much extra fuel those extra 300rpms sucked when cruising :( If your gas prices start ramping up towards what ours are then a TCC that locks is well worth having!).
Sluggish? As in when you accelerate with a locked TCC not much happens? I think mine being like that was due to the awesome lack of power in the stock L81 :)
Something I've found out about locking converters since I've swapped to an OD tranny is that heat generation is dramatically reduced when the converter is locked. And heat is the biggest killer of auto trannys, so that's another plus point for having one.
:cheers:
Sluggish? As in when you accelerate with a locked TCC not much happens? I think mine being like that was due to the awesome lack of power in the stock L81 :)
Something I've found out about locking converters since I've swapped to an OD tranny is that heat generation is dramatically reduced when the converter is locked. And heat is the biggest killer of auto trannys, so that's another plus point for having one.
:cheers:
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
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From: Swords Check/Saws Check/Clubs Check/Claws Check/Hatred Check/Anger Check/Murmaid Check/Murder Check
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Cruise-In VI Veteran
Re: TCC-keep it or defeat it? (boodyman)
I have an 81 Cutlass that I took off the computer when I dropped an older 350 Olds motor in. The TCC is not hooked up on the TH350C trans. and in 2nd and especially 3rd gear when you lay into the gas the motor gains RPMs quick enough but the car is way slow getting up to speed. I didn't have this problem withthe old motor hooked up to the computer so I'm assuming that this is happening because the torque convertor isn't locking. I'm going to try to rig up a vacuum controlled TCC switch like used in the early 80's GM pick-ups.
