I want to thank everyone who contributed on how to control the lockup torque converter. When my '88 was 1 year old, I had a 2500 stall lockup converter installed (yes, I know that's high for a stocker but I like it that way). Over the years I found the excessive slippage irritating when driving around town since my chip doesn't allow lockup until forth gear. By hardwiring a rocker switch into the ALCL harness I now have complete control and my city mpg has easily gone up by 2. I added a second rocker switch to disable the power antenna since I usually play CD's anyway.


[Modified by jimtreber, 7:05 PM 10/19/2003]


[Modified by jimtreber, 7:11 PM 10/19/2003]

 

Nice job, I have such a TC lockup switch on my IROC.

You can wire a mini red LED in series with a 2.2k Ohm 1/4 Watt resistor across that TC lockup switch as an indicator as to when the ECM is sending the lockup command. The LED is On when no lockup and Off when locked up.
You can mount the LED in a plate in front of the ALDL or next to the rocker switch.

 

Do you go to ground or +12v from the ALDL pin?

 

Wire the switch between ALDL pins A & F.

 

The rocker switches I used has the led built in and the rocker itself lights up when current flows.

 

How much torque can be applied to the lockup clutch before it starts slipping? I was considering a simmiler setup worry about burning up the clutch.

 

CAn you be more specific with how to do this. I want to install a switch to keep my converter from locking on the strip.

Can you guys explain how to do this, to an idiot.... when it comes to electrical things. :cheers:

 

Its very simple. I just got some wire taps (not sure the exact name) and hooked up two wires directly to the ALDL wires that go to the A and F pins. Then hooked up a toggle switch from AutoZone. Word of warning about switches. At first I got a fancy switch with in-line LED indicator. This DOES NOT WORK, seems that you must completely ground of F, if you do not it will not lock up, just act as an indicator. Once I just used your run of the mill switch, works fine. It really gives you nice pull-back, although I wouldn't recommend it for daily street driving, it makes pretty hard shifts between gears, and bogs down a lot unless your going WOT.

 

I do not want my converter to lock at all on the strip.....how do I do that? :confused:

 

Why can't you put a switch in the line to the trans to stop it receiving the signal from the ECM to lock up.That way you have control over it not locking up as opposed to above which gives you control on when it locks up.

 

You would use the switch across ALDL pins A & F to force the TC lockup on command.

You would use the switch in series with the lockup command cable between the ECM & the A4 to prevent lockup. Here I'm wondering if you could simply wire a toggle switch across the brake pedal switch, though I don't know if that would also bring on the brake lights as well....

 

Sorry guys, gotta ask the newbie question; What does ALCL stand for, and where does it live in my 86?

Thanks in advance... :flag

 

please excuse MY ignorance....if a TC in locked mode is giving a 1:1 ratio(motor:tranny) , why would you want to keep it unlocked and let it slip? I ask this because I seriously do not know and I am looking to learn :D

 

That's interesting. I recently read that one aftermarket converter mfg suggested locking up the converter after launch. Years ago, KenneBell suggested flipping the switchpitch converter to low stall right after launch which is how they got their big Buicks in the 10's long ago. If you've ever seen a lockup clutch, it's tiny and makes me wonder how they hold up even under normal use. But they do. The aftermaket clutches are more meaty.

But in your case I wouldn't expect the wiring to be complicated to manually control it.

 

Assembly Line Communications Link. Under the dash right above your right shin.

 

Hey Ski,

this looks like it might fit your needs--
http://www.ecklers.com/product.asp?d...DPFMH57DTD5PD7

Also, I read that the converter will not lock in 1st gear even if you have it switched for 'lock', and that by locking the converter after launch you can gain up to .2 in the 1/4. Is this true??

Also heard that it puts more stress on the Trani?

 

Spoke with Precision Industries, and also pro-built on the subject and posted a topic as well here on this debate. Both of them told me I was HURTING myself by locking the converter while drag racing!!! I questioned them every way to Sunday, and they both said KEEP IT UNLOCKED while racing.....street driving is a different story. Fuel milage etc will be better with it locked. However for the strip, both were VERY adiment about keeping it UNLOCKED!

:cheers:

 

Hey Jimtreber . i noticed your from Sb also. Excellent . I'm taking the motor out of the 85 for a rebuild , stop on by sometime.

I have the stock converter and last time at the track i locked up the converter right after launch. It doesn't actually lock up till after the car shifts into 2nd gear. This picked me up .3 and 3 MPH with the nitrous. That was the 11.91 pass.

Ski-dwn-it, this very well could be your 10 sec slip as that motor of yours makes so much power and torque. It can be done on a trial basis with a paper clip.

 

one more thing i never street drive the car with the converter locked. Lock your up one time in town and you'll see why.

my car ran 12.23 with out it and 11.91 with it locked. It's free and might be worth a try. Oh i have an stock trans and converter with 137K on them and it survived just fine, although i wouldn't do it too much. I'll see if i can find the post and paste it here.

Mike

 

here ya go

Torque Converter Lockup Switch
By Ed Maher (esm120@psu.edu)

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First the disclaimer.
Installing/using this switch is hard on your transmission and your torque converter, BUT so is racing in general. As long as you don't ride around using it all the time, you should not experience any problems with it. It is worth a legitimate 1-2 tenths and 1-2 mph as verified by back to back runs by both myself and my friend, as well as many GNs, from whom this tip came.
Now to the good stuff.
The Parts.


a length of small wire (~18->22 guage)

a toggle switch
The Install.
1- Determine where you want to mount the switch. I put mine in the hole where the fuse box lid locked into. It is an easy to reach place under the dash, and is pretty well concealed, and required no drilling.

2- Run the wire from the ALDL connector (the ALDL is the thing you use to scan for codes, see below for diagram) to where you are putting the switch. This is easy if you are mounting the switch under the dash on that hush panel, and is made easier if you actually remove the screws that hold it up and pull it down for clearance.

3- You can make this temporary or permanently wired in.
Temporary: Strip off about 1-2 cm from the ends of the wire. Insert the wire into terminals A and F (the top right and top left holes respectively).
Permanent: Unscrew the ALDL from the dash and lower it so you can see the wires behind it. Splice your wires into the top outermost wires.

4- Hook the other ends of the wire to the 2 contacts of the switch and mount the switch.

5- Go for a ride. First to make sure it has a good connection, start in first gear with the switch ON and rive away normally. When it shifts into 2nd, it should pull the rpms down real low and bog. If you tap the gas, it should feel jerky and locked like a stick car (while rolling in 2nd with the switch on i can chirp the wheels by just tapping the gas--who says carbs have no throttle response). If it doesn't feel any different, then your connection is bad at the ALDL, or you have the switch OFF. Try flipping the switch again and if that doesn't fix it, play with the wires at the ALDL to get a good connection.

Any questions/comments feel free to email me.
Also check out my Page.


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The Diagram. use top rt and left on ALDL


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