
The sound and the vibration of a torque converter shudder are signs you need to get it inspected quickly! The breakdown inside of the torque converter creates an imbalance in the flow of the fluid, which creates a shudder that feels almost like you are riding on a dirt road or over a rumble strip. Shuddering – A classic symptom of a bad torque converter is a shudder.Overheating can also cause the vehicle to go into “limp mode”, where the vehicle will stay in one gear (usually 2 nd or 3 rd) and will not shift at all. Some vehicles have a transmission temperature warning light, and this will come on when the temperature gets too high. Overheating – The pressure inside of a torque converter creates heat, and heat will eventually cause the torque converter to break down.Rather than a clean shift, you might feel a delay in shifting and see the engine rev higher as it tries to engage another gear. Slipping – As a torque converter breaks down, it can cause problems for the transmission shifting from one gear to the next.As transmission fluid leaks out of the torque converter, there is less fluid inside which results in even greater heat and more damage. High heat can warp the outside case of the torque converter and can cause the seals to break down, which will result in leaks. Leaking – The complexity of the parts working inside of a torque converter means that they do in fact give out over time.There are some symptoms of a bad torque converter you need to monitor: The complexity of the parts working inside of a torque converter means that they do in fact give out over time. The final lock-up phase usually occurs at speeds above 40 miles an hour and allows the engine and transmission to turn at the same speed, without any residual slipping or loss of efficiency. During the acceleration phase, the engine drives the impeller and increases the velocity of the transmission fluid, which in turn increases the speed of the turbine (and thus the rest of the vehicle). However, the turbine is not moving and as a result, the vehicle does not move. During “stall”, the engine is turning as is the impeller. The torque converter works in 3 phases: stall, acceleration, and lock-up. Since then, the lock-up torque converter has become an industry standard.Ī torque converter works when all of these pieces combine to allow the unit to take the power of the engine and transmit it as needed to the transmission gear assembly. The lock-up clutch was reintroduced by Chrysler in 1978 and General Motors followed suit in 1979.

However, the fuel shortages of the 1970’s forced automakers to look at ways to increase fuel efficiency. Packard and Studebaker had used a lock-up clutch back in the 1940’s, but the design was dropped due to the increased cost of production. The last piece, the lock-up clutch, allows the impeller and turbine to lock together at higher speeds which reduces slipping and in turn increases the fuel efficiency of the system. That brings us to the stator, which is another fan-shaped device that takes the transmission fluid in and reverses direction, reducing drag and increasing efficiency in the unit. The problem with this is that the transmission fluid is moving in the opposite direction of the engine, so it will begin to drag on the torque converter housing and slow everything down. The transmission fluid then hits the turbine, which is a fan similar to the impeller and turns the transmission shaft. As the engine picks up speed, the impeller spins faster which in turn pushes the transmission fluid faster.

The impeller has blades like a fan and is turned mechanically by the engine. So, how does a torque converter work? A torque converter is basically made up of an impeller, turbine, stator, clutch, and transmission fluid. As you step on the gas and the engine revs higher, the amount of torque transmitted to the torque converter increases and the vehicle begins to move. When you are at a stop, the engine is turning slowly and the amount of torque going through the torque converter is low. It allows the engine to turn independently from the transmission.
#Torque converter manual
A torque converter works as a fluid coupling system that takes the place of the clutch in a manual transmission.
