Torque Convertors are to automatic transmissions what a clutch is to a manual transmission. It is responsible for making the car move. It connects the engine to the transmission and hooks up the power source to the load. A Torque Convertor is a coupling that allows the engine to spin independently of the transmission while allowing the vehicle to move. Here’s how it works.
Torque Convertor basics
A Torque Convertor is a donut-shaped engine component that connects the engine to the transmission. Inside are the two fans, a pump, turbine, stator, and transmission fluid. The converter housing is connected to the engine’s flywheel, so it turns at the same speed the engine is running at. There are two types of converters, namely, lock-up and non-lock-up converters.
The lock-up Torque Convertors has an internal locking clutch system that locks indirect connections between input and output shafts when you reach a specific speed. This helps improve the efficiency of the energy transmission. Non-lock-up converters, on the other hand, have no locking mechanism and so offer no energy-saving efficiency.
How it works
The simplest way to figure out how a Torque Convertor works is by picturing it as a device with two fans facing each either. When one fan is turned on, it blows air into the second one causing it to spin. However, if you were to stop the second one, the first fan would continue spinning. The two fans are known as the impeller and the turbine. The impeller is hooked up to the engine while the turbine is fastened to the transmission input shaft.
The Torque Convertors pump is a centrifugal pump. As it rotates, the transmission fluid is hurled to the outside of the converter, creating a vacuum that draws in more fluid to the center. The flung fluid enters the turbine causing the vehicle to move. However, it comes from the opposite direction. As the turbine changes the fluid’s direction, the fluid spins the turbine.
A Torque Convertor is an enclosed unit that can have a tremendous impact on the performance, economy, and durability of your vehicle.
