Rookie Question
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 4,178
Likes: 2
From: Windermere FL
Re: Rookie Question (chucks88)
Basically, picture a wheel with blades on it spinning really rapidly in oil in a bucket. Makes the oil swirl around fast right? Now if you put a second blade behind the first in the swirl it will make that one go around as well. Seal it into a container and you have a torque converter. It smooths out a mechanical link for an automatic transmission. That's right, the link between your motor and the wheels is in one location connected by a fluid and not a hard link like metal. It acts like a clutch for the automatic trans.
92TripleBlack :cheers:
92TripleBlack :cheers:
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 87
Likes: 0
From: Baytown Texas
Re: Rookie Question (GRX)
'92 tripple is right. Your torque converter is all about centrifugal force and the resistance of a fluid (transmission fluid in this case) to compress under pressure. That's hydraulics. Your torque converter uses both principles to transmit torque, or engine output energy, to your driveline.....but with slippage.
That slippage is what transfers heat energy from the engine to the transmission fluid. The greater the "stall" rating of a torque converter, the greater the heat transfer....and the greater the need to remove that heat by virtue of a good tranny cooler. "Stall" is a general term that describes slippage in an easily understood number; engine rpm.
A clutch transfers energy to the driveline by friction alone. The slippage is minimal, but the rate of heat transfer is greater. That's why asbestos is used as a lining material. Basically, a metal plate is held against the asbestos friction disc by spring pressure, and that allows the engine to turn the driveline.
That slippage is what transfers heat energy from the engine to the transmission fluid. The greater the "stall" rating of a torque converter, the greater the heat transfer....and the greater the need to remove that heat by virtue of a good tranny cooler. "Stall" is a general term that describes slippage in an easily understood number; engine rpm.
A clutch transfers energy to the driveline by friction alone. The slippage is minimal, but the rate of heat transfer is greater. That's why asbestos is used as a lining material. Basically, a metal plate is held against the asbestos friction disc by spring pressure, and that allows the engine to turn the driveline.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,238
Likes: 0
From: walled lake MI
Re: Rookie Question (chucks88)
another nice little feature of torque converters is that it can multiply torque under certain conditions. namely when the ratio of (output speed)/(input speed) is small. basically gives you more torque at the wheels. this is especially helpful when taking off from the line.
