Torque converters- how do they work!

[pnevesfoto]

I found this interesting and worth sharing:

Torque Converter Movie: http://youtu.be/hhwYIs6Lu3M

 

[MancMike]

For those who want to go somewhere when they click the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhwYIs6Lu3M&feature=youtu.be



The most basic jist of it, is trying to stir treacle with a spoon. Do it slowly, and it'll stir (idle speed), or might move the treacle tin around a little bit (car creeping). Start stirring the spoon quickly and you've got a spinning tin of treacle.

A torque converter has lots of spoons.

 

[Major774]

Good way of explaining

 

[sjmaxwell]

Excellent explanation, now want some treacle on my porridge!!

 

[pnevesfoto]

I'm terribly sorry about the link not working as I planned... I was on my android tablet and it plays some tricks on me sometimes...

I found it very interesting specially for those who question about put the gear lever on neutral when on traffic stop lights, because they think they are wearing out the clutch... that does not apply to automatic transmission... the clutch only locks after vehicle gain some speed... conventional ideas of how clutches work do not apply on these case... it is a kind of viscous coupling...

 

[E280wilson]

That's interesting to know as I always wonder how long I can leave it in drive while on the brake hold.

 

[Dieselman]

That's interesting to know as I always wonder how long I can leave it in drive while on the brake hold.

At idle, I would think forever as the ATF isn't having to absorb much energy even tjhough the output is locked, which gives the greatest loading.

If you were to rev the engine hard with the brakes holding the car stationery, it would overheat the ATF pretty quickly, which is what causes damage.