Does anyone know if there is a way to get the Torque Converter to lock up in 1st ad 2nd. It does it in 3rd and OD, but a computer trick to get it to lock up in 1 and 2 would be really handy when I am towing in the mountains to keep the temps down. Trans is an A340F backing a V-6 in a 2004. I don't kn ow if this is controlld by the valve body or the computer and that is what I am asking.
torque converter lockup
- Thread starter meatball
- Start date
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TechWrench
Senior Member
meatball said:
The reason the converter doesn't lock in the lower gears is the locking component is not strong enough to handle the torque loads in those gear ranges. This is also why it will unlock in the higher gears when the engine load increases above a certain point, like climbing an incline or accelerating to pass. If you are worried about controlling trans heat build-up, install a good trans cooler inline with the cooler already in the radiator.
Re: Re: torque converter lockup
How do you tell if your Converter Is Locked Up? In the older transmissions of 15-20 years ago where lockup occurred at a certain speed and only in O/D it was easy to tell as your RPM's did not drop when you took your foot off the accelerator or put your foot on the brake.
TechWrench said:
How do you tell if your Converter Is Locked Up? In the older transmissions of 15-20 years ago where lockup occurred at a certain speed and only in O/D it was easy to tell as your RPM's did not drop when you took your foot off the accelerator or put your foot on the brake.
I have a cooler and a gauge installed. I don't think the mechanism not being strong enough is the reason though. It is actually experiencing less load in the lower gears due to the gear reduction. It has something to do with throttle position and road speed. Plus, I don't want it to lock all the time, just when I select 2 or 1 and I am climbing part throttle. There has to be a computer trick.
here's the deal. The lock-up is electronically controlled via a single solenoid. When road speed and throttle position are correct, the ECU sends 12v to the solenoid to lock the TC when in 3 or D. Feeding 12v to the solenoid via a switch will force lockup in other gears or at different throttle positions. Here's the problem now: The ECU checks solenoid resistance and also checks for correct gear selection, TC lockup, Road speed, Throttle position, and if it gets an incorrect reading, it will throw a code. The resistance across the solenoid would be easy to trick, but the other stuff is a litlle more tricky. Any ideas?
