Torque Convertor Lock up

[odie301]

So while watching tv the other day, I saw a re run of horsepower tv or one of those shows. They were working on a camaro and trying to give it better mileage. They had a kit that allowed them to lock up the torque convertor.

My question is what happens when your torque convertor locks up? Also is there a kit to do this to my tahoe and will it help with gas mileage? I drive about 30-40 miles a day in the range of 60-70 mph with very few hills. Looking to stretch my mileage as much as possible wondering if this would help me or not.

Also anyone know where to get a set of underdrive pulleys?? Everything I find seems expensive.

thanks

 

[Dynamo]

A torque converter is a fluid coupling. It's like a clutch that always slips a little which allows you to stop moving the vehicle without shifting the transmission into neutral (as you would do with a manual transmission). A lock-up torque converter has a clutch mechanism that basically physically locks the pump and turbine together within the converter housing making a mechanical coupling which eliminates the natural slippage that a fluid coupling has. The end result is no power loss between the engine and transmission. With less power loss you should get better fuelo economy as the engine wouldn't have to work as much to move the vehicle.

Pretty sure most vehicle made today with automatic transmissions have lock-up torque converters, including our Tahoes. I could be wrong though.

 

[Astronaut]

Yeah, the Tahoe's do have a lock-up. On mine,it kicks in at about 40 mph.

 

[leatherneck]

lock up

Yeah, the Tahoe's do have a lock-up. On mine,it kicks in at about 40 mph.

that torque converter lock up usually kicks in when your at a constant speed trans has to understand your not going faster or slower then it will kick in to lower RPMs about 500 or so.