Most of us enjoy the luxury of driving a car with a smooth automatic transmission shift, the driving is effortless because you do not have to worry about shifting any gears nor do you have to worry about operating the clutch pedal.
In an automatic transmission car the work of the clutch pedal is done automatically by a hidden component called the hydraulic torque converter. The torque convertor can even multiply the torque.
The torque converter is sometimes viewed as a complicated component of a vehicle but a very important part that makes the car run. The first piece of the torque is called the impeller, its blades are curved and filled with fluid.
When it is spinning the fluid is thrown out by the impeller while rotating. The other key component is called the turbine, it sits on the opposite side of the impeller, you would think to say that the turbine is the impeller only rotated 180 degrees.
The fluid comes from the impeller and then flows to and over the turbine blade making the turbine rotate. The turbine blades rotate much slower than the blades of the impeller only because energy loss and torque conversion between the turbine and impeller takes place.
Fluid from the impeller is pushed outward due to frugal forces in the middle sending the energy to its turbine. The blades are installed in a manner that allows fluid to go between the inner part of the turbine and the impeller, from then on the cycle keeps repeating itself.
The next important piece used is called the coupling, here the torque is converted. In order to convert torque another special part is necessary called the Stator. It is located between the turbine and impeller.
Fluid flows through the turbine on onto the stator. The Stator has curved blades that angle almost 90 degrees, resulting in the multiplication in torque because the fluid flows back slower. The impeller is attached to the housing and it is connected to the engine causing the impeller to receive the energy that is produced by the engine.
Generally the torque converter uses a lock up clutch connecting the turbine to the transmission shaft and wheels of the vehicle. Torque converters have three main stages of operation.
Phase one, is the impeller rotates but the turbine will not rotate because the driver hits the brakes and the engine will still be running but the vehicle is not moving, an example of that is when a person pulls up to a red light. Phase two, is when acceleration happens, the driver steps on the gas pedal making the impeller turn fast ending in multiplication of torque.
An example of this is when a person pulls up to a green light and then moves the car. Phase three, is the coupling, the driver then drives at a very high speed Rpm and the torque is almost equal now the torque. Transmission troubles could actually be the torque converter.
Problems with Torque converters could be confused with symptoms of a messed up transmission. Do not be misguided into thinking that you need expensive transmission repairs, or a full replacement transmission.
A correct diagnosis by a trained, expert transmission tech will tell you what problems you are experiencing and what repairs you should have done.
Although replacing the torque converter is not a cheap job but it is way less cost efficient than getting a brand new transmission. Diagnosing any cause of transmission issues is not that easy. You should get in touch with hydraulic press manufacturer to get better understanding of how you can replace the torque converter.
