Don't worry none about it. I had a professor in college once that said the
only dumb questions are the ones that aren't asked. We all had to learn
about our trucks sometime or other and most on this board are very willing
to pass the information on.
The torque converter looks like a bagel or a donut that is sliced down the
middle. One half rotates with the engine, and the other half rotates with
the transmission. The inside of the bagel has a bunch of fins whose job is
to pump oil from the engine side to the transmission side. When the oil
hits the transmission side, it hits the fins on the transmission side and
tries to make the transmission side turn, sort of like a pinwheel in the
wind. This transmits torque from the engine to the transmission without
physically locking the two together. If the transmission can't turn, the
oil slips, consumes energy, and makes heat. This is why automatic
transmissions need external cooling and manuals don't.
As someone already said, some newer (since the late 70's) transmissions
also have a hydraulically actuated clutch that locks the engine to the
transmission at highway speed and gives a little better milage.
Unless you have a very old Dodge, or a Cat bulldozer, manual transmissions
don't have a torque converter. They have a clutch instead.
Bruce Kettunen
57 3200
Mt. Iron, MN
>I guess I didn't phrase my question correctly. I knew "what" the converter
>did, just not "how". This truck is my first run at total dismantling and
>rebuilding of a vehicle, and my truck is not an automatic so I have no
>experience with what actually happens mechanically inside the converter.
>Thanks for the response. I will try to read up prior to asking the stupid
>question. Neil
>oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
|