Anybody else ever tried this?
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 341
From: Jacksonville, Florida
Anybody else ever tried this?
Just found this article over at thirdgen.org
http://www.thirdgen.org/newdesign/te...ueswitch.shtml
ive been thinking about my options for getting torque converter lockup without a ECM...was wondering if anyone else has tried this before?
http://www.thirdgen.org/newdesign/te...ueswitch.shtml
ive been thinking about my options for getting torque converter lockup without a ECM...was wondering if anyone else has tried this before?
Registered User
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 1,677
From: T-town
From what I hear it works, but like the writer said, it's tough on the tranny. Shifting with the converter locked will heat the fluid up a lot and wear the clutches and bands out pretty quickly I'd think (I'm no expert on slushboxes so don't quote me.) It seems to me that it would be alright if it was a track-only deal, and you didn't go driving around downtown during rush hour with the converter locked up.
Registered User
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 2,342
From: MI
I have my converter lock-up wired to a rocker switch
It's cool the way the trans itself is setup. If you turn the switch on and lock the converter, NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, the converter WILL unlock when the brakes are being pressed, or if the car is in first gear. When you start to accelerate again however, and the trans shifts to second, the converter IMMEDIATELY locks and the car gets a little jerkyness to it like a stick car since there is no slippage, etc. My buddy wired it by finding those wires I guess and just putting the switch in the middle(still not 100% sure on that tho). I have a VERY loose torque converter so around town I keep the switch turned on. I can cruise around town while never revving past 2000-2500 rpm with it locked and when you know it's locked, you tend to keep your foot out of the throttle and I've seen a huge increase in mileage around town. On the highway, it keeps rpms down about 300rpm from the unlocked setup.
Oh yeah..my converter while just normally accelerating onto a highway or something(unlocked) will EASILY see 3500-4000rpm at part throttle. Pretty damn loose and that's why I get the MPG increase in town with the lockup. later man. Definately a fun mod.
Another time/money saving benefit is that by keeping the RPMs down while accelerating, sound levels also drop and keep you from being: A. Noticed by police and B. Getting tickets from those police for sound violations. hehe
It's cool the way the trans itself is setup. If you turn the switch on and lock the converter, NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, the converter WILL unlock when the brakes are being pressed, or if the car is in first gear. When you start to accelerate again however, and the trans shifts to second, the converter IMMEDIATELY locks and the car gets a little jerkyness to it like a stick car since there is no slippage, etc. My buddy wired it by finding those wires I guess and just putting the switch in the middle(still not 100% sure on that tho). I have a VERY loose torque converter so around town I keep the switch turned on. I can cruise around town while never revving past 2000-2500 rpm with it locked and when you know it's locked, you tend to keep your foot out of the throttle and I've seen a huge increase in mileage around town. On the highway, it keeps rpms down about 300rpm from the unlocked setup.Oh yeah..my converter while just normally accelerating onto a highway or something(unlocked) will EASILY see 3500-4000rpm at part throttle. Pretty damn loose and that's why I get the MPG increase in town with the lockup. later man. Definately a fun mod.
Another time/money saving benefit is that by keeping the RPMs down while accelerating, sound levels also drop and keep you from being: A. Noticed by police and B. Getting tickets from those police for sound violations. hehe
Last edited by AutoRoc; Jan 11, 2004 at 03:23 AM.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 341
From: Jacksonville, Florida
i really just want it for my highway driving...i drive the highway to work everyday and it would be nice to pick up a few more MPG at the flip of a switch luckily...theres an unused toggle switch right next to my ignition kill switch under my steering wheel so i think im going to just use that. ill let ya all know how it goes.
luckily...theres an unused toggle switch right next to my ignition kill switch under my steering wheel so i think im going to just use that. ill let ya all know how it goes.